The Pastor as a Change Agent

The following is a portion of an article I recently had published in the Assembly of God Leadership Magazine, Enrichment Journal entitled “The Pastor as a Change Agent: Remaining Relevant in a Constantly Changing Cultural Environment”. To read the entire article, go to: http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/201301/201301_EJO_ChangeAgent.cfm Society is changing at a faster rate than ever before. Because of this, the church of Christ must be willing to change its methods if it is to remain relevant. The challenge is to change the methods, which are temporal, without changing the message, which is timeless. Many within the church resist change for fear of compromising the message of Christ. For this reason, the 21st-century pastor must see himself as a change agent that can implement effective changes while making them palatable to church members. We must view change as a process and not an event. What good does it do for the leader to yell charge and rush to the top of the hill only to find he or she arrived there alone? A more progressive approach to change is the better part of wisdom. This takes adequate planning and this is how we, as pastors, can become change agents. The process will involve understanding change management, adopting an adaptable approach to leadership style, and empowering people to think strategically. Following this process will help pastors become change agents ensuring the church remains relevant and proclaims the important message of Christ that is both timeless and life changing.

The Premise Of Discipleship

This is a portion of an article I wrote that was published in the recent edition of The Enrichment Journal: The discussion on discipleship must begin and end with the greatest discipler of all, Jesus Christ. The Gospels show the key components of effective mentoring in how Jesus discipled His followers. These components are relationship, influence, and spiritual formation. Jesus was intentional about building relationships with His followers. These relationships were essential in establishing influence. This influence allowed Jesus to develop those who followed Him into productive disciples who could, in return, spend their lives mentoring others. The progression from relationship through influence to spiritual formation points to a principle concerning the premise of discipleship. This premise is this: There can be no discipleship without relationship. To see the entire article go to: http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/201204/201204_EJO_Premise_Discipleship.cfm

Defining The Pulpit

When the average Christian thinks of the pulpit, they think about the place where ministry takes place. Ministry is something that happens on Sunday and is reserved primarily for those who hold credentials or maybe for those with a degree or two. A person can have ministry if they can preach or sing, play an instrument or in some other way exhibit talent in an ecclesiastical way, but what about everyone else? What about the people in the pews? Furthermore, what about the public, the people outside the walls of the church? The general misunderstanding is this: the pulpit is the place where ministry takes place. The people in the pew are the supporters of the ministry. The people outside the church are sinners that we are trying to get into the church so they can get into the pew and support the ministry that happens in the pulpit. I am not sure where this misunderstanding came from, but I suspect that it finds its genesis in organized religion. One thing is certain; it did not come from the scripture. The biblical model is altogether different. The pulpit is the equipping place. The pew represents the place where the ministry happens. The people in the pew are supposed to be God’s ministers. The public represents precious people that Christ loves and died for; they are actually our congregation. The redefining of these terms must begin in the pulpit. Remember Paul’s words to the church at Ephesus: “And He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry…” (Eph. 4:11-12). Church leaders must realize that they are called to equip the ministers of God. We ordain the pastor, but really the pastor should be ordaining the people to be God’s ministers. This biblical concept moves the ministry outside the walls of the church. This is where real ministry happens. The pulpit is the equipping place.

Influence By Relationship

The discussion on discipleship must begin and end with the greatest discipler of all, Jesus Christ. The gospels show the key components of effective mentoring in how Jesus discipled His followers. These components are relationship, influence, and spiritual formation. Jesus was intentional about building relationships with His followers. The relationship was essential in establishing influence. This influence allowed Jesus to develop those who followed Him into productive disciples who could, in return, spend their lives mentoring others. This progression from relationship through influence to spiritual formation points to a principle that can be accepted as the premise of discipleship. This premise is that there can be no discipleship without relationship. We must do the hard work necessary to invest in the lives of our followers in a way that will produce deep trusting relationships. The influence gained in such a relationship must then be used for spiritual formation that will develop disciples. This process is then repeated in their lives and they become disciple makers. This will ensure the future of this wonderful Church of Christ to the Glory of God!

Coaching in the Bible?

Recently, I wrote an article entitled Coaching in the Bible: A Scriptural Argument for Coaching As a Transformational Process. It was published in the Spring issue of Enrichment Journal. You can access it at:
http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/201202/201202_EJO_Coaching%20Bible.cfm

