THE WHAT, THE WHY, AND THE HOW

I am a pastoral coach. And I’m very thankful to be one. I often tell friends and colleagues that I have the greatest job in all the world: I am privileged to walk with quality Millennial ministers on a daily basis.

Several years ago, God gave us the opportunity to launch Journey Pastoral Coaching, a ministry focused on Millennials. Our mission is to help build young ministers for a lifetime of healthy and effective ministry; I thank God for Journey not simply for its mission and ministry, but even more, because of the quality men and women who have made the decision to be a part of it.

In fulfilling this mission, our focus is first on the minister and then on his or her ministry because it is from each person’s ministry that his or her life flows: doing flows from being. As we build the minister, we build the ministry.

This is equally true in my own life as a Christian pastoral coach.

Pastoring young pastors and ministers is not about techniques. It’s about character (being). Therefore, the best service I can render to God as a pastor of pastors is to daily focus on growing in the values I believe to be essential to the life of a pastoral coach – and to see these values growing in the lives of those whom I coach.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

These values are, I believe, self-evident:

Jesus at the Center

As a pastoral coach, and more importantly, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I endeavor to set Jesus, His Gospel, and His Word at the center of all I am and do. This happens not only through my devotional and study life, but through my pastoring of pastors. As I journey with quality ministers every day, God uses them to reveal Jesus to me, His claim on my being.

Being

Before the doing of the ministry comes the being of the minister. Doing flows from being. Like breathing in and breathing out. Therefore, ministry for Christ begins with being in Christ – the formation of my person, who I am. As I focus on being, knowing that doing flows from being – as I cooperate with God in building the man, I cooperate with Him in building the ministry.

Humility

As leaders of God’s people, we are not lords, but servant-leaders. Our ministries flow from our positions in Christ – not ruling on thrones, but serving on our knees. Our joy comes not in self-exaltation, but in humility, living and ministering as the servants of God we are. The Christian pastoral coach walks as a humble servant leader among those whom he coaches.

Grace & Gratitude

Cicero wrote that “gratitude is the highest of virtues, the father of all other virtues.” Gratitude is the recognition of God’s grace, the only true response to His grace. At the nuclear core of our being, we value living in gratitude for God’s grace to me, given directly and through others. As a pastoral coach, I respond to God’s grace with gratitude, and I give grace to those whom I coach.

Integrity

As a fallen but now redeemed human being, I daily seek not legalistic perfection, but wholeness of faith and life before the Lord.

As the 1^st Century Jewish priest, Melker, wrote:

“The kingdom of God is to begin with us, in the inner life, and rule there, and from the inner nature all outward actions are to flow in conformity with revealed and written teachings and commands of God … until the outward is like the inward; and thus advancing on from individuals to nations.”

Commitment

I seek to be true in my commitment to God and to those who have entrusted themselves to me.

No easy excuses. No sleeping on duty. I have answered God’s call and will, with His help, give what the Crusaders’ Hymn called “heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of Kings.” This commitment to Christ is reflected in my commitment to those whom I serve as pastoral coach. No easy excuses. No sleeping on duty.

Respect

Respect. Mutual. At the core of my relationship with those whom I coach is mutual respect. That mutual respect begins with me, the pastoral coach. This respect includes believing the very best of each person I coach and helping him or her to develop in it.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is an extension of respect, an expression of a shared trust. The relationship between pastor and the one coached is one built on respect and trust, openness and even confession. This respect and trust occurs in the safe space of confidentiality: each one knows that what we share here will stay here. More than this, what is shared here will not adversely affect our relationship now or ever: our shared respect and trust will only be stronger because we have been true and transparent in our journey. Confidentiality as in confidence.

Focus

I approach every coaching appointment of every day as if that person is the only person I coach and this session is my only coaching appointment of the week. With God’s help I discipline my attention and I refresh my soul so as to give complete focus of heart and mind to each person who entrusts him or herself to me.

Lifelong Learning

We never “arrive.” As followers of Christ and as ministers, we are always growing. Or we are slowly dying. Enter lifelong learning: the effective pastoral coach is ever learning about coaching and ministry, ever growing in His relationship with Jesus Christ, and he works unceasingly to reproduce this value in those whom he coaches.

Flexibility

Two issues: the coaching appointment and ministry itself.

The Appointment. Ministry is not a 9-to-5 life: it is 24-7, every week. And every week is different. This means the pastoral coach must be flexible in working with the schedules of those whom he coaches. My weekly calendar changes from week to week, even day to day to accommodate ministry needs.

Ministry. Ministry methods necessarily and frequently change. Working with Millennial ministers, I am constantly impressed by the innovative approaches our ministry members bring to the table. Are their ways always my ways? Absolutely not, thank God! They are bringing new ideas to new times and issues, but always founded on the bedrock of the Word of God.

The Long View:

As a Christian pastoral coach, I keep the focus on each person’s lifetime of service and his or her eternal fellowship with God. The pressures of life and ministry often push even the best of us to settle for seeking only immediate relief rather than long-term health. But the pastoral coach owes more to those whom he coaches. He owes them the perspective of the long view, of stewarding one’s creation and call for a lifetime of healthy and effective ministry.

A LIFE AND MINISTRY OF VALUE IS BUILT ON VALUES

Again, pastoral coaching is not about techniques. It’s about character (being), and yes, experience. Therefore, the best service I can render to God as a pastor of pastors is to daily focus on growing in the values I believe to be essential to the life of a pastoral coach – and to see these values growing in the lives of those whom I coach.

Values. Eternal. Divine. Walking in a real world.

“We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.” Julia Coleman

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Journey Pastoral Coaching provides pastoral coaching to Millennial ministers.

Saddled with large student debt, just beginning to set up homes and start families, and serving in low paying first and second positions, Millennials are those who most desire but can least afford to pay for pastoral coaching.

We are able to do so thanks to the faithful and generous support of individuals and churches like yours who want to see young leaders not only enter the ministry, but remain in the ministry. 

Now, more than ever, we need your help. 

If you or your church would like to help Millennial ministers across the US and overseas build strong for a lifetime in ministry, please click here to support Journey monthly or with your one-time gift. Thank you.

We also invite you to click and subscribe to our twice-monthly blogs at journeypastoralcoaching.com

“Of all vocations, surely the gospel ministry is the one whose paradigm is most radically formed by the dynamics of godly mentorship.” 

Stephen Baldwin