Comments on: The Pastor’s Role as Spiritual Coach:

By: May

May — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 18:54:27 +0000

I am an educator in a small christian school, and current best practices in education run parallel to your concepts. Research shows us that differentiated instruction is the best way to ensure that students are engaged and growing. Do’t we need the same goal in churches?
Engaged and growing christians?
I am excited by a concept of church where God can inspire me as a unique being, to grow i. his cause and work, without having to squeeze myself into the mold of someone else’s vision. The fact that we can all come together and receive nourishment as separate parts of the body, by having the common Blood run through our veins is very biblical….but unfortunately very rare.
Thanks for carryng and expressing an approach that resonates deeply ad brings new hope.
But are there any pastors out there who really understand this concept?

By: Mark Naylor M.Th.

Mark Naylor M.Th. — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:46:43 +0000

Good comment. I would affirm the need for the “and” approach. I would also suggest that the key to your comment is the “mutually satisfying goals.” This requires dialogue and sensitivity as to how God is at work in the congregation. That is, I find it difficult to picture a pastor as an inspiring leader in our Canadian cultural context who is not also a spiritual coach.

By: John Finkelde

John Finkelde — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:15:51 +0000

I guess I see this as a classic AND not OR scenario. I think a pastor can be an inspiring leader AND a spiritual coach.In fact most research on transformational leadership indicates that both leaders & followers are transformed thru the process of engagement with mutually satisfying goals.

During my 30 yrs of pastoring I’ve endeavoured to both nurture spiritual growth & maturity whilst leading people into God’s future for our church. There’s no doubt I’ve been deeply changed as much as anyone else as we’ve been on this journey.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:43:15 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Jon. I would view the situation of believers somewhat more optimistically. My faith tells me that the whole body of Christ has the Spirit of God, and therefore God is at work in all believers to one extent or another. That is where the spiritual coach would begin. The spiritual coach would work with those who are “not in tune with God’s Spirit,” to help them develop a vision for what God wants from them. Traditional structures call for conformity by creating programs that often allow people to participate without a personal challenge to discover what God wants from them.

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:50:48 +0000

Generally I like the article. However, I think it assumes that typical lay believers are far more mature and in tune with God’s Spirit than they actually are.