It is hard to overemphasize the importance of a strong team. From the very beginning of my personal ministry, I wanted to have a team around me. I am a visionary, but I cannot accomplish the vision alone. If you want to be a part of something bigger than what one person can do, you need a team. If you want to see your mission fulfilled, you need a team. If you want to build something that lasts, you need a team. I think you get the point. The true test of a leader isn’t the magnitude of his or her ministry but whether that leader trains other leaders who can sustain the organization and carry the vision when he or she is no longer present. Successful leaders build with legacy in mind, and a strong team is key to this success.

This need is widely recognized, but how is a strong team built? How does a team who makes a vision a reality come into existence? And what does that team look like? Leaders should be intentional in building their team. This team doesn’t have to be paid staff, but they should be chosen with care. As a pastor and leader, I discovered a few key elements to a strong team.

• Strong teams are built with people qualified for the position. Place people in positions for which they are qualified. Remember people come to us with different giftings. A person who excels at sales may wither as an accountant. A warm body may be convenient at the time, but if you place someone in a position that doesn’t suit them or for which they are unqualified, there is going to be tension when you need to make a change. Leaders who build strong teams: identify people with potential, recruit them for the right positions, train them for success, and release them into the role. 

• Strong teams share a vision. If they are going to be on the team, they need to have the same vision you have. A shared vision allows everyone to work towards a common goal. It is easier to build for success when we work together rather than at odds with one another. As you identify people for your team, consider whether they share your vision. Sometimes it isn’t that simple. What do you do if someone on your team doesn’t share the vision? Perhaps you stepped into leadership with an already developed team or maybe the original vision has shifted. If that is your situation, it may take some time to get people to catch your vision. When I went to my last church it took a while. I followed a very good friend, a strong leader, and a great pastor. People didn’t immediately connect with my vision. It took a few years for them to catch the vision that I was bringing to the mix. If your team doesn’t share a vision yet, cast the vision and give them time.

• Strong teams exhibit mutual trust. There needs to be mutual trust between you and the team. Teams cannot function without trust. If you have someone on your team who doesn’t trust your decisions, and challenges every decision you make, it is not going to work. In the same vein, you do not want someone on your team that you do not trust. There needs to be a mutual trust relationship, so your time can be spent building rather than debating.

• Strong teams ask the hard questions. Just because people trust one another doesn’t mean they won’t ask hard questions. In fact, healthy team members will do just that. You need to have a group of people that are willing to ask the hard questions. Although there is trust and a shared vision, you don’t want people who will rubber stamp everything you share. You want people who will ask the questions about the vision and about what you are thinking. That is what I had with my pastoral team. That is what we have at Global Awakening. We have a team that loves us, loves the vision, is committed to us, but they don’t have a problem asking the hard questions. 

• Strong teams genuinely love one another. You want people who really love you. There are different levels of teams, some are very close while others are broader. The connection you have with these groups will vary. The group closest to you should especially consist of people who love you and love one another. Jesus left his disciples with a command to “love one another” (John 13:34). This love covers offenses and maintains unity (Proverbs 10:12, Ephesians 4:2-3). At my last church, I had a group of people that I knew loved me. Whatever Brenda and I were going through, we could share with them. We could go to them in a moment of need or a moment of stress. They didn’t ask any questions; we could simply lay on the floor as they soaked us in prayer.

Strong teams accomplish more as a result of their unified vision and support of one another. Each member brings something to the table and helps to carry the load (1 Corinthians 12:20-21; Numbers 11:17). Whether you are just beginning to gather a team or are strengthening the team you already have, invest in them. Take time to put the right people in the right positions, cast the vision, build trust, create an open environment, and above all love deeply. Model what you ask of them, and watch your team thrive. Strong teams make dreams a reality. Strong teams build legacy.