Coaching

What is Coaching?

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires a person to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.

You might think of coaching like going on a road trip with a supportive passenger riding along with you. You are in control of the car and where it’s going – the same way you’re in control of your life, your destiny, your decisions, your future. As you drive, your coach accompanies you, assisting you on your journey to reach your destination.

When you partner with a coach, you are in the driver’s seat. Your coach provides support for accountability and self-awareness and helps you gain new perspectives. Coaches ask questions not to get an answer they desire, but to encourage you in meaningful exploration that can help you reach a new level of depth and performance.

As a certified Homiletic Peer Coach, I help preachers explore their preaching identity, spirituality, and sermons in a supportive community of fellow preachers through peer groups, individual coaching, and sermon analysis.

What Coaching is NOT

Coaching is not the same thing as mentoring or therapy. A mentor provides subject matter expertise, wisdom and guidance based on their own experiences. Therapy deals with healing pain, trauma, dysfunction or conflict of some kind, typically with the goal of resolving difficulties that impair an individual’s emotional health and psychological functioning.

By contrast, coaching focuses on facilitating individuals or groups to draw upon their own experiences and capabilities to set and reach their own objectives. The coach is the expert in the coaching process, but you are the expert on your life journey.

What is Sermon Coaching?

A 2017 Gallup poll, 3 in 4 worshippers said sermons were a major factor in why they go church. In a 2020 Barna survey, “listening to a live sermon or homily” rank third in things churchgoers missed about in person worship during the pandemic. For pastors, the process of writing a sermon is often a significant part of their week. Sermon coaching invites a preacher into community with a coach and with peers to explore their preaching life.

Sermon coaching is founded on partnership. As a coach, my goal is to support the preacher’s exploration and build awareness that empowers choice and leads to the desired change. I utilize the methods developed in the David B. Buttrick Homiletic Peer Coaching Program at Vanderbilt Divinity, which includes both group and individual coaching.

Peer groups are facilitated by a peer coach and may focus on Preacher Formation or Sermon Formation or both. 

• Preacher Formation: The preacher presents a short story about a preaching experience. The peer group listens to the story, and then begins a time of questioning and exploration. The coach helps guide and develop the groups inquiry, avoiding advice giving. The preacher and the peer group, through guided inquiry, learns from the exploration. 
• Sermon Formation: The preacher presents a video recorded sermon to the peer group. With the preacher listening, the peer group discusses the sermon and the coach encourages the group to explore what the preacher identified for feedback.
• Individual Coaching: The preacher meets with the coach individually. If this follows a peer group session, the the coach and preacher work through learnings from the group. Additionally the coach may explore additional areas of the sermon based on the coach’s analysis. Coach and preacher work together to identify goals and next steps.

Coaching can be on an individual basis, peer group, or both. Peer groups can be formed for a single session, or may be ongoing.

Want information? Contact me.