I am convinced that every leader is capable of building his or her own “kingdom dream team” for outreach and ministry. Really. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the ability to build such a team is a standard component in a leader’s gift package.
The first step in building a dream team is to define the purpose of the team. And I mean, define it with ruthless specificity.
When I first decided to organize a sailboat racing team, someone helping me asked me a very important question: “Are you planning to race recreationally, or do you want to race at a competitive level? If you want to race recreationally, you can put together a team with Aunt Ethel, Cousin Eddie and Buddy the Bartender. But if you want to race at the highest level of competition, you need to find some serious sailors.”
Now, whenever pastors tell me they’re putting together a leadership team, my reflex is tp make sure they are painfully specific about the nature and purpose of the team: “What type of leadership team? What will be its purpose? What are its goals?” I often ask. As you develop a team to meet your church’s outreach objectives, keep these objectives in mind.
The Three “Cs” of Team Selection
Building a dream team means establishing a clear criteria for the selection of specific team members. It’s important to look for certain characteristics and qualities in order of their importance.
Let me share what I look for in prospective team members at Willow Creek Community Church, which I pastor. My selection process is based on the three “Cs”: first character, then competence, and finally chemistry.
Character
Simply put, I need to have confidence in a person’s walk with Jesus Christ. I need to know that he or she is committed to spiritual disciplines.
I didn’t always place character above competence. While I’ve learned that an occasional lapse in competence can be accepted, repeated lapses in character create problems with far-reaching implications.
I used to think that if I discovered a potential team member who was terrifically competent but a little shaky in regard to character, I could go with the competence and address the character defects over time. But time and past experience has changed my view. Let’s face it, every adult interviewing for a key role has already spent 25, 30 or 35 years in a process of character formation. Not much is going to change after that. So I look for character that has already been positively formed.
Competence
As my second selection criterion, I look for the highest level of competence that I can find. Specifically, I ask God to help me find someone whose spiritual gifts have been developed and refined over many years. This strategy echoes the words of the Apostle Paul, who insists in 1 Timothy 3:10 that every new deacon be “first tested.”
I realized that if I hadn’t surrounded myself with some really outstanding people, then I would be overwhelmed by the challenges of leading Willow Creek. Now when I look around the table during our management meetings, I am amazed at the level of experienced people God has brought to our team.
Chemistry
The third “C” I look for is a relational fit with me as well as with other team members. Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One-Minute Manager, counseled me never to invite a person onto my team who doesn’t have a positive emotional effect on me the minute he or she walks into my office.
I initially thought that counsel was a bit extreme. I’m not looking for a golfing buddy, I thought. I just need a capable person to work faithfully in our church. Today, however, I am a convert to the doctrine of chemistry. Why? Because so much of my time is spent with these folks that it helps if I really like being with those people! So, if two job candidates have equal character and competence, I’ll give the nod to the person whose personality and temperament blend with the other team members.
If you lead a church that is just a few years old and you don’t have a “kingdom dream team” for outreach and ministry yet, don’t despair. It’s taken us thirty years to develop our team to this point.
My advice? Stay the course, but keep the bar high.
This article is adapted from Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels.
