Let it Go- Agendas

There is nothing more destructive to a team than someone who brings their own agenda to it. It takes away from the entire purpose of a team and creates silos from the members. This is a common issue in church through out ministries, as the church works to accomplish a mission through a vision, but a couple of ministries do their own thing, with their own resources, on their own time, for their own credit.

In order to work together toward one purpose, that is accomplishing our mission on this Earth, we have to work together. We each bring our own gifts and talents to the table, but as a contribution and an offering to God, not for our own credit or our own agenda.

Philippians 2:3 tells us to "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

It is a humbling thing to look at someone with that much significance. It is so hard to set aside something we bring for the overall good of direction, whether it be in a ministry, team, business, church, or relationship. When we all can accomplish looking at others as greater than ourselves, we won't miss gifts, ideas, value, etc, because we considered their position for even a moment. I believe sometimes we try to do this, but never quite plan on fully considering their words, but simply striving to appease them.

The whole subject of agendas is a hard one, but it is necessary to let go of in order to move on with a common direction. To put agendas in perspective - when a group of people meet over the direction of a company, one person is only concerned about the insurance rates, while another over the time off policy, and another only wants to know about pay raises. All of these things, while important are not what the overall vision of the company is about. For a church, it may be leaders gathering and one cares most about outreach, while another prayer ministry, and another the quality and relevance of the Sunday service. These things are all very pivotal to a church and to God's ministry, but what is the overall vision? We have to stop, think bigger, set aside our immediate "needs" to keep "our" thing at the front and consider for a moment which announcements get first dibs on the Sunday morning. Or how "our" thing can work with the overall vision to make it even better, but without shoving the vision aside. This is complicated, but it's also something that can be toxic if not addressed. 

Consider the bigger picture of whatever things you are in - your company, your family, your church...and think through the goals and vision of the overall, not just YOUR goals and visions. We are created to move ahead as one body, towards a common goal. Don't allow your goal to get a pat on the back in expense of the overall picture and vision. 

Scripture to read:
John 11:1-44

Questions to Ponder:
Why did Jesus wait 4 days to go to Lazarus, until after he was dead?

How do you think Mary and Martha felt that Jesus didn't come to heal His friend?

How does this show what we want isn't always the best scenario for how God will reveal Himself?

What is something you hold onto tightly that could get in the way of the overall picture?