The Christian Tactical Playbook
A Field Guide for Cultural Reconstruction
Transforming Our Culture and Communities For Christ

Building the Perfect Team
by Pastor Paul Michael Raymond

First Principles of Team Building

Obviously there is no such thing as the perfect team. Yet, there is such a thing as a "productive" team. While productivity is essential it only can be realized through Total Team Commitment. In the final analysis if the team is not committed, it is not going to be productive, and therefore it is not worth the trouble. Commitment is an Essential Team Characteristic 

The hope of this article is that it will assist you in building a Team of Joshuas and Elijahs. The principles herein are simple, yet profound. They are found throughout Scripture and in the everyday business world. These are principles of leadership and management. They are principles of military campaigns as well as principles in statesmanship. 

Our task is to take these fundamental rules and vehemently apply them to the Christian quest for Cultural Dominion. If the saints are to re-claim that which has been lost to the secular humanists, targeted and precision teamwork must be developed. Once the teams are in place active campaign of Righteous principles can be successfully launched upon the nation, town by town, county by county, state by state, until all  national laws and public policy reflect the Law of the Lawgiver, Jesus Christ. It can be done. It must be done. It will be done. Deo Vindice

BUILDING THE PERFECT TEAM

Ask These Questions:

      1. What kind of team are you building? Is is a sports team or an army? 
            Be sure to clarify your team's mission and vision.

       2. What Characteristics should your team have?

       3. What tactics will work best for the characteristics of your team?

       4. Where is the Theatre of battle?

       5. How can your team be quickly educated? How can they be constantly informed and updated?

       6. How best can the team leader motivate the team members?

       7. Is your team prepared for failure? Crisis? Disappointment? Slander? Adversary?
       How can you prepare them?

       8. Who should your team network with? What is the criteria for team associations?

       9. How is your team going to measure their achievements.

Think of your team as the administrators of a Divine Plague against the wicked philosophies of the world. 

I. Q: WHAT KIND OF TEAM ARE YOU BUILDING?
    A: A Biblical Team.

Choosing Your Teammates
BIBLICAL STANDARDS

Begin choosing your team players by making a list of Character Traits from the Scriptures.

       1. Use the traits Paul gives for the office of Elders and Deacons. cf 1 Timothy 3  Titus 2
       2. Use the list given in Galatians 5 as to the fruit of the Spirit. 
       3. Use the general rule given by David in 2 Samuel 23.3
       4. Use the rule given by God to Moses in Deuteronomy 1.13,15-17

WARNING: If your team members do not conform to these characteristics you do not have a Biblical Team. Without a Biblically characterized team you cannot bring Glory to God.  Be warned against recruiting a Judas or a Demas - these are components of trouble.

II. What Characteristics should your team have?

Choosing Your Teammates
PRACTICAL STANDARDS

According to John C. Maxwell, in his book, "The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player", he suggests a myriad of  important "practical" requirements for teams listed under 17 main headings. When the Biblical requirements are coupled with this list of practical requirements, your team will not only be productive but it will be POWERFULLY PRODUCTIVE.

       1. Teachable: Each member of the team must be flexible within the framework of Biblical Doctrine. Brainstorming is essential. Synergy is what we must strive for. A mix of good ideas usually brings about a GREAT IDEA. Personal rigidity will not work. Individuals must work as INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART OF A TEAM. 

       2. Emotionally Secure: Even Christians can be insecure. They may be the finest of the faithful, but if they are not secure and confident they are not going to profit your team. Look for bold, confident Christians who's ideas can be challenged without them feeling threatened. Insecure people tend to see every suggestion of disagreement as a personal threat. This is a formula for team melt-down.

       3. Creative: Your team must be creative. Creativity is a gift from God. While some folks are more creative than others according to God's providential Grace, creativity originates with God. Pray for it and seek to develop it in each of your team mates. 

