Have you ever completed a coaching session with a leader and felt like you could have made better use of the time you had together? Perhaps the meeting was "all business" and you never really connected with the leader personally. You may have had a great conversation about what has been happening in the group, but did not really plan any specific action steps for the future.

Coaching appears to be the "next big thing" when it comes to church leadership. It seems almost everyone either (1) wants to be a coach, or (2) wants to be coached. The fact is, everyone needs a coach, but a great teacher does not necessarily make a good coach.

When you think of coaching, what is the first thing you think about? Is it a football coach roaming the sidelines ranting and raving at some official? Maybe it is a coach from high school that either did or did not like you and treated you accordingly. Maybe when you think of the word "coach" you think of a mentor that has guided you through some life decisions and it is a very positive feeling. Hopefully, the concept or the mention of the word "coach" leaves you with warm fuzzies all over. What about if you are the coach or the leader of coaches? What framework of topics and questions do you have to guide you and your team to victory? The following pointers come from years of working with coaches and leaders:

Small Group Pastor, Division or Zone / Sectional Leaders, Coaches, Small Group Leaders, Apprentices, and Hosts – does this hierarchy of servant leadership sound familiar to you? The application of corporate-like pyramidal organizational models to developing small group ministries in the Church is pervasive...