Tag: Team

Feature Story, Online edition!

Is being part of a team or leadership part of your purpose? What makes a good team?

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEAM? Part of your purpose? Team-Vision-Attitude-Success-Vision? 

Ever notice how some of the great philosophies of life are etched on T-shirts? You might say they’re TRUTH ON A T. Here’s one. A bunch of guys are clinging to a rope for dear life . They’re scaling the side of a snow, ice-packed mountain with the words, “TEAM: 24 Guys Hanging on the Same Rope.” That’s it. That’s team attitude. If you don’t hang together, you’ll hang separately.

So you’re a leader, hopefully a servant leader relinquishing whatever it takes to serve. LIKE JESUS. How’s your team? JESUS HAD ONE. Do you have one or are you still hung up on the idea that leadership is a one-man show? It’s all about you?

We were designed to function in connected, interdependent relationships with other people. It began years ago when God said in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” So He created for Adam a helper, someone suitable to him, i.e. a team member. Human beings (male and female) were created with a need to intertwine their lives with others.

We were made to be team players. A marriage is a team. A family is a team. A ball club is a team. A business is a team. A military unit is a team. A government office is a team, and so is a church and its individual ministries. Get the picture?

 What makes a good team? Why do some teams succeed and others fail? What’s the difference between effective and ineffective teams? Someone asked baseball philosopher Yogi Berra, “What makes a good manager?” He responded, “A great team.”  Spot on Yogi!

TEAMWORK BEGINS WITH A SERVANT LEADER’S VISION.

Vision is a clear and compelling picture of the future, which produces passion in the leader. It’s this passion people want to follow. VISION LEAKS OUT.

If you were to look down on your organization (business, church, ministry, team) five years from now, what would you like to see? Picture it in your mind.  Has God given you a clear picture for what you do? Would the others on your team agree? Is this their vision? Are you and your team passionate about the same vision?

 Everything starts with a vision God gives the leader, who shares it with the other leaders. Vision gives direction. If you don’t know where you’re going, you may wind up somewhere else. Vision keeps you on target.

 “Vision is the essence of leadership. Knowing where you want to go requires three things: Having a clear vision, articulating it well, and getting your team enthusiastic about sharing it. Above all, any leader must be consistent. As the Bible says, no one follows an uncertain trumpet.” 

Father Theodore Hesburgh, former President of Notre Dame University

Nehemiah never blew an uncertain trumpet. He was one of the great ones in the Old Testament Hall of Fame of Servant Leaders. We’ll look at his vision next time.

Fred Campbell lives in Ovilla, Texas, just south of Dallas. He pastored two independent Bible churches for 40 years. Currently, he is the president of Living Grace Ministries, a ministry committed to helping churches develop servant leaders, following the model of the Lord Jesus. Fred has traveled to 29 countries and 15 states to lead the workshop. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and his D Min from Phoenix Seminary. Fred is married to Carolyn and has a married son and two grandchildren. His web site iswww.livinggraceministries,com and his email is fred@livingraceministries.com

August 2018, Founders Forum

Founders Forum

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Founders Forum, Scott Gaspard, As for Me and My House….

The Gaspard Team, Mary DiBenedetto, Scott Gaspard, Linda Gaspard, and Cindy Carroll

It’s fitting that Scott Gaspard and his wife Jessica have a plaque in their home informing guests and visitors that … As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. The scripture takes on an even deeper meaning when you consider that as a realtor, Gaspard is in the business of matching people and homes, and he views his profession as another way to serve the Lord.
The search for a realtor is often tied to a life-changing event such as a divorce, a move to a new city, the death of a parent, a new marriage, or a financial setback. The reasons to buy or sell a home can be happy or sad, Gaspard said, but there is usually an opportunity to connect spiritually. Gaspard doesn’t advertise his faith when he’s with clients, but neither does he hide it.
“Guiding people through big decisions gives me an opportunity to get to know them over time. People tell you about their family, their finances, their dreams. Sometimes, this leads to a deeper relationship that happens naturally. There have been occasions when I’ve prayed with my clients on a very personal level. But even if we never connect in that way, I know that my work is still a blessing to them.”

Gaspard understands that faith is sometimes a long and winding process. He attended church growing up, but pulled away from religion during his high school and college years. At one point, he went to live with his brother, who had given his life to God. “I saw how it absolutely changed his life,” Gaspard said. “It created a lot of conversations between us, and eventually I professed my faith as well. My wife, Jessica, also drew me closer to God. She knew that she wanted a God-centered marriage, and I knew that I wanted her to be my wife. I was blessed tremendously that she came into my life.”

