What's Wrong With Pastoral Coaches?

Now, Contending for the faith.In this regular feature Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.Here is this week’s question:Dear Dave and Tom:My pastor has been interested in employing the services of what’s been referred to as, a pastor’s coach.Since he asked me what I thought about it, I took some time to research pastoral coaching on the internet.I’m not too thrilled with what I found.The coaches sell themselves as spiritual mentors, managers, marketers, side-kicks, psychologists and church growth consultants, and their prices are not cheap.One hundred dollars per hour on the average for phone consultation and higher for more personal involvement.Here is a sample of what this is about from a website:“If you have an inkling of how isolated and pressured you can become in your calling as a clergy person you may just find the companionship and support you need in clergy coaching.It’s a confidential thinking partnership that focuses on the strengths and talents you can contribute to the work, and witness of your congregation.Together we will engage in a unique process of finding your passions, drawing out your talents, imagining your potential, reframing your understanding, advising you on best practices and strategies, and encouraging you while you act.If that list of possibilities made you stop and think, then you’re probably ready for clergy coaching.The first month is free, so why not give it a try?”This may have some value in the business world, but I don’t find it in Paul’s pastoral epistles.What do you think about all of this?

Tom:

Dave, this has really taken the church by storm.We used to have, way back when, discipling, then went into mentoring, now we’re into coaching.This is not just for pastors, for men, there are women now who have set up their own ministries in which they have like meetings with ladies, kind of like Tupperware meetings, and then they talk about problems, and you get a coach, it’s called “life coaching” they are going to coach you through life.

Dave:

Tom, we call this program, Search the Scriptures Daily.Our ministry, The Berean Call, we send out a free newsletter once a month, and in fact, a daily e-mail if anyone wants to sign up for it.We get that, Berean Call, from Acts:17:11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
See All....The Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the Word, that’s the Word of God, with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so.No, you couldn’t pass this off to anybody who searches the Scriptures.I don’t find clergy coaching in the Bible, as the questioner writes!I don’t even find “clergy”---I’m going to offend some pastors out there---but I don’t even find “clergy” in the Bible.We’re brothers and sisters in Christ.Now, there should be leaders, elders, and we are to submit to those who have authority over us as we are submitting to Christ.But this distinction between the clergy and the laity has caused a lot of problems, because now I am just a layman---I don’t really have to study the Bible that much, I trust my clergyman to do it.

Tom:

Now clergymen don’t even have to trust their own thoughts about the Bible, they bring in a coach to help them get through it.

Dave:

Tom, why don’t we just go by the Bible?Why don’t we go by what the Word of God says and follow it?That would solve a lot of problems.If people would follow the Word in their lives they would be fruitful.Psalm One, The man that meditates in the law of the Lord day and night, he is like a tree planted by the rivers of water.Jesus said, If you follow me, obey my Word, you are my disciples indeed.You will know the truth, the truth will set you free.I don’t need a coach, and this really relates to the previous discussion on psychology and the DSM, and so forth.Christ has become my life.Paul said, I am crucified with Christ. Being crucified with Christ would solve a lot of problems.As I often say, maybe it’s facetious, you can run 50 naked dancing girls up and down in front of a dead man, and he doesn’t sit up in his coffin.The solution to our problems is, I am crucified with Christ, it’sno more I, but Christ lives in me.Christ has become my life, Colossians 3.When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then you will appear with Him in glory.Now maybe if Christ is not really our life, we are not going to appear with Him in glory, better think about that carefully.But if Christ really is my life I don’t think Jesus Christ needed any coaching from a clergy coach.I don’t think that Jesus Christ needs any help from psychological counseling.What I need to do is let Him live His life through me.Isaiah:9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
See All...:His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, one of Christ’s names!As the Messiah, the Son of God who came to die for our sins is Counselor.You know what, Tom?I’m going to go to Jesus and to His Word for counsel instead of to someone else.And furthermore, I am accountable to God to know His Word and to obey it, not to ask somebody else to interpret it for me and mix in psychological counseling with it.

Tom:

Dave, it’snot just psychological that’s the problem, it’s the mentality that the Word of God is not sufficient.And much of this, I think all of it comes out of the new trend toward marketing in the church.It works for business, it has value there, but as soon as you apply it to the church, and we have to bring in all kinds of these things, and these guys are getting a hundred dollars or more an hour, some as much as a hundred and fifty, a hundred and seventy-five dollars.It’s a new business and it’s based on marketing.Maybe some misguided people are thinking, Well, this is really helping, we’re growing the church and being effective.But we are getting away from God’s Word, as you said right at the beginning, we’re not being Bereans.It’s part of the apostasy in the church is where I am concerned.

Dave:

If it’s not Biblical, throw it out!