Church PLANT Manual

20 • Church PLANT Manual

differences so that everyone is working together for the common goal of building the church. Team leaders may want to utilize spiritual gift inventories and temperament assessments such as CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) or a Myers-Briggs-like assessment to discover the unique makeup of their team. IV. Implementing and Adapting Nehemiah implemented a very aggressive plan to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem (Neh. 4:15-23). Despite the massive undertaking the team was highly motivated and passionately Nehemiah’s team needed to adapt their approach to address the threat of attack. Nehemiah reorganized and coordinated the building crew and the protection detail and created safety and a ready response if needed. Because of the adaptation, the vital work carried on despite the added challenges. Successful teams have a plan, heartily work the plan, and adjust that plan as needed to face the new challenges as they arise. V. Communication and Coordination In each of the scriptures shared above there is an implied communication and coordination. We may have a sense of clarity, but that comes because the vision is communicated. There may be a sense of belonging, but that comes through verbal and non-verbal communication that create a sense of closeness and unity. Likewise, in the example of the body, the gifts are intended to be used to build the body operating in a coordinated way. That happens only when there are good lines of communication. Only through well-organized coordination and strong communication was Nehemiah able to accomplish the work and adapt in the face of adversity. engaged in the task. As Nehemiah and his team, the Israelites, made progress, they also faced opposition.