Christ’s Team and Continuing Creation

How often do people speak about Christianity being synonymous with teamwork? The central focus of Christianity is forgiveness achieved through the death and resurrection of Jesus. However, there is more to the story that receives less attention and is often lost in the clutter of a complex world. That is the part about Jesus Christ’s role in continuing creation.

Creation on Earth is a continuing process. We know that because the quality of human life keeps improving. Communication in our world is far superior to that of our ancestors. New discoveries in medical research now occur so often that it is difficult to keep up and suffering is steadily being reduced. The rate at which new developments occur depends on two things, the accumulation of past accomplishments and the number of people involved. Since both keep growing, creation often appears to take place in a shrinking time frame. In the early history of humankind, improvements in the quality of life came very slowly but the rate continually increased as time went on. Today the rate of improvement is dramatic.

Robert C. Frank

At a critical point in history when most humans were uneducated and fearfully surrounded by forces that seemed to be seeking to destroy them, a person entered the world that was so unique that his life became a marker for the measurement of time. He was a person who would change the course of history forever. Jesus Christ came as a servant, but he also came to teach humans how to work together. The Apostle Paul referred to the followers of Jesus as the Body of Christ because, like the organs of the human body, they had many different abilities, but were all working together toward a common goal. Today we would call them Christ’s Team. Christ’s death and resurrection dramatically emphasized the healing power of forgiveness, a vital requirement for successful teamwork.

A study of history also shows that humans have needed analytic ability and the scientific method to develop the tools required to reduce suffering and increase productivity. As a result, Christianity and science have become partners in continuing creation. The followers of Jesus have been teaching people how to work together and scientists are most successful when they work in team relationships. It was the teamwork of those involved in science and technology that eventually made possible the impossible task of transporting humans from Earth to the Moon.

Christians have been teaching teamwork for more than two thousand years even though they haven’t always thought of it that way or carried it out perfectly themselves. Their weekly worship services have played a vital role in their efforts. Every seven days these services provide a spiritual oasis for the followers of Jesus as they continue their journeys through life. The visual art, music, and messages about Jesus are designed to provide inspiration and direction for their lives. Teamwork requires communication. Meeting with their friends once a week makes it possible for the members to teach each other and hold each other accountable to succeed in their efforts to create a better world. Looking back in history it is evident that the weekly worship service played an important part in the growth of Christianity from a small number of people to a third of the population of the world.

Even though the Christian community as Christ’s Team now consists of many denominations with different perspectives, it still forms the largest network of mutual trust on Earth. Their programs for aiding the ill and underprivileged can be found virtually everywhere on Earth. In countries with large percentages of Christians, members of Christ’s Team have used their powers of advocacy to urge their governments to provide programs to aid to those who are sick or are not able to supply their daily needs. In cases of natural disasters they often work with members of other religions to provide aid. As a result, supplying assistance to those with exceptional needs is gradually becoming a world view and science and technology are being used to provide the needed tools.

If someone invites you to attend a Christian church, they are inviting you to participate on one of the most remarkable teams in the world, Christ’s Team. The Team’s goal is to speed the day when Earth will be managed by a superior civilization.

Robert C. Frank is Professor Emeritus of Physics at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois and author of the ebook, Christ’s Team: A 21st Century View of Christianity.

Robert regularly posts short essays on this site, so please visit Recent Reflections to read these missives.