Church is a Team Sport

De: Jim Putman
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  • Resumen

  • Welcome to the Church is a Team Sport Podcast! Join Lance Wigton and Jim Putman as they have a candid conversation about the ins and outs of being a church leader. No matter the size or demographic of your church, these two will help you discover and implement the components of leading a Disciple-Making Church. With 25 years of experience leading one of the fastest growing Churches in the Northwest, Jim Putman brings his background as an All-American Wrestler and Coach into the realm of ministry. Based on Jim Putman's book Church is a Team Sport - these two will follow through the chapters pulling out extra tips and details and discuss the things that have worked, and the things that didn't. You will walk away from each episode feeling better equipped to navigate the challenges and celebrate the wins as you develop your leaders into disciple-makers who are ready to go out into the world and fulfill Jesus' great commision.
    Copyright 2025 Church is a Team Sport
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Cristianismo Espiritualidad Ministerio y Evangelismo
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Episodios
  • Church is a Team Sport: Episode 15 - Building a Healthy Church Through Biblical Eldership

    Church is a Team Sport: Episode 15 - Building a Healthy Church Through Biblical Eldership
    Feb 26 2025

    Ep. 15: Building a Healthy Church Through Biblical Eldership

    In this episode, Lance Wigton and Jim Putman discuss the critical role of eldership in the church. They explore how biblical eldership isn't about decision-making power but about living out discipleship and shepherding the church family.

    The conversation highlights the importance of raising up elders from within the church, ensuring alignment in vision, values, and relational discipleship.

    · Key Takeaways:

    Eldership Should Be Rooted in Discipleship:

    • Elders should be people who live out the faith, not just decision-makers.
    • They must demonstrate maturity in head (knowledge), heart (love for God and others), and hands (action).

    Raising Up Leaders from Within the Church Prevents Cultural Clashes:

    • Hiring pastors from outside often leads to misalignment in vision and philosophy.
    • Elders who are raised through a discipleship process share a common foundation.

    Church Leadership Should Not Be a Political System:

    • Many churches operate eldership like a congressional system, where leaders respond to the desires of the people rather than seeking God’s vision.
    • True biblical eldership listens to God first and leads the church accordingly.

    Discipleship Should Lead to Leadership Development:

    • Churches should not have to outsource leadership but should develop it through intentional discipleship.
    • Elders and pastors should have a history of shared ministry and trust within the church.

    The Role of Elders is to Oversee and Model Discipleship:

    • Elders should be active in disciple-making, not just administrative tasks.
    • Their leadership should be based on experience in shepherding people, not just tenure in the church.

    Discussion Questions:

    1. What does biblical eldership look like, and how does it differ from common church leadership structures?
    2. How does your church develop leaders? Are elders raised from within or brought in from the outside?
    3. In what ways can elders and pastors ensure they are leading with a discipleship mindset rather than a business model?
    4. What role does relational discipleship play in your church's leadership development?
    5. How can a church navigate changes in leadership while maintaining unity and biblical direction?

    Action Steps:

    • Evaluate Your Church’s Leadership Structure:
    • Are your elders living out discipleship, or are they just decision-makers?
    • Develop a Process for Raising Up Leaders:
    • Invest in discipleship that leads to leadership within the church.
    • Ensure Alignment Between Elders and Pastors:
    • Regularly assess if leadership shares the same vision and mission.
    • Encourage a Culture of Spiritual Growth:
    • Shift from comfort-based leadership to mission-driven leadership.

    · Closing Encouragement:

    Biblical eldership isn’t about power—it’s about shepherding and discipleship. When elders are raised up through a shared discipleship process, the church functions as a true spiritual family, avoiding division and fostering spiritual growth. By prioritizing God’s vision over human preferences, churches can create a strong, unified foundation that withstands challenges and advances the gospel.

