People or Culture: the Chicken/Egg Dilemma

Today’s guest post is by Poncho Lowder, pastor at City Bible Church in Portland, OR, cofounder of the Bible and Journal App Company, and author of Pursue God: How Do You Develop a Thriving Relationship with God? He has spent the last decade in ministry building and overseeing leadership teams that have greatly impacted his city and the Northwest.   

What comes first, a good team or a healthy team culture? Every leader desires a team of amazingly gifted people, but few know how to build a healthy team culture that will develop and keep them. I often find myself challenging leaders to stop dreaming of the team they wish they had and start loving on and building the team God has given them.

A healthy team culture where staff and volunteers feel valued and empowered is foundational to building a thriving team. When the Apostle Paul wrote to churches in the Bible, he put the responsibility on the leadership to raise up and equip the team they were given.

“And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” —Ephesians 4:11–12
Today is no different. God puts people in leadership positions to oversee and care for his flock. As leaders, we have a big responsibility to equip people and build a healthy leadership-team culture where people are released to go do all that God has called them to do.
Over the last decade of ministry, I’ve had the opportunity to help build and oversee several leadership teams, both volunteer and staff. The healthiest teams that I have been able to lead or be part of have always had three things in common:

1. The leadership team makes a practice of empowering people to step out and do the work. There is a high value on getting people equipped to make an impact right where God has placed them. The focus is releasing them to go and impact their work, neighborhood, and friendship circles (Ephesians 4:11–12).
2. The leadership team makes caring for the spiritual and natural health of the team just as important as fulfilling ministry goals. This is easily seen and felt by volunteers and lay ministry. Resource them with podcasts and books, pray for them, and encourage them. When people are properly cared for, it takes the health of the team to a whole different level (1 Peter 5:1–3).
3. The people serving in the ministry are more concerned about caring for others than being cared for. There’s a sacrificial “others-first“ mentality that they all have. This is contagious and quickly impacts people who are new to the ministry culture (Matthew 22:39, Acts 2).

Leaders, take a minute and ask yourself:

• What is my leadership style like?
• Do I empower people, or do I just focus on the task?
• Do I make task completion my goal, or is my goal to equip others?

If you’re on staff or part of the volunteer team, ask yourself:

• How do I function on the team?
• Is it all about me and my gifting, or do I have an others-first mentality?
• Do I seek to be fulfilled, or to serve others?

Everyone plays a part in making the team culture great. If you want to be part of a great team, then do your part to help develop a healthy team culture first.