I see most of my coworkers every day throughout the week and often on weekends for special events. One or more days in a week we work extended hours to carry out discipleship and outreach activities in the evening. God has asked us to pour our hearts into serving others. That doesn’t always look like your average job with regular office hours. Although ministry requires us to freely give, there are also so many things we gain in the process. One of those gifts is camaraderie.
At Scarlet Hope, co-workers and volunteers are like family. Obviously that happens because of our salvation in Christ. But while doing ministry alongside them, spending extended time with them, and working as a team to accomplish goals, I always find a bond of trust and understanding forms. It almost catches you by surprise. There’s a realness and closeness that comes with these shared experiences. Even when we face the tough struggles that come with ministry, those struggles cause us to draw closer to each other. That camaraderie becomes a part of the God-given strength that gets you through the rough days in ministry still to come. Sharing our lives with each other means we also know each other personally, not just professionally or strictly in the context of ministry activities. This is important in any relationship. If you want to have a real relationship with anyone you know, such as a co-worker or even your doctor, demonstrating an interest in their lives and getting to know them on a deeper level will make a big difference.
Growing team camaraderie and unity is as important as working on the ministry efforts you have planned. It helps with longevity in ministry. You may be able to go faster alone but you can go longer as a team if the team is healthy. Since we are inviting the world to come into a community of believers, we demonstrate this to them in the way we love, support and work with each other.
