Coaching bivocational ministers for greater ministry effectiveness

This is a much longer title than I normally use in my blogs, but this is the subject I plan to submit as my DMin dissertation. Whether or not it will be accepted is another story! I hear getting approval for these things can be difficult sometimes. However, I do believe coaching provides a powerful way to assist those in bivocational ministry achieve greater ministry effectiveness.

I have had the privilege of coaching several bivocational ministers, and each of them commented that the process was helpful to them. For some of them it was the first time they could talk to someone about their challenges or dreams without fearing that they would be misunderstood. A few of them were stuck in some area of their lives or ministries and found coaching to be helpful for getting unstuck and moving forward with their lives. Let's face it, people who have not been in bivocational ministry often do not understand the unique dynamics of this ministry and the challenges that exist in it.

During my 20 year bivocational pastorate I was often frustrated that I had no one to talk to about things I was facing in my ministry. There were no written resources specifically for bivocational ministers during most of their years. I was trying to balance my work, my ministry, my family, and pursue an education and there just didn't seem to be anyone who understood how difficult that was. I tried to talk to fully-funded pastors about it, but their advice was usually that I should quit my job and trust God. Everyone who trusted God abandoned the church I was serving after about a year, and I just believed that church deserved better than that. If that last comment seemed a little sarcastic, it was meant to be. It is my strong belief that God is calling persons to bivocational minstry so that these smaller churches such as I served can enjoy a more fruitful ministry, and we saw great progress in that church due to my willingness to stay there for 20 years. I often told our folks that my only contribution to the growth of our church was that I hung around for awhile.

I would have loved to have someone to talk to during those earliest days. Coaching didn't exist in those days, but a coach could have helped me sort through the many issues I dealt with and would have enabled me to move forward much faster than I did trying to sort through everything on my own. This is what excites me about coaching bivocational ministers now. I have the opportunity to lead persons through places where I have gone and hopefully help them get to where God wants them to be much faster than if they try to make that trip by themselves.

Let me know if you think coaching might help you in your life and ministry. I truly enjoy working with people who are ready to move forward with their lives.