A New Passion for Coaching

I have been thinking a lot about coaching lately.

I spent 15 years doing ministry the way I thought I knew best. I initiated relationships, created ministries, and prayed hard. I took spiritual gift tests and could categorize my strengthfinder values, natural talents, and spiritual gifts. I read the leading books on leadership, missions, and evangelism. I attended conferences and accumulated more notebooks on the five ways to a better ministry than I knew what to do with.

The problem was I still got tripped up on the same issues time and time again. I still micro managed gifted, capable people. I got so wrapped up on the details that my soul and my staff were easily discouraged. I failed to equip people with what they needed to succeed. I was quick to give up, change direction, and overreact. Despite some ministry success I wasn’t growing and certainly wasn’t maturing as a leader.

Meanwhile I thought coaching was for people who spent more time talking about ministry than ever doing it. Coaching was for those who could teach, not do. Coaching wasn’t for me.

All that changed three summers ago. Along with ten other pastors, I spend the week getting coached. It has begun to change my life. Spending time with a gifted coach who could help me understand my strengths and weaknesses, could prepare me off the field for on the field game situation, and had more game experience has yielded immeasurable benefits.

Do you have a coach? A parenting coach? A marketplace coach? A leadership coach? A Christian coach? Are you in a position to “coach” others?

Here is a fabulous resource to begin understanding the value of coaching in life: “Inside Out Coaching” by Joe Ehrmann. Do yourself a favor and check it out. It could change your life.