• • Each member of the Godhead is equal.

I and the Father are one. (John 10:30)

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth … I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:16-18)

… baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matt. 28:19)

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Cor. 13:14)

There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph. 4:4-6)

• • There are clear distinctions of responsibility and function within the Godhead.

… who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood … (1 Pet. 1:2)

• • The Godhead always acts as One in perfect unity.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, in Our likeness…” (Gen. 1:26)

Come, let Us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other. (Gen. 11:7)

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?” (Is. 6:8)

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. (1 Cor. 12:4-6)

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created Him; male and female He created them. (Gen. 1:27)

• • Again, we see equality in this relationship.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:28)

• • We also see diversity of responsibility and function.

… heirs together of the grace of life … (1 Pet. 3:7)

• • Husband and wife are also intended to live and act together in unity.

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (Eph. 5:31)

• • Team members bring different abilities and gifts into the team, and they may all serve in different ways. Yet they all serve in unity to fulfill the same ultimate divine purpose (12:4-6).

• • The team is made up of many parts (12:7-11) and yet is meant to function in unity (12:12) as Christ unites us and His Spirit empowers us (12:13).

• • There is no place for an independent spirit if effective team ministry is to occur (12:14-16).

• • No one member is capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of the whole team (12:17).

• • God is the One who is strategically building His team, giving each member mutually complementary gifts (12:18-20).

• • Each member of the team must realize his need for all other members (12:21).

• • It is often the unseen team members – those who faithfully fulfill their responsibilities whether they are recognized or not – who will be the most honored by God (12:22-24).

• • In an effective team each member must be concerned not only for his own role but also for the other members of the team (12:25).

• • We are inextricably linked together (12:26). Consequently, one missing or malfunctioning team member causes the whole team to suffer and lose its effectiveness.

• • We must be committed to one another: to form and participate in effective teams (12:27).

• • God is the One who raises up the team and establishes its order as it pleases Himself (12:28).

• • We should find and fulfill our own special calling in the team – for which God has gifted and prepared us – and not try to do what seems to be the most important (12:29-30).

• • We should earnestly desire to be used in the greatest way possible in the context of the team (12:31a)

• • The team will be most effective when it exists and functions in a relational community of love (12:31b – 13:13).