4 Lessons On Team Unity From 1 Corinthians
It’s easy to feel optimistic about your team at the beginning of the season. The days and weeks thereafter hold potential for temptations like envy, unhealthy conflict, and miscommunication to slowly take over the team dynamic causing division and dissension. Every team hits this tension point in a season. It’s unavoidable for most. Teams need regular opportunities for realignment with their mission and to regain proper perspective for the sake of unity.
The Apostle Paul writes a letter to a group of people who are meant to be a team united under the goal of growing in Christ-likeness. It’s been some time since this ‘team’ in Corinth set their sights on a common goal. Now, they are overcome with issues like outside voices, distractions, and arrogance leading to division and disunity. Paul recognizes the moment and speaks wisdom to help the Corinthians regain perspective and realign their mission.
Even though the letter of 1 Corinthians is written to a group of believers in the early church on issues specifically facing Christians, there is much wisdom to gain from Paul’s letter for reuniting a sports team on the basis of love.
Lesson One: One Team, One God, Many Gifts
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters…” - 1 Corinthians 12:1
Paul addresses one of the many issues facing the Corinthian church: spiritual gifts. Due to the influence of Greek hierarchical culture in Corinth, the church started to organize its community based on status. God given gifts became less about serving the whole and more about gaining a higher status for the individual.
Sports culture has a way of influencing us to believe that we have earned the talent God has given. There’s a temptation to leverage talent for the purpose of elevating ourselves rather than serving our team. An “I need to get what’s mine” attitude can destructively infect a team with selfishness and arrogance.
Paul gives a humbling reminder about the gifts God has given:
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit… There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” - 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Unity begins with the truth that there is no societal hierarchy in God’s kingdom because every good gift is from the Lord. This frees people to use God given talent, not for individual status, but for the good of the whole. A “We Not Me” attitude will transform team culture and begins with the acknowledgement that God has given every person a measure of talent for the purpose of serving others.
Reflect:
Athlete, where have you given into the temptation to make sport and talent all about you?
Coach, where might you be unintentionally rewarding individual status over team contribution?
Action Step:
Athletes, take a moment to thank God for specific gifts and talent from physical ability to personality traits that help you serve the team.
Coach, express gratitude to your staff and specifically acknowledge their individual gifts and how they serve the whole team.
Lesson Two: One Body, Many Members
“For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” - 1 Corinthians 12:14
Perhaps, one of the most well known analogies to describe a team is ‘one body’. This metaphor was often used by ancient writers to present community as an honor system that elevates the seemingly more talented over others. Paul flips the usage of the body analogy to advocate for equality in the body amongst its members.
“On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor…But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body…” - 1 Corinthians 12:22-25”
In this analogy, every member is valuable because the body depends on each person's unique function. Regardless of role or ability, every member is essential to collective success.
The smallest roles on a team carry real weight. From the leading goal scorer to the bench warmer to the water technician, every person carries equal responsibility and sometimes the quiet contributions make the biggest difference. In the same way, the body isn’t sustained by the most visible parts alone, but by every member faithfully doing their part.
Reflect:
Athlete, what is your role and responsibility on the team? How does your role add value to the whole?
Coach, how are you communicating value to those who may consider their role less honorable?
Action Step:
Athletes, choose one or two teammates. Express your appreciation for their contributions to the team. Be specific.
Coach, give the unseen and lesser roles honor by regularly acknowledging their contributions in front of the whole team.
Lesson Three: Love > Personal Achievement
Next, Paul moves from addressing the whole to the individual using himself as an exemplar to teach the Corinthians what he considers “a more excellent way.”
“If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal… if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.” - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
In sport, these verses may look like:
If I have the highest shooting percentage in the league
If I am the fittest on the team
If I receive all the post season honors one can dream of
If I achieve every athletic goal for my own glory
…but do not have love, then it does me no good.
As Christians, we believe that God defines every individual’s value in the world. We do not need to rely on talent or thereby accomplishments for self worth. Our inherent value is not found in our achievements, but in God's love. This love liberates us to set aside selfish ambition and instead, focus on leveraging our talents for the purpose of loving and serving others.
Success is often short lived in sport. You may be a hero today but forgotten tomorrow. The records you set will likely be broken. However, the memories and impressions you leave on your team because of your love for them – that’s where the power lies. That’s what will last a lifetime.
Reflect:
Athlete, how has your desire for glory clouded your ability to love teammates?
Coach, are you focused on winning at the expense of loving your team? How can you realign your internal motivations?
Action Step:
Athletes, show your love through selfless acts of service. Before training ask, "How can I help a teammate succeed today?" and then act by encouraging, assisting, or celebrating others.
Coach, celebrate more than performance statistics. Publicly highlight acts of love like unselfish plays, encouragement, effort, and teamwork.
Lesson Four: Love Like This
Paul sticks the landing in his encouragement to the Corinthians by unpacking exactly what love looks like in action:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth…” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-6
This type of love is fully possible when our identity is secure in the love of God. Then we are able to love in such a way that brings unity not division.
Love is showing patience to the teammate who is a bit slower than others because you do not consider yourself more valuable than them.
Love is being kind to others regardless of your disagreements because they are also made in the image of God.
Love does not envy or boast because God bestows honor on everyone and all talent comes from Him.
Love is not easily angered or keeps a record of wrongs because we are all weak and in need of forgiveness. Our need for grace levels the playing field.
Love does not celebrate the downfall of others because no one is defined by their worst day. Instead, we delight when we see others growing into their God given potential.
Reflect:
Athlete, where do you need to show deeper love for your teammates?
Coach, how can you model what it looks like to love others well?
Action Step:
Athletes, choose one teammate to seek reconciliation with or pursue with kindness.
Coach, identify one intentional way to model love toward your team.
Take a Moment to Focus on Something Greater
Whether or not your team is at a breaking point, reflecting on Paul’s wisdom can prevent chaos and foster unity. A team that values every member, expresses appreciation, and prioritizes love and peace will reflect a God-given unity that transcends sport.
