DA COACH

In Chicago, all you have to do is say “da coach” and everyone knows you‘re referring to Mike Ditka.

He took on the job of coaching the Bears and turned the team around and helped them once again, become a winning team. The Bears won six NFC Central titles and three trips to the NFC Championship game during his time. The highlight of “da coach’s” career was an outstanding 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Superbowl XX.

One of the pleasures and passions of my life is encouraging people. It is such a pleasure to be able to sit down with someone, listen to them, let the Holy Spirit guide me in what I ask them… questions that help them to open up and to see aspects that possibly had not been considered.

A friend on Facebook wrote the following comparison of Coaching vs Mentoring:

• There is a difference between Coaching and Mentoring. Coaching is about listening, drawing out, and assisting in discovery. Mentoring is about telling, teaching, and imparting expertise.
• There is a difference between Coaching and Counseling. Counseling is about the past, helping people process, deal with, and be healed of past issues. Counseling prepares people to begin to look forward again.
• Coaching is about the future. It is forward looking. It helps people discover what's next and then helps them build a solid strategy as to how to get there.

I guess my love is to Coach. I love to help people explore, examine and strengthen their dreams and then give them permission to “go for it.”

What a pleasure it has been to work with pastors, their staffs and churches as they have allowed me to be “da Coach”.

The Future - What will it look like?

About a month ago, I spoke at VISION 2020 LEADERSHIP - A TIME TO SEE THE FUTURE. Rev. Tommy Reid, pastor of The TAB in Orchard Park, NY asked me to spend time with their pastors, elders and leaders.

We focused on, What Will The Church Look Like in 2020?

I wish I would have had this video.
Our world is changing!



The landscape in America (indeed our world) has changed. Christendom (in America) no longer exists.
Some of the key points were...
I.. People in leadership positions face several challenges. 1) FOCUSING ON THE WRONG ISSUES (trying to fight society – fight reality) 2) NOT RECOGNIZING THE CHANGES AROUND THEM (sometimes denying them) and 3) trying to apply the wrong “fix”.

Every church needs transformation.

Those that aren’t changed DIE.

But without a clear understanding of the nature of change, the chances of growing a healthy church are diminished.

II. Last to see the shift
People insulated within any paradigm (group / institution) typically are the last to see the shift and least able to recognize strategies that are not going to work.

III. DO - DELIVER - DECLARE

How we DO church, how we DELIVER church, and how we DECLARE the message.

Some people have observed a five hundred year cycle in western history—a period of upheaval followed by a period of settling down, then codification, and then upheaval again because we do not like to be codified. So, about every five hundred years the church feels compelled to have a giant rummage sale, and we’re in one of those periods now.

HERE’S THE KEY….The emerging generation has a different STYLE, worldview and priorities. They have different ways of communicating.

Knowledge based Organizations will morph into highly distributed anytime networks.

It calls into question the future role of large facilities, high technological overhead and an emphasis on an insulated professional corps for business, government and ministry.

We are watching the leveling of the “playing field.”

ACTION:

1. Develop a strategic plan.

2. We need Men of Isachaar who “discern” the times.

“Exegete the environment, exegete the times. Discover what it taking place now. Look at future trends, major forces shaping society/our environment.

3. We need some people who understand the “Gretzky Factor.”

4. Prepare for contingencies.