Why Great Ministry Leaders Need a Coach

By Greg  Salciccioli

Moses was a mess. He worked 10 to 12 hours a day. The people he led were frustrated. He teetered on the edge of burnout with no relief in sight. He felt separated and estranged from his wife and kids. He did not invest time in developing his skills — he rushed from task to task.

Sound familiar?

In my service to ministry leaders over the last decade, the No. 1 challenge they face is “getting it all done and keeping it all together.” Ministry leaders wear many hats — preach, lead teams, provide pastoral care, raise money, plan, relate to deacons, and deal with crises. By many people’s definition, ministry is one of the most demanding jobs on the planet.

With the task of “trying to get it all done,” ministry leaders often struggle to keep their lives together. They struggle with maintaining health and intimacy in their marriage and connecting with their children. They are overworked and undernourished.

This is where coaching can help. A coach will ensure you extract the mediocrity from your life and move toward greater excellence. A coach brings many benefits you cannot provide on your own. A coach can increase your courage to confront the areas of your life that need change — then help you change.
By taking a closer look at Moses and Jethro in Exodus 18, we can learn from their coaching experience. Ask yourself:

• How I can change my approach to ministry to lighten my load and increase my effectiveness?
• What action steps can I take to move away from mediocrity to greater excellence?

Moses had a mission from God to manage the Israelites, and it was a demanding job. People were complaining about their neighbors, living conditions, questions of the future, problems at home, at work — and on and on.
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had insight that could greatly benefit Moses. This is the first reason why pastors need a coach and why coaching works.

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Blog post was originally written by Influence Magazine, used with permission.