Coaching
Have you ever noticed that Jack Nicklaus, Michael Jordan, and Barry Bonds all have coaches? Doesn't it seem like someone of that caliber wouldn't need a coach? Everyone needs a coach... whether in sports, business, or church planting. In sports the coach's primary role is to bring out the best in the athlete and in team sports to get all the players working together. In church planting these two goals still apply... to bring out the best in the church planter and getting the church planter working with God. These are primarily accomplished through asking the right questions and challenging the church planter to think God thoughts and make Godly decisions. This can include:
- to help train and empower the church planter
- to bring wisdom, experience and an external perspective to the church planter
- to be a cheerleader for the church planter
- to help the church planter see their blind spots
- to help the church planter balance the stress of being an entrepreneur with a demands of a healthy family life
- to provide a safe place for the church planter to have doubts and ask questions
- to ask the tough questions
To be effective, the coach should have personally
planted a successful church or have other similar personal experience
with church planting. Since the church planter hasn't planted a church
before (usually), this experience is a great way for the church planter
to learn from someone else's experience... both good and bad. As
can be seen from the list above, the coach also provides support for
the Church Planter as a mentor. In addition to overseeing the church
plant itself, the coach should monitor the personal and spiritual health
of the church planter. This helps ensure that the Church Planter will
be able to perform their role well without sacrificing their family or
own spiritual well-being. Often, these the role of coach and mentor is
performed by two people.
Choosing the right coach is critical. Sometimes church planting
organizations train and select coaches for the church planter. Other
times the church planter chooses the coach. Regardless, the church
planter must have a coach they respect both personally and professionally
and with whom they share fundamental beliefs. As an absolute minimum,
the coach should be available for a monthly conference call. A
more ideal arrangement is a weekly 1 to 2 hour phone call with the church
planter. The coach should commit to working with the Church Planter for
1-3 years. Whenever
possible, the church planter should be involved in choosing the coach
and/or mentor.
Building a church is complicated. It requires a great deal of broad
knowledge that few church planters possess. Proverbs 9:9 says, 'Instruct
a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will
add to his learning.' and 12:15, 'The way of a fool seems right to him,
but a wise man listens to advice.' We all need advice. We all
need someone to bounce ideas off.
Frank had to pick between opening in February at an acceptable location, or waiting until April to launch in a fantastic location. He didn't know how to judge between gaining momentum for the summer by launching early, or choosing a better location. Through conversations with his coach he was able to determine the best choice for his church. Without the counsel of someone who has been there and done that Frank wouldn't have had anyone with experience to help weigh the options.
Bob has a different problem. His personality makes it very difficult for him to make big decisions. Since he doesn't have a coach, he struggles getting important things done in a timely manner. He finds it difficult to choose a church name. There are too many options and none stands apart. This has put him behind the ball in obtaining his 501(c)(3) recognition which jeopardizes his ability to send out a direct mail campaign. If Bob had a coach who was able to push him to make decisions, he'd be able to save thousands of dollars and focus on other things.
You may be tempted to save money and not hire a coach. Don't
cut corners in this area. Make hiring a coach a non-negotiable action
for yourself.
Suggested Actions:
- Contact successful church planters you respect to determine if they are willing to coach or can recommend a good church planting coach.
- Contact an organization or individual who offer professional coaching services (e.g. Church Coaching Solutions)
- Ask for and check references
- Select a coach
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