Today, the Gaspards have 12 children — yes, 12. “We sleep very little, we work very hard, and we love a lot,” he says. “It’s not as difficult as it might seem. We didn’t have them all at the same time, you know. Managing such a big family works for us because everyone contributes and we live our lives according to our family motto: God-centered, others-focused, seriously fun!”

Gaspard works with his mother Linda, who has been in the real estate business for more than 30 years. The Gaspard Team also includes Mary DiBenedetto and Cindy Carroll, and the firm has been a supporter of Christian Life Magazine since its beginning.

“I think it’s important to share our faith when we can,” Gaspard said, “and it’s good to know that Christian Life Magazine is shining a light on our city and showing people what God is doing here in Baton Rouge day in and day out as he moves through our community. We need to hear those kind of stories.”

July 2018, Witness at Work

Witness at Work, Devotional Days Bring the Team Together

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Devotional Days Bring Team Together

Leslie Wilbur, Pastor Butch LeBauve, Andy Bishop, and Kevin Carbo gather after their weekly devotional

It was a busy lunch hour at the offices of Baker Printing. Unlike most days, upon entering there were signs pointing to the large gathering in the back of the building. Wednesdays are devotion days, and most employees as well as special guests are starting to gather in anticipation of this weekly ritual. This week’s guest speaker was Pastor Butch LaBauve, Senior Pastor of Rivers Ministries International.

Located in the heart of Baker, Baker Printing (known as The Printing People), has been having a positive impact on the city since 1962. It was founded by Jack and Martha Bishop and has grown to become one of the largest and most prestigious commercial printers in the state of Louisiana.

The list of political dignitaries who have made personal visits to the offices is almost as impressive as the long list of awards. The company has been recognized for various kinds of professional excellence. Among them are:

  • In 2002, they were honored with the Douglas Manship Torch Award for Business Ethics
  • In 2003, the Better Business Bureau awarded them the International Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics
  • The company received the James C. Dobson Award from Focus on the Family for communicating the positive message of family.
  • The Eagle Award (one of their most treasured) was presented by Liberty Cards. This award is normally given to a division within their own company, rather than an outside vendor.

The team at Baker Printing is also known for civic and humanitarian accomplishments. Representatives have served in leadership roles in various community organizations such as the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors Printing Industry of America South, Ad Federation of Baton Rouge, Rotary Club of Baker, Baker Chamber of Commerce, Associated Builders and Contractors, Louisiana Family Forum, Sales and Marketing Executives (SME), Cancer Relay for Life and the Better Business Bureau 2004 judges panel for the International Business Ethics Award in Virginia.

Their facility is one of the largest and most modern in the state with more than 21,500 square feet of working space and an additional 8,500 in offsite warehouse space. In-house they have pre-press, press, bindery, business mail processing, signage, digital printing, letterpress departments, and offices for management and sales associates.

The team is most proud of the strong roots they’ve built in the community. Their goal is to keep challenging themselves to stay on the leading edge of technology so they will be we ready to meet all of their clients’ needs.



Kevin Carbohas been attending the Bible studies for 26 years, and says it has made a huge impact on his life.

“I’ve learned that I didn’t know what I thought I knew about God. It wasn’t until much later that I found that man’s laws are not necessarily God’s laws. Follow the Bible, follow God. Don’t call yourself Catholic, Baptist or Methodist. Call yourself a Christian, a believer. Over the years, I’ve grown tremendously. I’m getting old and I try not to be grumpy or short tempered, but when I am, I try to slap myself in the face and say, ‘hey wait a minute!’ Then and I go and apologize if I’ve offended someone. But it’s all good and it’s all because of God.”

 

Breyana Wheeler was all smiles after the recent devotion. She recently moved from Ohio and has worked for Baker Printing since December. She was quick to offer kind words about the warm environment.

“I worked at a Chick-Fil-A before I moved here, so the Christian environment has definitely been amazing! My future father-in-law works here and that is how I learned about this job. I started working part-time during the holidays, but I loved the environment and they loved me too. Thankfully they gave me a full time position. This was an answer to prayer because I was came here with no Louisiana experience at all. Since then, I’ve been getting closer to everyone.”

 

Catalina Wilkinsonhas worked at Baker Printing for 29 years.

“This is like my second family. I came here after I got divorced, and it was the best move I ever made. I’m from Baker, and it’s like coming home.”