1+1 = 3 aka why divine teamwork works

Explaining why the whole is better than the sum of its parts

Why are the people of God better when they come together?

You may have heard of the adage 1+1 = 3.

The adage "1+1 = 3" suggests that when people of God come together, their collective impact and abilities are greater than the sum of their individual contributions.

If you ever worked on a great team at church and accomplished something great you’ll know what I mean.

Why is that? Let me tell you why.

It’s because when people come together, they activate gifts that they do not see in themselves.

In 2 Timothy, Paul writes, "For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands."

In other words, there was a gift that Timothy was not using, but now Paul was bringing attention to it so that he would use it to its full capacity.

Saying it another way, Timothy would not use that gift, even though it was completely in him, unless Paul brought it out.

Why does 1+1 equal 3?

We are activated in the presence of the community. We see things in each other that we do not see in ourselves.

Paul saw something, and Smithe that Timothy did not see in himself. And unless Paul was there, that community will be robbed of Timothy's unactivated gift

And when those things are activated, we do something we have never done ourselves.

This is why staying in a spiritual community is so important. If we go on our own, we'll never be activated to do the things that God has called us to do.

Additionally, we bring out others, but they cannot see them themselves.

Activating others: Call it out

How do you get people to work better in the team? The first step is to call it out.

Once we say it, people can recognize it. Giving words to the gifts that people have certainly gives them life and the realization that they have those gifts.

If you were around people, try to call out their gifts as often as you can to activate them.

Did you know that you have a teaching gift?
I love watching you evangelize.
The prophetic gift is really strong in you.

Are you in the community?

One of the most common questions I ask people who reach out to me is, Are you in the community? And most of the time, they say no.

Don't shoot yourself in the foot by living a lonely life.

God has called us to be in community so that we ourselves can thrive and that the church can thrive as a whole so that we can change the world.

You were made for greatness.
Phil