Coaching Leaders

How important is it to have coach?

Tiger Woods has one. All the top athletes have one or more. It is what takes their game to new heights or what keeps them at the top. Teams employ countless individuals to help their athletes perform up to and exceed expectations. What I am talking about is a coach. Coaches work to evaluate the athlete and his or her performance in an attempt to maximize that person’s effectiveness.

If athletes from Pop Warner to the professional ranks see the value of a coach why should not we as Christian leaders? Andy Stanley wrote this about coaching, “You will never maximize your potential in any area without coaching. It is impossible. You may be good. You may even be better than everyone else. But without outside input you will never be as good as you could be. We all do better when somebody is watching and evaluating.” Andy Stanley, The Next Generation Leader (Sisters, Or: Multnomah Publishers, 2003), 88.

Every pastor and Christian leader can gain from having someone help them. This is especially true of the areas that we feel most challenged.

What Do Coaches Do For Us?

They stretch us to do what we did not want to do or did not think we could do. Remember all those practices of doing drills over and over, again and again? We might have hated it at the time but it allowed us to compete more effectively. The same is true in your ministry. Sometimes a coach can prod or push you in areas where you really don’t want to go.
They see what we cannot see. How many times has the coach in the press box seen what the quarterback on the field could not see? It is a matter of perspective. Sometimes in our ministry we are too close to the field and need a set of fresh eyes with a press box advantage to see what we cannot see.
They have experience where we lack experience. The best coaches I had always had a wealth of experience that I did not have. Many of them were first players and then they had years of experience coaching. Nothing beats having someone with experience beside you. As you face the challenges of growth in your ministry do you have someone to help you?
They hold us accountable. How many athletes would practice full speed without the coach holding them accountable? Coaches hold us accountable in the areas that we often over look or neglect. In ministry the same is true. Often we need someone to remind us to do what perhaps we might not be comfortable with or really like to do.
They make us better than we would be without them. I have seen teams and players that for all practical purposes did not have a coach. The players did what they wanted to do and the end result was that they never lived up to their potential. Having a coach makes a huge difference! Could you not also benefit from a coach in your ministry?

When should we be looking for a coach?

When you are faced with new or different challenges. Perhaps you are looking at dramatic changes or challenges to your ministry. Are you confident that you have looked at every option? Do you know for certain the path you have laid out is the correct path? A good coach can help you navigate through the challenges. This is especially true in the area of capital stewardship. Do you understand all the different tracks and how to navigate them? A good coach can help.
When you want to take your ministry to a new level. God often challenges us with new opportunities that will take our ministries to a new level. A coach can help you get to where you believe God wants you to be.
When you have faced failure as a result of your own initiative. Frankly sometimes athletes fail and their failure causes them to reevaluate what they do. They often hire a coach to help in that area. You should look to do the same. I once had a pastor tell me, “We thought after our first capital stewardship campaign that we could go it alone and save the money we paid to our first consultant. It was a miserable failure. We decided for the next campaign that we needed a partner. That campaign was successful.” Can you risk going it alone with something as important as fueling your dream for the future?

Not long ago I finished my nineteenth marathon. I know one has to be crazy to attempt that kind of endeavor. That is what I was thinking at about mile twenty-three! However, I made it. What made it special is that just before the race a young lady next to me asked if I was going to try and break four hours. I said I was and she asked to run with me. She is my son’s age so I must have looked like a father figure to her! At any rate it turns out she is a youth minister at a Presbyterian church in Wichita, Kansas. We both made our goal of breaking four hours.

Here is what she emailed me after the race. She said, “Thank you so much for your words of encouragement and your strong will to not only push me, but to push yourself and accomplish breaking four hours. I told my family and youth about you. Thank you again! And may God continue to bless you with many more marathons!!!!!” That is the power of partnership and coaching. With the experience of someone who had been there before she was able to hit her goal. Helping her fulfill her goal allowed me to fulfill my own.

What about you? Do you have a coach? What about in the area of stewardship? Is there someone that you can count on to give you worthy advice at key moments in your ministry? This is what God has called us at The Charis Group to be, a stewardship coach to Christian Leaders. We would love to help you in any way we can. Contact us today to see how we can help coach you to victory!

Mark Brooks
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The Stewardship Coach

The Stewardship Coach is a bi-weekly newsletter designed to help Christian leaders with key issues in the stewardship and leadership arena. If you know of someone that would profit from the information contained in this email please forward it to them.

To be added to this list please email: TheStewardshipCoach@TheCharisGroup.org
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The Charis Group

Paul admonished the Corinthians, “just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you excel in this grace of giving.” (2 Corinthians 8:7) The word used that we translate as grace was charis. The lexicon defines that word as meaning, “graciousness, of manner or act.”

Recognizing a need to help churches and Christian ministries realize true charis giving from their constituents, The Charis Group was formed. The Charis Group’s focus is on total stewardship development for the Christian Community. Our mission is to provide high impact consulting to pastors, churches and Christian ministries. Focused on this single objective, we are specialists, not generalists.

Drawing upon our years of experience as pastors and as consultants we can provide you and your ministry with the best support possible. As a result of our experience, we know what you face and how to help you achieve your God-given dreams and visions.

Our unique approach to consulting allows for more personalized attention to you and your leaders. This results not only in maximum dollars being raised but also in leaders being raised to new heights. Maximum participation will be achieved with everyone having a positive story to tell about the campaign experience.

For more information about how The Charis Group can help you and your ministry please contact Mark Brooks at: Mark@TheCharisGroup.org

For more information about The Charis Group go to: www.TheCharisGroup.org

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