    · Scripture References:

    • Titus 1:5 – Appointing elders in every town.
    • Ephesians 4:12 – Equipping the saints for ministry.
    • 1 Timothy 3:1-7 – Qualifications of an elder.
    • Acts 20:28 – Elders as shepherds of the church.
    • 2 Timothy 2:2 – Passing leadership to faithful men who will teach others.
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    37 m
  • Church is a Team Sport: Episode 14 - Functioning As A Team

    Church is a Team Sport: Episode 14 - Functioning As A Team
    Feb 26 2025
    Ep. 14: Functioning as a TeamThis episode of Church as a Team Sport focuses on the importance of teamwork within the body of Christ. Jim Putman and Lance Wigton discuss how churches can avoid division and instead function as a unified team, where every member values one another’s unique contributions. They highlight the dangers of personal preferences overriding the mission, the need for alignment in vision, and the spiritual battle to maintain unity.Key TakeawaysSatan’s Strategy: Divide and Conquer“If we get them fighting in the huddle, we own them on the line of scrimmage.”The enemy works to divide the church by isolating people and making them compete instead of cooperating.Disunity weakens the church’s ability to fulfill its mission.Individual Roles Must Align with a Collective VisionThe church has different ministries (recovery, sports, worship, youth, etc.), but all must align under the same mission—making disciples.Differences in passion and gifts should not create division but should be seen as valuable contributions to the whole.Every team within the church must work together rather than competing for attention, resources, or validation.Balancing Individual Gifting with TeamworkJust like a football team needs quarterbacks, linemen, and receivers, the church needs a diversity of roles.Each person has specific gifts, but those gifts should serve the team, not just individual preferences.A right tackle and a quarterback have different skills, but both are necessary for success.Spiritual Maturity Includes Valuing Others’ GiftsMany churches fall into the trap of prioritizing certain ministries over others, creating silos.True spiritual maturity recognizes the value of all roles—teaching, shepherding, worship, outreach, and more.Jesus’ prayer in John 17 emphasized unity as a key identifier of His disciples.Vision-Casting is Essential to Prevent DivisionLeaders must continually remind the church of the shared mission to prevent ministries from becoming self-focused.A church with multiple ministries should ensure they see each other as partners, not competitors.Church leadership should model and teach unity, reinforcing the idea that different roles serve the same Kingdom purpose.Pride is the Enemy of TeamworkPeople either overestimate their importance (“I’m the only one that matters”) or underestimate it (“I don’t matter at all”).Both attitudes hurt the team—one creates division, the other creates disengagement.The focus should always be on Christ and His mission, not individual preferences.Diversity in Unity is a Strength, Not a WeaknessDifferent churches may emphasize different strengths (teaching, worship, service), but a healthy church values a variety of gifts.The church should reflect a full picture of the body of Christ rather than fragmenting into like-minded groups.Valuing different perspectives and gifts strengthens the church’s witness and effectiveness.Discussion QuestionsHow do you see division affecting the church today?In what ways has pride—either thinking too much or too little of yourself—affected your role in the church?Are there ministry areas within your church that seem to compete rather than collaborate? How can you help foster unity?How do you balance using your individual gifts while still being a team player in the church?What steps can you take to value and support other ministries within your church?Action StepsIdentify any personal biases that might cause division and commit to valuing the whole body of Christ.Encourage and support other ministries within your church instead of competing for attention or resources.If you lead a ministry, take time to communicate how your work aligns with the church’s overall vision.Intentionally connect with people from different church ministries to understand and appreciate their contributions.Pray for unity in your church, asking God to help align everyone under His mission rather than personal preferences.Closing EncouragementA church that functions as a team is a church that thrives. When each person values others’ contributions and stays focused on the bigger mission, the body of Christ grows stronger. Unity is not about uniformity—it’s about bringing our different gifts together under the lordship of Jesus. Stay committed to the team, serve with humility, and let’s build a church that truly reflects the Kingdom of God.Scripture ReferencesJohn 17:20-231 Corinthians 12:12-27Ephesians 4:1-6Philippians 2:1-4Romans 12:3-8Looking forward to next time as we discuss Communication with Elders and Leadership!
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    26 m
  • Church is a Team Sport: Episode 13 - Identifying, Equipping, and Releasing Leaders

