Long-term coaching –
“Regular check-ups maintain our vitality.”
Many groups allow one or more
of the ten ESSENTIALS to fade into the background while
they favor the others. They then start to tilt
out-of-balance and to become deficient in some of the
nutrients needed to stay vital. They may also be ignorant
of, or fail to incorporate, what the Bible (and common
sense) says about the smartest ways to practice these
ESSENTIALS when they’re together.
These common mis-steps point out the practical value of
skillful, spiritually mature coaches who understand what a
church should "look like" when it's in top-notch condition.
Perhaps on an annual basis they could visit a church,
objectively observe how the people interact and use their
time together, then offer some positive feedback to help
them get into better balance. That practice appears to be
precisely what the apostles offered the early Christian
churches, both in person and in the many problem-solving
portions of the NT. It's needed today every bit as much.
Take a look at
#'s 4-6 on the
Pointers page for some
ideas on how you might proceed.