NOTE: Grassroots movements often start out with little or no financial support. Substitute creativity, effort and stick-to-itiveness for money.

       4. Service Oriented: Your team must be service minded. There is no room for pride or self adulation here. No member of the team should focus upon themselves. They are there to complete a mission. Remember, you are undertaking a commission from the King of the Universe. It is He who will receive the Glory, not you. THINK SERVICE and weed out all glory seekers!

       5. Self Starters: Your team must be a team of spirited horses not idiotic mules. If getting the members to work is a chore, you have the wrong mix of members. Look for energetic, committed, passionate people with a good intellectual ability. You do not need Einsteins, just devoted folk.

      6. Brave and Courageous: Cowards will not survive the conflict and will ultimately bring your team to ruin. See Deuteronomy 20.8. Furthermore, a coward brings shame to the Majesty of Christ. You must build your team from honorable men who are not afraid of cultural confrontation. This doe not mean that you and your team mates will not be afraid at times - you most certainly will. Nevertheless, you will contend despite the nervous fear that you experience, especially if you debate face to face with civil rulers. Yet, courage can only exist in the face of fear. As the saying goes, "There isn't any courage if there isn't any fear". The Lord instructs us, "Fear Not".

III Which tactics will work best for your team?

The tactics that work are best. Although this advice sounds like a side step of the question it is actually very true. Each team must explore what works best for them. This manual will explore a vast number of suggestions on exactly what to do to bring about a certain result. Yet, there are no set rules. Each team is unique. Each team has diverse strengths and situations. Tactics must conform to the team and the situation. 

The Scriptures can help a great deal here. They are full of principles and case studies of what to do in various circumstances. This article installments of this manual will seek to highlight theses case studies and apply them to our modern warfare. However, you must research the Scriptures for yourself to find the tactics that God used to conquer the enemies of Righteousness. 

IV. Where is the Theatre of battle?

Depending upon your teams focus, that is where your theatre of battle is. One team can focus upon the Local town government while another may engage the government on the state level. Still another may look to set up a ministry for the homeless, orphans, poverty stricken etc. They may engage their church or can set it up on their own. Some teams may be large enough to divide into a few smaller teams in order to launch a strategic assault on the County level. Whatever the interest, or wherever the need, that is where you will find the Theatre of Battle. You only have to look in your own backyard to see that the principles of Scripture need to be applied. 

V.  How can your team be quickly educated? How can they be constantly informed and updated?
INTERNAL TACTICS

       1. Set up an INTELLIGENCE SUB COMMITTEE.

a. Choose 2 or 3 team members to gather data on a daily basis so as to keep all others informed. Be sure their gathering doesn't overlap. Have them develop an INTEL Agenda of their own, i.e. who gathers what from where etc.  You do not want to waste time by having everyone getting the same stories. The INTEL Agenda must be diverse and as exhaustive as possible without overlap or repetition

Remember: Focus on a Targeted Topic Gathering Mission. Just don't get anything and everything. Make sure it has to do precisely with what your team is going to deal with. Learn to discriminate between what data is needful and what data is simply non-essential. This will come with practice.

b. Your INTEL Committee will then email important Data, NEWS and Events pertaining to your focus to each of the members. 

NOTE: You can sign up for automatic news briefs from reliable sources, Christian and non Christian alike. The INTEL SUBCOMMITTEE will filter the emails and pick out ONLY WHAT IS ON THE TEAM AGENDA. This tactic works well when the team focus is national or state wide. 

       2. Liaison with the Local News Editor or Reporter.

a. When the focus is local you may wish to befriend a local reporter or the editor of the local Herald. Find out what is happening in the districts as far as laws and public policy. this will at least give you an initial heads up. Then have a report sent to each team member via email on the issues that are related to your goal.

