Put me in, coach

A high priority at Converge is to provide church planters with an excellent level of coaching. Having someone who has planted a church walk along side someone learning the ropes is a big factor in a successful church plant. Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee discuss coaching, the value of it, how it’s more than just mentoring and what makes a good coach.

0:18 Lee introduces the conversation topic, which is coaching church planters.

0:58 Danny adds that Converge puts a strong emphasis on coaching church planters past just their first couple of years of planting.

1:46 Lee explains how Converge has taken coaching to a higher level within the mission of planting churches.

2:21 Lee asks Danny what he has seen with church planters that have coaches versus those who don’t.

2:29 Danny explains RevCoach, an online coaching system that helps both the coach and the coachee throughout their process together. 

3:00 Danny talks about the difference between a mentor and a coach.

3:31 Danny speaks to the fact that the coaches and church planters who do coaching correctly have great success.

4:38 Lee asks Danny what coaching has meant to him as a planter and pastor.

4:43 Danny says having a coach asking him lots of questions helped him clarify issues and problems.

6:00 Danny asks Lee to describe some successful and less-than-successful coaching he has received throughout his life and ministry.

6:13 Lee is a big believer in always having a coach and the importance those relationships have played in his life.

7:01 Lee emphasizes that a coach should bring out the best in a coachee, not trying to get them to do things the way that has worked for themselves. Coaching should be helping someone become all they can be in God; not molding someone in a forceful way.

7:52 Like in athletics, the “stars” don’t become the best coaches. Danny says coaching church planters is similar. 

9:08 Danny shares that he’s doing less coaching, because he tends to want to share his personal experiences and that’s not always what church planters need.

9:41 Danny states his passion for good coaching and creating it within Converge.

10:07 Lee asks Danny how a church planter should find a coach if they are beginning to realize how coaching could help them. How do you find the right coach and how do you ask?

10:30 Danny advises that if a church planter finds someone they may want as a coach, to ask around to get some opinions on their coaching.

11:30 Danny suggests doing a trial run for a few months with a coach.

11:51 Lee advises for someone to be persistent when looking for a coach, and it may cost money.

12:25 Lee shares that if someone asks him to be their coach, he wants specifics of what they’re looking for.

13:04 Lee feels a good coach will recognize their own personal strengths and weaknesses and the importance of knowing when they may not be the best coach in a certain area.

13:18 Lee encourages listeners to find a coach if they feel they need one.