Recently I spoke with a friend who has been a pastor for over thirty years. He told me that the ministry is almost completely different than it was when he became a pastor in the early 1970’s. I also found it interesting that many of my experienced pastor friends have agreed wholeheartedly with me that their training for ministry was inadequate for the challenges they face in ministry today. I would like to share with you one of the ways I have addressed these issues in my own ministry life.

I have had the privilege of serving in ministry as a youth pastor, church planter, executive pastor for a church of 1,600 and now as a lead pastor in an long-established church. My most recent move brought me from a ministry where fast change was expected, to a church where change was not embraced nearly as fast. I found myself confronting dilemmas and conflicts that took a toll on me professionally.

A few months into my new ministry assignment, I found myself struggling to bridge the gap between my vision for my life as a pastor and leader, and the expectations of people in a traditional church. I searched for a way forward. Little did I know that a concept from my childhood would re-emerge as a method for moving me in the right direction. When I was young, I loved sports and I loved playing for good coaches. One baseball coach led me so well that the summer I turned 14, I led my team in hitting with a 375 batting average.

My leadership batting average needed improvement and I found help in my coach, Jim Rogers of the Simply Bridges Group. Jim retired from the Air Force and now living in Florida, has turned his talents from motivating and developing people, to coaching leaders in a variety of leadership settings.

Jim is not only passionate about helping leaders but he has developed a burden for coaching pastors through the process of coaching me. His recent studies for his Masters of Christian Leadership degree has added tremendous knowledge, resources and best practices to the coaching process. I related to him on several occasions that other pastors could benefit from this kind of ongoing guidance and support.

I recommend Jim to you because I believe his coaching has provided me with personal leadership discipline skills, people development strategies, and an increased awareness of my personal energy levels. 

--Eric H., New Brunswick