We’re almost thirty entries into this series examining distinctions I regularly use when coaching pastors and Christian leaders. This is the seventh of eight blogs focused on the very common—and debilitating—human drive to have life make sense…even when it doesn’t. So, when the events of life don’t make sense, we invent our own meaning and […]
The Meaning we Make Up (part seven) Read More »
A few weeks ago, while pondering what you’ve been reading, Annie and I were in church. As we sang: “I’m coming back to the heart of worship; and it’s all about you, all about you, Jesus. I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it, when it’s all about you…” The phrase “…the thing I
The Meaning we Make Up (part five) Read More »
We’re considering the overwhelming power of the meanings we give to the experiences of life. I assert that it’s not the events of your life, but the meaning you attach to those events that influences you so greatly – and creates such mischief in life. Here’s an example. A client who is a highly competent
The Meaning we Make Up (part four) Read More »
This series, we’re exploring coaching distinctions I rely on when coaching ministers for deep, life-changing transformation. Last time, I introduced the very common habit of making up a meaning and attaching it to the experiences of our lives. Seldom do we examine the veracity of these meanings, and so we live as if they are
The Meaning we Make Up (part two) Read More »
We humans are peculiar. We want so badly to make sense of life that we do a very insensible thing. We make it up! What I mean is this. When an event occurs—particularly if it’s surprising, we’re not content simply being surprised. No. We have to figure out what it means. The stronger your “TJ”
The Meaning we Make Up (part one) Read More »
We’re examining leadership coaching distinctions that I employ when coaching pastors and Christian leaders. Last time, I suggested that the client’s perspective determines what they see as possible and impossible as they search for solutions to pernicious problems. One common perspective is “playing to win” vs. “playing not to lose”. Pastors commonly cycle between “playing
Playing to Win! (part two) Read More »
This is the 19th entry in a series on Coaching Distinctions. I’m inviting you into some of the strategies and perspectives I employ as I champion my clients to achieve extraordinary results—not just while we’re working together, but for the rest of their lives. As a coach, I’m not in the help-you-solve-your-problems business. Nope. I’m
Stealing Second (part three) Read More »
How do you steal second base? You give up first. To progress to any goal, you’ve got to give up where you’ve been. As long as you’re all right with where you’ve been, you’re not likely to pay the price to move into the unknown and on to your goal. Let’s be specific: Until you’re
Stealing Second (part two) Read More »
The first thing every base-running instruction says is you have to lead off. You gotta get off of first. Your foot off the bag. You lead off. And when you do, you’re no longer on first … and you’re a long way from second. And, in this condition you can be thrown out. There’s a
Stealing Second (part one) Read More »
For several installments, we’ve been considering the motivation that is common to human beings—to look good, feel good, be right, and be in control—yet largely goes unexamined. Then, contemplating what to do about it, we’ve been examining repentance. Repentance that sticks. In my coaching practice, not uncommonly our focus turns to patterns in the pastor’s
Repentance that lasts a lifetime (part three) Read More »