    Church is a Team Sport: Episode 13 - Identifying, Equipping, and Releasing Leaders
    Feb 26 2025
    IntroductionThis episode of Church as a Team Sport dives into one of the most crucial aspects of discipleship—raising up leaders. Jim Putnam and Lance Wigton discuss how to identify emerging leaders, equip them for ministry, and release them into their calling without abandoning them. Leadership development in the church isn’t just about filling roles; it’s about helping people step into their God-given purpose within the body of Christ.Key TakeawaysRelational Discipleship Requires Both Mission and CommunityA group focused only on mission without relationship lacks the family dynamic of the church.A group focused only on relationship without mission becomes stagnant and insulated.Healthy discipleship includes both wings—mission and community—so that the church can thrive.Identifying Leaders Means Looking Beyond HurtsEvery believer has past struggles, but those experiences shape them for ministry.God comforts us so that we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1).Maturity isn’t just about healing—it’s about stepping into purpose.Equipping Leaders Requires Intentional CoachingLeadership development isn’t just about knowledge—it includes relational and hands-on training.Jesus modeled a process of discipleship that involved mentoring, equipping, and sending people out in pairs.Equipping includes both learning and doing; people must be allowed to "play" in ministry.Releasing Leaders Doesn’t Mean Abandoning ThemLeaders are sent out with support, not left to figure things out alone.Paul continued mentoring Timothy even after sending him out.Healthy leadership development includes both freedom and accountability.Spiritual Maturity Includes Understanding the Need for OthersNo one outgrows the need for community.Pride leads to isolation, which is a tactic of the enemy.The biblical model for ministry is interdependence, not independence.Healthy Leadership Development Avoids Burnout and Control IssuesLeaders who do everything themselves will miss opportunities to identify and equip others.Micromanaging stifles growth, while abandonment leaves people unprepared.Effective leaders create co-laborers, not just followers.Releasing Leaders in the Right Way Ensures LongevityLeaders are released to serve within relationships, not as isolated individuals.Jesus sent out disciples in pairs for both mission and support.Small group leadership should always include an apprentice system to ensure continuity and growth.The Church Functions Best as a TeamJust as a body has different parts, leaders should be placed according to their gifts.A healthy church recognizes and values diverse callings without forcing everyone into the same mold.Leadership structures should encourage collaboration, not competition.Discussion QuestionsHow can you ensure that both mission and community are priorities in your discipleship efforts?What past experiences has God used to prepare you for ministry?Are you equipping others, or are you trying to do too much on your own?Who in your church or group might have leadership potential that needs to be developed?How can you create a culture of both releasing and supporting leaders?In what ways do you see the need for interdependence in ministry?Action StepsTake time to identify potential leaders within your group or ministry.Be intentional about both equipping and supporting those stepping into leadership.Evaluate whether your discipleship efforts balance both mission and community.If you’re in leadership, ensure that you’re not micromanaging or leaving people without guidance.Seek mentorship and accountability for yourself, recognizing that no one leads alone.Encourage those around you to step into their God-given roles within the body of Christ.Closing EncouragementRaising up leaders is not about filling positions—it’s about equipping the body of Christ to function as God designed. When we invest in people, we build a church that thrives in both mission and community. Leadership isn’t about independence; it’s about interdependence. As you walk in your calling, remember that you are not meant to do it alone. Invest in others, release them with support, and watch how God builds His kingdom through a team that works together.Scripture References2 Corinthians 1:3-4Ephesians 4:11-12Ecclesiastes 4:9-12Matthew 28:19-201 Corinthians 12:12-27Acts 2:42-47John 13:35Looking forward to next time as we discuss Functioning as a Team!
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    32 m

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