Mentorship in Ministry: How Coaching Nurtures the Next Generation of Leaders"

“Dad, the fire is going out.”

This familiar statement from my kids while camping at Dillon Beach always sparks a sense of

urgency. The wind blows cold air from the ocean, smothering our campfire. Without fire, the

chill is unbearable. It seems like a crisis until we turn the logs, and suddenly, the once

smoldering campfire bursts into flames, casting a shower of sparks into the air. Brilliant! What

was dying out comes alive.

A pastoral coach or mentor can offer a similar gift by providing a fresh perspective—they “turn

the logs” of our lives. When the fire of a dream is dying, meeting with a mentor can reignite the

vision, sparking new enthusiasm and possibilities. You might feel stuck in what feels like a

no-win situation until a leadership coach illuminates an alternate path out of the crisis. It’s the

simple act of “turning the logs.” The coach merely draws out of you what is already there,

because as my friend and colleague, Zach Prosser, says, “The client is capable.” It is one of the

five core values of Global Ministry Advance, our church leadership training non-profit

company.

There are three direct benefits you can expect from the presence of a mentor or coach:

1. New Perspectives: A mentor or coach helps you see the problem from different angles. Just

like “turning the log,” there are many sides to every situation. A coach will not lead you out of

the dark room but provide a flashlight to illuminate the various paths of escape. This

broadened perspective can be the key to unlocking solutions you hadn't considered.

2. Increased Confidence: A mentor or coach instills confidence, showing that survival and

success are possible. I have met with a business executive for more than 28 years. His wisdom,

being twenty years my senior, provides excellent insight into what the future may hold and the

possibilities within my current situation. This long-term mentorship has been invaluable in

navigating complex decisions with confidence.

3. Identifying Compromises: A mentor or coach helps you recognize and address areas of

compromise. While cutting corners might be acceptable in trivial matters, it can have disastrous

consequences in ministry leadership or personal decision-making. Sometimes the compromise

involves external decisions, like financial management. Other times, it stems from internal

beliefs, such as thinking “I am not good enough” or “I only have value when solving a

problem.”

Jesus Christ was an extraordinary mentor to Peter. It’s likely there were more moments of

correction than Scripture records. We catch glimpses of these precious moments, such as when

Jesus rebukes Peter for opposing the way of the Cross and when He forgives and reinstates

Peter after his denial. These were pivotal, log-turning moments for Peter.

Don’t settle for a smoldering campfire, waning vision, or bottled-up passion. Seek out a mentor

or coach to help stir up the logs, ideas, dreams, and possibilities in your life. Through

mentorship and coaching, the embers of your aspirations can reignite into a blazing fire of

purpose and action.