       3. Each member should read news reports daily.

a. Read the news on the internet or in print daily. Each member of the team needs to be abreast of events worldwide as well as locally. Remember, God is orchestrating all of the worlds events even down to the smallest detail. 

b. The Institute for Theonomic Reformation provides Headlines and Commentaries but there are many other services that are beneficial as well. CNSNEWS - WorldNetDaily - FOX News - The Washington Times - etc. You can find a myriad of Domestic and Foreign Newslinks on the ITR Site in the Right Hand Column.

c. Periodicals in Print are especially helpful. World Magazine, The Chalcedon Report, Business Reform, Biblical Worldview Magazine, and Christian History are some excellent resources. Each member should subscribe to a different one of these and then pass them around monthly. Make it the team's required reading. You will be the same person tomorrow as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read. Readers are leaders. Research - Read - Study - Share.

VI. How best can the team leader motivate the team members?

       a. Each team needs to adopt this strategy: Win small - win often. If a team goes for broke against the Leviathan the first time out they may be in for a disappointment. We cannot always expect a Goliath victory. God will first make us humble before He makes us Victorious. Furthermore, we must never despise the day of small victories since they are the beginnings of larger ones. Each victory will bring others and those will bring greater victories. Win Small but Win OFTEN. This momentum will be motivation itself.     

VII. Is your team prepared for failure? Crisis? Disappointment? Slander? Adversary?
       How can you prepare them?

        a. Team leaders must remind themselves and their team that God works in time as well as over time. Thus, frustration should not enter into the team's culture. Winston Churchill stated, "We go from failure to failure with great enthusiasm." Each failure is an opportunity to learn and refine. Team leaders need to remind their people of this precept. God is working perfectly and precisely so there is no need for discouragement. Each team should look straight ahead and not look back. This is where commitment comes in. Those that are committed will persevere. Those that are like John Bunyan's character "Pliable", will crumble.

       b. Choose Scripture accounts that relate to personal and team failures. Examine them - discuss them - dissect them. Find out why there was failure. Was it due to sin or some other providence? Also, use case studies from Church History. The years of 1600 through 1688 in Europe were significant years of battle, victories and failures. Read of them and apply them to your modern situation. These will help solidify your team's resolve.

VIII. Who should your team network with? What is the criteria for team associations?

       a. Team networking is important. A series of teams working within one state can do some serious damage if they are orchestrated properly. Communication among teams is essential. Be sure the team you network with follows the same criteria that is set forth in this manual. You do not what to associate yourself with a bunch of "Yahoos for Jesus". You must only consider an association with committed, industrious, discreet, and sober minded Brethren. Don't be afraid to ask the heard questions about doctrine as well as direction. Determine who they are and where they are going before committing to an alliance.

IX. How is your team going to measure their achievements.

       Depending upon your team's agenda, measuring results can be fairly easy. 

For Example: 

a. If your initial goal is to get your message into the community you can casually interview the locals to see if they are receiving it. This should be done after an extending period of letters to the editor, flyers, adds, etc. 

b. If your initial goal is to introduce yourself and your team's message to the local legislator, you can call him, or meet him to get his feedback. 

c. If your initial goal is to befriend the local newscaster or Newspaper editor you can measure that goal as well through visits and phone discussions. You can also see what effect your message has in the newsman's commentaries. What slant is he giving the story? Has he changed his views? Is he now asking questions? Even if he becomes belligerent toward your teams agenda you know you are making an impact. Negative feedback is still feedback. Your goal is to make an impact. 

Whatever the target goal, it can be measured. 

HINT: Measure in small increments and measure often. keep your finger on the pulse of your target. This will assist you in remedying any miscommunication or problems. 

Bibliography: John C. Maxwell, The Essential Qualities of A Team Player www.QualitiesOfATeamPlayer.com

Helps: 1001 Ways To Take Initiative At Work, Bob Nelson, www.workmanweb.com

Return To Tactical Playbook Main Page

Return To Team Building Index

Contact the Author

Return To The Institute For Theonomic Reformation Home Page