I recently heard a well-crafted sermon well-delivered by a tag team of preachers on the topic of their church’s core values. One of those values was “team.”

I know these men and the hearts that spawned their message. They are good men, really good men. They work among a larger team of good men, all of whom are Kingdom minded. I appreciate them and what I think they meant to communicate. However, I take exception with what I heard in this message, and the general tenor of what I often hear and see demonstrated when the church gathers. Particularly what I heard in the section of their message addressing TEAM was “elders, elders, elders, staff, elders, elders…………..staff, elders, elders, elders, staff, elders……….you can join our team………elders elders, elders, staff, elders, elders. ”

Since this is Super Bowl Sunday, I want to consider what you might say to motivate YOUR team if you were a football coach. Perhaps there’s something church leaders can learn from this.

I’d suggest that as the coach of a football team you wouldn’t spend alot of time in your speech talking about the quarterback. Here’s why: he already gets talked about alot. His name probably gets called more than any.

Want proof? Quick, who is the quarterback of the Denver Broncos? Now, name the center. Name the right guard. Name the punt returner.

You quickly named Peyton Manning didn’t you. But did you know the names of Manny Ramirez, Chris Kuyper, and Trindon Holliday?  I’ll bet not. (I googled them.)

Now tell me, how well could Peyton pass if Ramirez didn’t snap him the ball and Kuyper didn’t give him the luxury of time by effectively blocking the defensive linemen who have the quarterback in their sights?

While we are at it have you ever heard of John Boyett, Paul Cornick, Ben Garland or Hall Davis? They are on the inglorious “practice squad” of the Denver Broncos. How good would the Broncs be if they didn’t have these unheralded teammates to practice against?

So if you are a coach giving a rousing speech, you start with the water boy. Peyton is great, but it’s the water boy keeping him hydrated that allows him to stay in the game. You talk about the practice squad. You really talk alot about the unheralded offensive linemen. If they don’t protect the QB he’s toast and you’ll never score a point or win the game. I’m reminded of that passage from I Corinthians 12:23 about “the parts (of the team) we think are less honorable, we treat with more honor.”

Leaders need to give less voice to themselves and those who are members of their select club, and speak more overtly about the underlings and minions without whom their rank would be unnecessary. In church, that means we give highest honor to the “poopy diaper changers” and coffee makers, and bulletin folders, and meal preparers, and sidewalk shovelers, while intentionally and overtly avoiding calling out the ministerial staff and elders who—like the quarterback—naturally already get more press than everyone else. The higher you rise in leadership the more intentional you must become about limiting your own press and magnifying the spotlight that get’s shined on the people who are down the org chart.

Somebody has said “there is no end to what you can accomplish so long as it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.” Indeed. That’s why leaders need to be sure they overtly shine the spotlight on the hidden people who get the job done. Without the “poopy diaper changers” and the people putting fruit chews and Pepperidge Farm goldfish into Dixie Cups while singing “Jesus loves the little children,” the preacher wouldn’t have a congregation. I believe they already know that, but they tend not to say it adequately which begins by saying it often, loudly—-and when they are tempted to tip their hat to someone in service—-always finding someone hidden deep in the org chart they can laud and applaud.

I want you to be an effective leader. It starts by intentionally heralding the water boy.