Outline: FOSTERING UNITY
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FOSTERING UNITY
“Two are better than one,because they have a good reward for their labor.For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.”
Eccles. 4:9-10 RV60
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STEP 1: ACHIEVED RESULTS
What specific action did you commit to fulfilling last week? What were the results?
STEP 2: REFLECTIONS
Instructions:Take turns Reading with your peers the following paragraphs. As you are reading, underline the ideas that catch your attention.
THE FOUNDATION OF A POWERFUL TEAM
More than 2,000 years ago a small team joined together to change the world and they fulfilled that purpose. In the first century, they were called path followers. Now that movement is called “Christianity”.Acts 2 notes the components of the team that literally changed the world.“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…..All the believers were together and had everything in common”.…. (Acts 2:42-44 NIV)
Mutual devotion
The founders of Christianity weren’t just dedicated to the mission, they were dedicated to each other! They were dedicated to fellowship, a unique intimate Bond amongst themselves.
They were one hundred percent unified. The Bible tells us that they were “in common agreement.” The New Living Translation describes it as having “Everything in common.” The interesting thing about these statements is that on the surface they didn’t have everything in common, they were all very different! but, the common vision they had for their mission united them. They realized that the strength of the relationships between them determined the speed of their mission accomplishment.
As a team leader, call it your family, your House of Peace, discipleship, at your workplace, business, etc. one of your functions is to help each person discover and embrace the value of sharing life together, discover the strength they have together, and foster unity. When you foster unity, you will accomplish something greater than one could have accomplished alone.
We must be dedicated to the vision, but also to ourselves. We don’t just need to do our job or fulfill the mission, but we have to do it together. In order for this to happen, you need to share time together. We need to know each other very well, we need to build trust, we need to learn and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, we need to sharpen our communication skills, we need to learn how to play with others and we need to be accountable to each other. All of this will flow from our commitment to spending time together.
As long as we try to do that, we just need to spend time together. We need to fight for it! It will not be easy. It’s like bringing the whole family together at the table. It’s a real challenge, but just start by making that commitment.
Remember: You need to be consistent in meeting with your team to create strong bonds.
What is bonding?
It’s the ability to establish an emotional attachment to another person. It’s the ability to relate to someone on the deepest level. When two people have a bond, they share their deepest thoughts, dreams, and feelings without fear of being rejected by the other person.
Who could you call who knows what you’re going through or how you feel? When I think of people close to me, I think of people who really know me, who know when I am suffering and who know how to help me. Connecting is connecting with God, with others and with ourselves.
If we come into the world learning to cling to and trust others, we begin to develop emotionally, physically, and psychologically. We advance according to the plans outlined by our Creator, however, if we do not learn to attach ourselves to others, then our growth stops, and we may experience problems.
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Benefits of fostering unity:
- You will testify of the love of God.«I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.»(John 17:23 NTV).
- Your life will have joy and meaning.Isn’t it true that life is enjoyed more when you are with others?“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalms 133:1 NKJV
- You will develop in all the ways God designed.
- You will accomplish greater things than you would alone. We accomplished more with other friends.
- You will grow healthy.
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Steps to follow:
- Intentionally be close to the important people on your teams. Examples: As a family make time to sit at the table to eat together and work on trust. Fellowship with some of your friends or disciples one by one to get to know each other more closely, etc.
- Make the commitment. Make time to get to know your team members more intimately, mingle, have meaningful conversations, etc.
- Be consistent. You need to be consistent in meeting with your teams. Intentionally schedule one-on-one and group meetings.
FOSTERING UNITY
STEP 3: REFLECT AND RESPONSE
Choose something that you underlined as important to you. Take a minute to share with everyone what you chose and why it is important to you.
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STEP 4: AUTO EVALUATION
Respond the following section of self-evaluation:
In a scale of 1 to 10: How well do you demonstrate this quality in your life? ________________________
Why did you give yourself this score?
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What benefits would you obtain from improving your score?
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What people do you know that are a good example of this quality? What do you admire the most from this person?
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What specific action can you take immediately to improve your score?
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STEP 5: SHARE YOUR ACTION STEPS
Take a moment to share your responses from the self-evaluation section, include the action that you plan to take to improve in that area. We ask that everyone participates.
Instructions for the host:
- Make the calling:
“Lord Jesus, I recognize that I have sinned and that you died for me. Today I repent and ask for forgiveness. I give you my life and my heart so that you may be my Lord and personal Savior, amen”.
- Impartation: Pray and activate what you have learned today.
- Pray for the offering
- Retreat 3 DDP from October 21st.-23rd.