Process Coaching

In January we had the privilege of having a course called Process Coaching being taught in the Central Baptist Association. This material was written by Jim Hamilton of the Dakota Baptist Convention. The overall purpose of this material is to help churches develop God's plan for their church.

What did I learn at this workshop? I learned that leaders and followers have a real disconnect because they do not have the same burden. The goal of a leader is to help followers have the same burden as them. Burden creates passion, passion fuels vision, and then vision leads to actions.

But it all starts with having a burden. Have you ever wondered why people are not as committed to the cause as you are? It could be they do not have the same heart for it as you do. There are so many wonderful causes in our world today. Great organizations like the American Heart Association, March of Dimes, American Cancer Society, World Vision, and thousands of others too numerous to mention are all great causes.

So the question is, how can you develop people who have a heart for the local church and your burden? First, you must communicate personally. You need to set down with people in one-on-one situations and share your heart and your burden. Second, as a leader, you must teach about it. If you are a pastor, you need to use the pulpit to lead biblically. Sharing Scripture without application in the pulpit, small groups, or Sunday School classes can leave a void. Third, you need to ask the Lord how He wants you to communicate to His followers entrusted to your care. That means communication over a long period of time may also be necessary for the burden to be created.

While this blog is not meant to give the whole summary of process coaching it does give you a brief overview for the need of leaders to create a burden in their own congregations. Without the same burden, frustration will creep in overtake pastors and leaders. Lay people can become frustrated because they think they are being overrun and their opinion does not care. So be sure to remember that church leadership is a process and it begins with having the same concerns that Jesus did.