Coaching for Church Planters
and Parent Churches
Coaching is the process of coming alongside a person to help her or him discover God’s agenda for her or his life and ministry, while seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance to see that agenda become reality. Coaching helps a person listen to God about where change is needed and then equips and empowers a person to make the necessary changes.
The coaching relationship is a crucible—a strong, resilient, safe, non-toxic, dependable vessel—in which profound change can safely take place for the person being coached, for people with whom they have relationships, for the congregations they lead, and for the coach.
A coach is not a problem solver, teacher, advisor, instructor, or expert. A coach is a listener, sounding board, and awareness-raiser. A coach helps the person being coached explore and discover the truth. A coach helps that person discern and fulfill her or his God-given calling.
Why Enter into a Coaching Relationship?
People will be far more likely to realize their full God-given redemptive potential if they are in a coaching relationship. The increased awareness and accountability that comes along with coaching will help them be more faithful as we participate in and witness to the realm of God. By God’s grace, and through the Holy Spirit’s power, the outcome will be more fruitful ministry.
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Coaching is focused on the present. A coach will help someone understand her or his present situation in order to discover and implement meaningful actions to address that situation.
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Coaching helps people discover their own answers. Coaching assumes that the person closest to the issue typically has the best answers, but that she or he will discover those answers with the help of someone skilled in asking the right questions. This is different from the process used by mentors, guides, or consultants, whom people typically look to for help or advice.
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Coaching leads to intentional action. It is easy for even the best leaders to get sidetracked into less productive endeavors. Coaches help people take inventory of their values and desires by listening to them, asking questions, and speaking the truth. Coaching then helps a person take intentional steps toward more faithful action in the future. This does not always mean adding new activities to her or his life; it can often mean removing the clutter that has distracted someone.