Dr. Ray Stedman on 1 Corinthians 12:21 (KJV) And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

It is amazing that in many congregations people get the idea that they do not need the rest of the body; they can function on their own; they have their own abilities, their own ministry, and they can do things quite apart from others. This always creates a sense of competitiveness, of rivalry. Last week I was down in Palm Springs, speaking to pro golfers. I was struck again by the fact that golfers are by nature independent. A golf tournament is a struggle of independent egos pitted against each other. The golfers all rely on their own abilities to try to beat out the other man. That is the nature of golf. It is not like football, where each one plays his own role but works with the other team members to accomplish something. I am afraid many congregations become more like golfers, with everybody going out on their own and paying no attention to and not valuing what others are doing.

[Quote from Ray Stedman’s sermon on I Corinthians 12:12-31]