Thoughts on Coaching 1

I’ve been thinking a lot about coaching lately and decided to study the coaching style of Paul, the apostle.  I’m going to blog about some of what I discover because I believe coaching is a missing element in many churches today. 

I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith.  May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.  1 Tim 1:2

Some things I note here:

1. God chose to use coaching letters as part of his living word to us.  Coaching is important to God.

2.  Paul had a spiritual relationship to Timothy.  We need to prioritize spiritual relationships.  Who are you engaged with spiritually?

3.  Paul wanted Timothy to know the grace he had learned about.  (1 Corinthians 12:9)  Coaches help people build their dependency on God, not on the coach.  Who is coaching you?  Who are you coaching?

4.  Paul wanted Timothy to understand mercy.  He wanted him to know that God forgives and that he should be merciful . . . on himself and others.  (Matthew5:7)  How important is mercy in your life?

5.  Paul wanted Timothy to experience peace.  Paul knew that something rules or dominates our hearts.  He wanted peace to rule in Timothy’s heart even when chaos was happening around him. (Colossians 3:14-16)  What rules in your heart?

Good coaches are givers.  They see potential in people and want to give them all they need to reach that potential. It begins with a desire to give people the good news of the life they can have through Christ.  Are you a giver or a getter?

God wants us to coach one another . . . Christianity is more than just a weekend experience.  (Hebrews 10:23-25) What do you think?