Coaching
Church planting, shepherding and leading a congregation in this post-Christian culture can be a lonely and trying place. Our network has a number of seasoned pastors who are trained as coaches to help guide you down the path that God is leading.
Why do church plants fail?
Truth is… there are many reasons. Yet there seems to be one reason that consistently appears on the top-ten lists of ‘why church planters fail’ and that is… planters lacked adequate coaching. They didn’t have an outside person journeying with them in their planting efforts, to help guide them and avoid the other nine reasons for failure.
Let’s face it – anyone who has ever attempted to plant or lead a church knows how incredibly difficult it can be. Opposition is everywhere. Challenges abound. Decisions at every turn. And yes, we do have God’s power through His Spirit within us, guiding us and directing us. Yet, amazingly, most planters do what they do with little or no outside, objective support. Even the most confident of planters or leaders could benefit from the objective wisdom and experience of a competent coach.
Therefore, having qualified, experienced and equipped coaches to assist in the planting process is a necessity. For this reason, Ecclesia is committed to offering coaching relationships to planters, pastors, and leaders regardless of where they are in the planting cycle. It is our desire to resource the body at large with coaches who are trained, equipped, and available to assist in your God given endeavors.
So how can an effective Coach work with you? Not by coming preprogrammed with an agenda, a model or a plan. Instead, a good coach will rely on his or her experiences, tools, and gifts to work with you and help you move in the direction God is leading you. Properly trained coaches have a vested interest in aiding in the work of the HS by coming alongside you, helping to insure that you not only grow as a leader, but also to offer support, encouragement, and wisdom. Effective coaching empowers a person to become and fulfill what God is calling them to do. That is the goal and hope of Ecclesia Coaches.
If you would like to find a Coach or Become a Coach, please contact Brian Hopper at brian_hopper AT mac DOT com