Church planting isn’t always sexy.
It’s not always sexy to NOT own your own building.
It’s not always sexy when you don’t offer a program for everything under the sun.
It’s not always sexy to have wheels on every piece of equipment that your church owns.
It’s not always sexy to have to set up and tear down every week for 3 hours to have church for 1 hour.
It’s not always sexy to have all of your leadership meetings around a kitchen table.
It’s not always sexy to have to drive to Kinko’s to make your copies.
It’s not always sexy when you have more people on stage than in the seats.
It’s not always sexy to not have a permanent church sign that you can put catchy phrases on it like, “God answers knee-mail.”
It’s not always sexy to be one week away from bottoming out financially.
It’s not always sexy to have to recruit someone 5 minutes before the service for “clicker duty.”
It’s not always sexy when the guy pulling the trailer oversleeps on Sunday morning.
Church planting is not always sexy…but yet I still find her incredibly attractive!
If there’s one thing that I have learned in church planting, it’s the concept that…some will, some won’t.
Some will be fired up about the vision of your church…some won’t
Some will be extremely committed…some won’t
Some will sacrificially give…some won’t
Some will make a decision to follow Christ…some won’t
Some will tough it out through thick and thin…some won’t
Some will have your back no matter what…some won’t
Some will still be at your church 1 year from now…some won’t
The tendency is to allow yourself to focus so much on the some won’ts that it overshadows the some will’s.
Church planting is hard work…ministry is hard work. Remember…some will, some won’t. Always encourage the won’ts to be will’s, but if they won’t, then move on to someone that will.
- His motto would be, “derail the vision…you will die.”
- He’d fight through the tough times…giving up would never be an option.
- He’d bring church discipline to a whole nutha level!
- He’d speak the truth with urgency and not water down the message….ever.
- He’d break the rules in order to save just one person.
- The giving would be great because, well…who’s gonna hold back from Jack?
- He would never steer away from the mission, he would give up his life first.
- I’m thinking that Jack wouldn’t do much counseling.
- His passion would attract people to be a part of the vision…but few would pay the price and hang in there with him.
- People would have his back…because Jack always has their back!
- His church would be small, because the commitment would be great.
- He’d find a way to get the job done!
Why is it that we would think it is absolutely ridiculous for a professional sports team to compete on the field without a coach. Yet, we get up everyday to face our incredibly important profession and the thought of having a coach is often the furthest thing from our mind.
Whether you are planting a church, running your own business, or in middle-management, having a top-notch coach is the difference between winning and losing. I believe that each of us has God-given dreams and desires that often times lay dormant. Top-notch coaching will help you discover what is already inside of you and take you to places that you never dreamed possible.
Here are 5 reasons why you need to hire a top-notch coach.
1. A top-notch coach will pay for him or herself almost immediately.
Studies have shown that people who are coached are 65% more effective than those that aren’t coached. If you are in business, being 65% more effective, means that you have also increased your earning potential by 65%. It’s not always about the money. What about the time it would save? If you were able to increase your effectiveness and productivity that means more time that can spend with your family.
2. A top-notch coach will ask you the right questions.
A top-notch coach has developed the art of asking the right questions. Questions that reveal barriers and blockades that are potentially getting in your way. They know how to drill down through layers and layers of questions to get to the roots. It’s like a mining expedition and uncovering valuable gems along the way. They are asking the questions systematically, and as you are answering the questions, you are discovering solutions to your challenges.
3. A top-notch coach will keep you on mission and won’t allow you to drift.
A top-notch coach knows when you are side-stepping the real issue and getting off track. They see the big picture and help you establish steps to get to your goal. They keep you focused on your goals and dreams. You set the agenda, and they help you stick to it! So often, we drift. We’re drifters by nature. A good coach doesn’t let us drift too far before pulling us back.
4. A top-notch coach is not paid to give you advice.
Coaching is not mentoring, counseling, or consulting. There is a place for all of these things, but don’t expect your coach to give you advice. That’s not what a coach does. When you are being coached, expect to expend some energy. A good coach will force you to dig deep in the recesses of your life. Be prepared to really think through your fears and failures.
5. A top-notch coach is a top-notch listener.
Good coaching starts with good listening. They are listening between the lines, asking discerning questions, and then listening some more. They are listening to what is being said, but also what is not being said.
Do you have a coach? How valuable has coaching been for you?
Saw this video on Chis Brogan’s blog. This is not my idea of fun. It’s dirty, it hurts, and it’s dangerous.
My idea of fishing is to stay in the boat where it’s dry, safe, & comfortable…and if someone can clean the fish for me, that’s even better.
I’m thinking that God wants us to start gettng out of the boat and into the water. He wants us to get our hands dirty and be willing to take the risk of going into the unknown. He wants us to extend our hand out to people at the risk of potentially losing it. It starts with caring more about people than about my own comfort & safety.
What are your thoughts?
