I have some great coaches in my life right now. Jimmy Evans, Tom Lane and Robert Morris have all walked closely with me for many years and give me personal insight and constant coaching. I am certain that without them I would have made some huge messes, especially the past two years as the Senior Pastor of New Life Church.
God has given me key coaches at key times in my life. I will never forget Pastor Jack Hayford standing by my side the entire afternoon after the shooting. His coaching and advice was priceless. The next day, Larry Stockstill flew to Colorado from Louisiana and encouraged me for several days. I have been coached and loved by all these men and my life is richer and fuller because of their investment.
No matter what we do in life, we all need coaching and that is why I agreed to participate in the PCC Coaching Network. The church in America has a great opportunity to be salt and light right now, but I am convinced that coaching can help all of us for four reasons.
1. Coaching allows us to learn from the experiences of others. There are a lot of mistakes we can avoid if we pay attention to the mistakes others have made. A really good coach shares his own hiccups so the rest of us can avoid the same ditch.
2. Coaching allows us to stop and evaluate what we are doing. All of us are probably busy, but are we really being effective. Coaches make us hit the pause button and evaluate how we are spending our time. Are we really living in our strengths? Are we using our resources the best way? Have we built the right team to support what God wants to do?
3. Coaching allows us to look at who we are becoming. What we are doing is important, but not as important as our personal transformation and development as Christ followers. Coaches require us to take off our pastor/leader mask and to look honestly at our own hearts. How are we doing as a spouse or as parents? Are we personally in love with Jesus? Are there any private strongholds that could disqualify us?
4. Coaching allows us to live in authentic community. Pastors and leaders are often lonely people without any real friends. It is sad but true. Coaches push leaders out of isolation and into tribe. Coaches require vulnerability and honesty which leads to real friendships.
I know firsthand the power of a good coach and I hope every leader finds someone to walk alongside them. If you are a leader in a church and need coaching, check out http://pcccoachingnetwork.com/ for more information.
September 1, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Good afternoon,
I’m not so much going to comment on this particualr blog though I guess I should be. However it could tie into the quandry I am about to pose in that most of us look to our pastor to be one of the coach’s in our lives.
I don’t know your church or anyone at your church at all except for the travisty that your congregation suffered a few years ago. For that reason I called your office today (Tuesday 9-1-09) and while awaiting a response I began listening to your message from the passed Sunday. What a message it was. MANY things stood out for me from that message, but one in particular that relates to this idea of coaching. In the message you talk about giving our lives to God – I don’t actually recall the context in which you said it. I’ve been involved in church most of my life as my dad is a Pastor. Over and over you pastors will repeat this phrase yet none of you tell us exactly how to do this or what it truly means, what it looks, tastes and smells like, or what steps are required. All one ever hears about are the primary steps that lead to accepting Jesus as your Savior. I wish one of you would tell or show us what the rest of this phrase should look like and mean to us on a daily basis. Apparently there is much more depth to the meaning of this phrase than we unfortunately ever hear or learn. I wish I had a coach that could teach me this because I really thought that I had given my life to God, but apparently I haven’t. And frankly I’ve given on up on Him as I think He has given up on me.