Is coaching in the Bible? Was Jesus a coach? We need to consider these questions because coaching has become an important part of the corporate and church landscape. None of the biblical leaders envisioned themselves filling the role of a coach. Not only does the Bible never use the title coach, there is not title, role, or ministry gift that parallels the task of a coach. We can, however, find coaching in biblical principles and practices.
Coming alongside people to help them discover a better way, sustain vision, and move forward in their life or career is a direct reflection of the heart of God displayed in Scripture. Proverbs 20:5 states, “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, 
but one who has insight draws them out.” This is the essence of coaching. Coaching is transformational at its core. Thomas Crane points this out by stating: “Transformational Coaching is the art of empowering people to improve their effectiveness … this process engages the huge untapped potential within people.”1 Tony Stoltzfus asserts: “At its heart, leadership coaching is about helping people … a coach draws out the abilities God has put in someone else.”2
We have an example of coaching in Mark 8:27–29. “Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah.’ ”
Why do we consider this coaching on the part of Christ? According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), coaching uses powerful questioning. The coach uses inquiry versus telling.3 Jesus could have told His disciples who He was. He chose instead to draw the answer from within His followers.
Coaching includes exploring what issues exist for the person being coached versus telling him or her what the issues are or suggesting solutions. Questions must address the agenda of the person being coached and seek information about that agenda and orient to solving issues in the life of that person. Jesus’ first question does this because these men had left family and home to follow Him. Jesus caused them to scan the environment and come to grips with others’ perceptions, plus their perception of themselves. Then He probed deeper with a powerful question that forced the disciples (Peter in particular) to take ownership of the issue. Jesus then used this revelation He excavated from within them as a foundation on which to build.
Another reason this qualifies as coaching is it speaks to the heart of Peter and draws out a deeper understanding within himself, who he is, and who he is following. Jesus helped Peter with what Whitmore calls self-actualization: “The need associated with self-actualizers is the need for meaning and purpose in their lives.”4
As we consider Peter’s journey, no doubt this question from Jesus, and Peter’s response, was truly foundational for the disciples, as well as for Peter. What we see as the true insight is Peter’s confession with his mouth. How often do we believe in our mind but intentionally dismiss the thought without an open statement or confession. When we consider Paul’s admonition in Romans 10:9: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” we begin to understand the power of verbal confession born from within. Jesus understood this, and the power behind it. Hence, His question to those who left everything to follow Him.
Jesus is laying a foundation for Peter and the disciples to build on. After all, is not this what coaching does? Coaching is a transformational process to redirect behavior and support change.
The first step is to agree a problem exists. The problem was the disciples’ misconceptions about who Jesus is and why He came. Is He the Christ? How could they move on if there is no agreement on this fundamental truth?
Maybe Jesus was sensing some confusion on the part of His followers. This is the most critical step in the coaching process.
Another step in the coaching process is to mutually discuss alternative solutions. Jesus did this by asking for the different opinions concerning who He was. The coach and the person being coached together will identify as many alternative solutions as may be necessary to solve the problem. Ferdinand Fournies points out a valuable opinion when he states, “Because you are dealing with behavior, it is necessary to specify those changes in behavior that are needed to influence the outcome or result.”5 The goal is to mutually agree on which alternatives the person will act on to solve the problem. Jesus confirms the agreement by encouraging Peter after he gave the correct answer.
Once we identify coaching as a transformational process in the ministry of Christ, we need to be cautious. The ability to ask powerful questions was certainly evidenced in Jesus’ ministry, and is a basic skill every coach needs to continually develop. However, referring to Jesus as a coach presents at least two concerns. One, it raises the possibility of thinking of Jesus as being synonymous with coach. Jesus did much more than coach. He mentored, taught, healed, and atoned for our sins. The world needs a Savior, not a coach.
Second, titles influence perception. Titles can frame a person’s life by putting that person in a box with that particular title as the label. It is not always easy to break away from that perception. It would certainly be more appropriate and accurate if we stay with Peter’s assertion: “You are the Messiah.”

1. Thomas G. Crane, The Heart of Coaching: Using Transformational Coaching to Create a High-performance Culture, 2d ed. (San Diego: FTA Press, 2002), 212.
2. Tony Stolzfus, Leadership Coaching: The Disciplines, Skills and Heart of a Christian Coach. (Virginia Beach: Coach 22, 2005), 10.
3. http://www.coachfederation.org/ICF/For+Coaching+Clients/What+is+ICF
4. J. Whitmore, Coaching for Performance: Growing People, Performance, and Purpose, 3d ed. (Boston: Nicholas-Brealey, 2002), 112.
5. Ferdinand F. Fournies, Coaching for Improved Work Performance, rev ed. (New York: McGraw Hill. 2000), 147.

The Power Of Intentionality

There is power in intentionality. Jack Welch is the former CEO of General Electric. By almost anyone’s standard he was one of the world’s most productive leaders. When being interviewed by Katie Couric on NBC’s “Today Show” he made this point. While speaking of communication breakdowns in the workplace he said the main thing everyone wants to know is “Where are we headed?” Both comfort and confidence is present when people know where we are going. We must be intentional about the direction of our church. We cannot afford to be like the jet pilot that got lost. He radioed in “I don’t know where we are going but we are making great time!” Many churches are like that, moving from here to there with no real sense of direction. Some pastors change directions after every church growth seminar. Connecting Points focuses on the purpose of the church and sets sail with intentionality. Everything we do is based on connecting people with God and each other. This is what we are about. This is what we are trying to do. This is where we are going. Suddenly we are not wandering to and fro, hoping to get a good sermon or start a good program. We become intentional. Every sermon is designed to help us get where we are going. Every program is intentionally put together in a way that will help us connect people with God and each other. We know where we are going and Connecting Points will help us get there. In order to be productive we must be intentional.

Power In Health

There is power in health. How many times have you seen people that had wealth and fame but would trade them all in for health? What good is all the money or influence in the world if you do not have health to enjoy or use it? I believe that God wants us to be healthy. I also believe that God wants our church to be healthy. God worked this principle into creation. If a tree is healthy, it will naturally produce fruit. I live in Florida and many people have citrus trees in their yards. If the tree is healthy, there is plenty of fruit for everyone in the family and baskets to give away every year. Sometimes it can be a pain. A healthy tree will produce so much fruit that you constantly have to pick them up out of your yard. It’s a natural law. Healthy things produce. The same is true in the church. If we can get the church healthy, we can expect it to be productive. What constitutes a healthy church? There is no simple answer to this question. It can be as complex as discerning what makes a human body healthy. I would like to offer a few ideas:
* A healthy church is a growing church.
* A healthy church is an active church.
* A healthy church is a loving church.
* A healthy church is an evangelistic church.
* A healthy church is a benevolent church.
* A healthy church is a passionate church.
* A healthy church is a connecting church.