TEAMWORK AND NETWORKS

Working Together to Produce Reproducing Faith Communities,

and Extending Relationships

2

It Need Not Be So Lonely at the Top

Philip Slater in The Future of Leadership

A cliché of the Industrial Age was that it was lonely at the top. But it was only the need to control people that made it lonely.

3

Ministry Flows From Community

Leadership is about making connections Authentic community requires

Accountability Encouragement Pooling of knowledge and skills (1Cor 12:18-20)

Mutual enrichment (Rom 1:11,12) Engagement and hospitality beyond the

membership of the group We enhance our potential in relationships

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Dysfunctional Teams

Patrick Lencioni, Five Dysfunctions of a Team

5: Absence of Trust5: Absence of Trust

4: Fear of Conflict4: Fear of Conflict

3: Lack of Commitment3: Lack of Commitment

2: Avoidance of Accountability2: Avoidance of Accountability

1: Inattention to Results1: Inattention to Results

•Distance and Distance and DefensivenessDefensiveness

•Artificial HarmonyArtificial Harmony

•AmbiguityAmbiguity

•Tolerance of Low Tolerance of Low StandardsStandards

•Status and Ego Status and Ego ConcernsConcerns

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Cycle of Distrust

Unmet Unmet ExpectationsExpectations

DistrustDistrust

Self-protective behavior

Perceived disrespector hostile behavior by others

Distrust of others

Self-protective Self-protective attitude by othersattitude by others

Cloke and Goldmith, The Art of Waking People Up, p. 35

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Develop team-building skills

Correct the individualistic, competitive bias

From obligation and willingness to passion and giftedness

First “Who?” then “What?” Maintaining team momentum and

cohesion Team Mix

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Team functions

Tasks and corresponding skills

Team building, direction and momentum

Shepherding individuals

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Household Structure of the Early Church

•Households were not just a domestic, Households were not just a domestic,

but an economic structure of a pre-but an economic structure of a pre-

industrial Societyindustrial Society

•80% of the workforce was indentured80% of the workforce was indentured

•Significance of Prisca and AquilaSignificance of Prisca and Aquila

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• Hendrickson Publishers, 2004

• ThD Dissertation

Eberhard-Karl’s University,

Tübingen,

Germany

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Cities with House Churches

Philippi–Lydia Acts 16:11-15,40; Jailer 25-34. Thessalonica–Jason Acts 17:1-9. Corinth–Stephanas 1Cor 1:16; 16:16, Prisca and

Aquila, Titius Justus 18:7, Crispus 18:8, Gaius And Erastus Rom 16:23/1Cor 1:14.

Cenchrea–Phoebe Rom 16:1,2. Ephesus–Aquila and Priscilla Acts 18:18,19,26. Rome–Aquila and Priscilla, Aristobulus, Narcissus Colossae–Philemon Laodicea–Nympha

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Significance of the Household for Mission

Observable–See them in operation Accessible–Close-by; feel at home Economical–Don’t have to buy or lease

real estate Flexible–Each relates to its context Reproducible–every church can give

birth to other faith communities

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Prominence Of Women In The Life Of The Early Church

9 of the 269 of the 26Paul thinks highly of themPaul thinks highly of themIntriguing case of Intriguing case of JuniaJunia

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People of DistinctionPeople of Distinction

Aristobulus:Aristobulus: grandson of Herod the grandson of Herod the GreatGreatNarcissus:Narcissus: member of Caesar’s member of Caesar’s householdhousehold

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Roman Villa

Seat up to 30 personsCenter of business and manufactureExtended “household:Family membersSlaves and FreedmenApprenticesClientelaAmici–friends of the family

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Insula

ApartmentsAs many as six floorsSingle room dwellingsShops on the first floorBuy meals at the café on the corner

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Taberna

Fourteen excavated in CorinthWorkshopSingle room accommodation

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Communities of the Future

FROM... TO...

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Establishing mid-sized Missional Communities Congregations fail to reproduce

Clericalism Isolation

Cell Groups fail to implement their vision

Clusters Church in dispersion Reproducible

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The Essence of Clusters

Each is a fully-fledged expression of “church”

Each clusters is formed by its context

Provide a context for leadership emergence

Strategy will require local adaptation

UP

IN OUT

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Congregational Clusters

OF

Part of wider expressions of church

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Spiders and Starfish

Vulnerable Spiders

Resilient Starfish

Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom, The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations

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Types of Networks

Chain Network Hub and Spoke All-Channel NetworkDEGREES OF CONNECTEDNESS

Tight Control Close Association Occasional Contact