Sunday, August 5, 2007

Coaching for bivocational ministers

When ministers finish their seminary education and begin their pastoral ministry they are often encouraged to find a mentor to help them get started. While seminary training provides the minister with many needed tools for ministry it can be lacking in adequately preparing the minister for what he or she will encounter in the real church world. I heard an experienced minister say one time that he had four degrees and none of them prepared him for a church business meeting! The problem for the bivocational minister is finding a mentor who understands the unique challenges of bivocational ministry and who would have the time to meet with the minister. It is often difficult for a bivocational minister to meet with a fully-funded minister due to their very different work schedules. This is one reason why I encourage bivocational ministers to find a coach who can work with them to find the answers to the issues that they face.

Coaching works from the agenda of the person being coached, not the agenda of the coach. In a typical coaching session one of the first questions the coach will ask is, "How would you like to spend our time today? What would you like to address?" The person being coached (PBC) always determines the agenda of the coaching session, and that ensures that the time spent together is addressing the things that are of the most interest to the PBC.

It is not always necessary that the coach have similar experiences as the PBC, but it is often helpful to have a coach who has walked the same road that you are walking. That is why I enjoy coaching bivocational ministers. For 20 years I served as a bivocational pastor, and for the past 6 years I have been a bivocational judicatory minister. I have four books published, and all are about bivocational ministers or small churches. I know the stresses bivocational ministers experience because I have known all of them. I also know some of the obstacles that you face and how to avoid them or overcome them. If you believe that having a coach who has been where you are could be a benefit to your ministry, I would love to work with you.

I am not only an Area Resource Minister in my denomination, I am also the president of a small business, a speaker, an author, and a doctoral student. In addition I enjoy spending as much time with my family as I possibly can. My schedule is very full and therefore I cannot accept more than five PBC's at one time. Each person will receive two hours a month of coaching by telephone, and I recommend a minimum of three months as it takes time for us to know one another. My fees are very reasonable and are reduced for bivocational ministers simply because I believe so much in the importance of the work they do, and I want to add value to their ministeries.

You may feel that you cannot afford to hire a coach, but I encourage you to look at it as an investment. Much of the money you spend is gone forever, but any money you invest in yourself can never be taken away from you. I believe I can help you resolve some of the issues that you struggle with, and I believe I can help you become a more effective bivocational minister. I know I can help you resolve some of the time issues that most bivocational ministers say is their biggest problem. Contact me today and at least explore if having a coach makes sense for you and your ministry. Contact me by e-mail, and let's see if coaching is a good option for you.

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