How the Bible Depicts the Theme of Teamwork

Reply 1 

Rita Howard provides a clear picture of how the Bible depicts the theme of teamwork. She uses various analogies from the Bible to exemplify her assertions including Jesus choice of the 12 disciples and the bible verse in 1 Corinthians 12:14 which teaches that body is not a member but rather an entity composed of many parts. Most fundamentally, Rita goes ahead to exemplify the essence of teamwork using contemporary scenarios such as worship in churches. Her use of 1 Corinthians 12:14 is a symbolic representation of the essence of teamwork by showing how the body works in synergy. Also, the book of Ephesians goes ahead to illustrate the value of collaboration by explaining it using the symbol of the body. "From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grows so that it builds itself up in love." It is in this regard that Rita continues to explain how various components of the body interact with each other to accomplish a common cause. The book of Romans 15:5-16 illustrates Rita's assertions that teamwork is important in real life when it says, "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus…" 

Reply 2 

Schneider Casseus remains aware of the importance of team spirit in the life of Christians. His focus is on Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 which essentially asserts that two people are better off working together than one person. It mainly focuses on teamwork in the context of providing help in case one entity fails along the way. Therefore, the focus of Schneider is to illustrate the importance of support and help which fundamentally comes with teamwork. Since people are gifted in different ways, it is only imperative for people to come together to mitigate one another's weaknesses. A similar sentiment is echoed in the book of 1 Peter 4:10 which say, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." After Jesus had ascended to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit who went ahead to provide the apostles various gifts including that of wisdom, knowledge, faith, and miracles among others. The Parable of the talents further emphasizes how people are not given equal opportunities and privileges. Schneider, therefore, concludes that the most appropriate way to enhance teamwork is working to assist each other. 

Reply 3 

Lisa Pietruszka focuses on various functional and dysfunctional teams that people can have across their entire lifetime. She goes on to exemplify multiple activities that require teamwork including sports, academics, and the family. Lisa believes that a team should be defined as a group of people coming together to achieve a common goal. A team brings in individuals with different abilities, experiences, talents, and expectations. The unique blend of these enables a team to leverage its strengths and achieve all their desires. Just as the previous cases, Lisa uses 1 Corinthians 12:14-27 to compare a team to various body parts. In likening the human body to a team, both have the potential to grow and change. Lisa, however, notes that the Bible does not provide the strategy on how teams should operate. The primary aim of Lisa's assertion is to explain that although teamwork is essential, a strategy is as equally vital. Although two different teams can have similar components in aspects such as numbers, coaches, and equipment, the method of execution can lead to indifferent results. As such, this calls on church members, family members, and teammates to always develop a unique strategy that helps them in achieving their goals. The story of Noah is an excellent example of how strategy can assist people to accomplish tasks that seem difficult for a few individuals.