Behind every successful athlete lies a coach who has helped that person become a success. Great athletes aren’t born great, they are coached to be great. Michael Phelps didn’t win 18 gold medals on his own. By his own admission he credits his success to the work his coach put in to help him become a great athlete. Bob Bowman coached Michael Phelps, and helped him reach his potential as an athlete.
The same is true about leadership. Great leaders aren’t born great, they too are coached to be great. Yet most of the leaders in the church have no one coaching them. There is no one helping them reach their potential as a leader. There is no one in their corner pursuing them to continue to grow in their own faith. No one training them in how they are leading others. No one investing in them for their family’s sake.
The number one reason leaders give for not having a coach is that they are “too busy.” This is striking given the fact that Jesus himself wasn’t too busy for coaching. He pulled away during some of the busiest times of his ministry in order to be coached by God the Father (Mark 1:35, Matt. 14:13, 26.36, Lk. 5:16, Jn. 6:15). But instead of seeking coaching, many leaders seek out a quick fix. They seek answers to the problems they face in their ministry, efficiency to maximize the use of their time, and power for greater impact in their community. Yet, Jesus didn’t look for a quick fix to his ministry. He was determined to submit himself to the Father, his coach, so that when it came time to deal with the biggest problem he faced in ministry – our sin – he was able to say with conviction, “Lord, not my will be done, but your will be done” (Matt. 26:39).
When pastors and spiritual leaders lead without a spiritual coach, they risk becoming at best exhausted, worn out, and discouraged, and at worst harmful to those under their leadership. In the animal kingdom, predators separate their prey from the pack in order to eat. For example lions separate one gazelle from the pack. They chase the prey until it’s exhausted and worn out. Then, the lions are able to have a nice snack at the gazelle’s expense. Pastors and spiritual leaders need help developing a rhythm of ministry that doesn’t come at the leader’s expense. Peter tells us that we have an enemy who is on the prowl desiring to devour us. Peter’s encouragement in 1Peter 5:8 is to “be alert and of sober mind.” It’s hard to be alert on of sober mind on your own given the pressures ministry leaders face day in and day out. The best way to take Peter’s encouragement to heart for the long haul is to find a coach who will invest in you, your leadership, and your marriage.
That’s where Awaken Ministry comes in. We give life to leaders by investing in you, your leadership, and your marriage. We coach pastors and ministry leaders in order to continue to connect you to God’s love so that you can have the right fuel to carry out your ministry in Jesus’ name. You don’t have to wait until you face a crisis in your ministry or marriage to get coaching. Be proactive. Seek out a coach now who will invest in you by encouraging you in your spiritual formation, your leadership, and your marriage so that you can thrive in ministry for which God has called you.
