And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 2 Timothy 2:2
This is the second in a series of posts in a book I am reading on my Philippines trip. It contains leadership insights from the most victorious team in sports history (winning percentage = 86% as of the writing of the book): The All Blacks, The New Zealand National Rugby Union Team.
“Pass the ball. “The management always felt,” says Graham Henry, “that they had to transfer the leadership from senior management members to the players…they play the game and they have to do the leading on the field. The traditional “you and them” became “us”…
The structure of the working week epitomizes this management model: the Sunday evening review meetings are facilitated by the coaches, though significant input comes from the on-field leadership. Then over the course of the week, you see a gradual handing over of responsibility and decision-making.
By Thursday, the priorities, intensity levels, and other aspects are all ‘owned’ by the players. By the time they play on Saturday the players have taken over the asylum. ‘I’m just a resource,’ says Henry…Shared responsibility means shared ownership. A sense of inclusion means individuals are more willing to give themselves to a common cause.”
Graham Henry as quoted by James Kerr in Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business of Life (London: Constable, 2013) 49.
This idea relates to anyone involved in ministry. We must not simply carry the ball, but “pass the ball” so that a larger group of people share the responsibility for advancing the cause of Christ.
The Apostle Paul spoke of this when he urged us to “entrust to reliable people” the teachings of Jesus and the work of the gospel. Our tendency is to want to carry the ball, but to go farther we must share the responsibility with others.
Today I will “pass the ball” in a manner of speaking. I will hire Ruthie Cristobal to serve as VP of Partnership & Communications for Global Trust Partners and “pass the ball” to her to grow this area with her skills and abilities.
Praise God with me for her willingness to give herself to this purpose with me: GTP multiplies disciples of faithful administration and mobilizes peer accountability groups to increase gospel participation in every nation.”