Coaching

For a long time we have been talking about how to coach our life group leaders... I have swayed back and forth on whether or not this is something that we can bring off and what benefits coaching could bring us. One thing that I have become convinced of is that we need leaders to see themselves as pastors. I saw this article on churchstaffing.com the other that explained some of the similarities between being a pastor and a coach. I thought I would pass along part of it.

"What are 4 or 5 key coaching principles that have direct application to pastoring? 
Here they are, in this order: Asking Questions, Active Listening, Action Planning, Providing Accountability, and Giving Affirmation. In short, coaching is NOT giving people a weekly pep talk! It is interacting with them as Christ did with his disciples with great, open-ended questions that get people to think on their own and solve their own problems. The coaching process helps people land on specific steps of action they fully own and follow through to completion. As they do, coaching holds them accountable for achieving those actions and provides generous amounts of positive praise along the way.If we believe, truly believe, in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and if we believe, truly believe, in the priesthood of every believer, then we will honor those beliefs as we facilitate people to grow, not force them to grow. At the end of the day, I believe this approach results in permanent change. "

- Bill Zipp (former pastor turned professional coach)