By ALAN RATHBUN, EPD TEAM
When was the last time you thought about the challenges of beginning a new ministry position?
Do you remember the unsettledness and stress of relocating a family? Or how about the overwhelming learning curve in a new church, especially in those first six months?
There is also the complex and intimidating process of figuring out the interconnectedness of personal life, a new congregation, and a community. It’s tempting and easy to over-focus on one at the expense of the other two. For example:
Personal stress can decrease the awareness and vision of the congregation and community
Unexpected congregational expectations can detour pastors from pursuing whole heart transformation with Jesus
Ignoring the context and influence of the local community can keep a pastor and congregation only looking inward
Acknowledging these very real challenges, our district team recently developed “Healthy Start Coaching” as we want to help pastors get healthy starts when God calls them to new positions. We are currently working with our fourth pastor and are in the early stages of developing pastors to become coaches so they can come alongside new regional Alliance partners.
What do we try to accomplish through coaching?
During the first six months, we seek to help pastors in new positions:
GROUND their lives and ministries in the gospel for whole heart transformation and gospel impact.
CULTIVATE practices for fruitful community and mission such as pursuing personal vitality (mental, physical, spiritual, relational), giving consistent attention to how God is working so they can join Him in His work, and practicing personal gospel impact.
ENGAGE their congregations and leaders through listening and leading small, short-term changes that build trust and focus the congregation on its essential end.
What does a pastor receive through coaching?
8-10 coaching sessions with a trained coach that helps the pastor gain new awareness and develop action steps for ground, cultivate and engage practices
Encouragement and insight to stay rooted in the gospel so that their lives and ministry are grounded in who Jesus is and what He has done for us
Tools for discovering the culture of their new congregation and discerning the context of the community so they can lead their congregation to experience whole heart transformation with Jesus and increase gospel impact together
How are we seeing fruit with Healthy Start Coaching?
Increased resilience and fresh perspective for cultivating the soil in a previously fading congregation
Willingness for congregational leaders to assess their ministry to see if they are making disciples or just trying to fill seats in the sanctuary
Willingness of elders to be trained for ministry instead of just being a decision-making body
Pastoral leadership by example for sharing the good news of Jesus with friends, relatives, neighbors, and coworkers
What can you do?
Be attentive to connecting with new pastors moving into your region. Remember the expected and unexpected challenges they are facing.
Pray for new pastors moving into your region. We are better together and need each other to be more and more fruitful with Jesus.
If you have experience coaching or think you have the potential for coaching, contact me to see if becoming a Healthy Start Coach might be a good role for you as we pursue increasing gospel impact together in Eastern PA.