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by Paul Seiler, Major –
This year marks the first effort at formalizing a concept of mission team ministry appointments distinct from assistant or associate appointments. Some teams are “geographic” and others are “appointment specific.” There will be six teams in the Western Territory.
The geographic teams will consist of the Big Island in the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division; Mid-Columbia, Wash., including Pasco in the Northwest Division; and at Chico, Calif., including Paradise and Oroville, in Del Oro Division.
In these teams, two officer couples, or a couple and a single officer, would be responsible for two or three corps in a geographic area. One officer might be responsible for administrative duties at all of the corps, another might be in charge of youth work at all of the corps, and so on.
The appointment specific teams will include Portland Moore Street in Cascade Division, the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Sierra del Mar Division, and Eureka in Del Oro Division.
In these, one team member might handle administration, one the youth ministry, and one the preaching/pastoring.
This is because in some settings, the complexity of skills are not found in one or two people! Often, an officer couple needs to cover all the leadership bases. Valuable employees often fill these gaps, but additional officers with skills for specific functions could multiply the effectiveness of the ministry of the Army in appointments with multiple responsibilities.
It is scripturally congruent to bring together a ministry team based on gifts and skill sets. “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”
(I Corinthians 12:4-7)
Who will be chosen?
The officer(s) involved must have an expressed interest in a mission team, be able to communicate well, resolve conflict, and have demonstrated competency. The officers must be willing to identify, develop and use specific gifts and skills to complement someone else’s skills. The members move away from an “in charge” perspective. One member of the team will be designated the leader.
In theory, all appointments are a “team.” There are valuable employees, soldiers and volunteers who are key members. The Mission Team Ministry proposal was to look at leadership teams and apply the concepts to officer appointments. Indicators of success will be locally determined.
There will also be work on understanding team participation and the tasks and goals that a team must establish. There are two dimensions of support and supervision for the success of the teams. One will relate to the dynamics of the team itself, working with Dr. Jack Anderson.
The other will relate to the work of the Army in that appointment, working with the divisional commander and staff.
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