Expectations of a Coach
So I’ve been talking a lot about the fans and players this week. I wanted to wrap up this little soapbox chat by addressing the expectations of coaches. Using the same analogy, the coaching staff is the pastoral staff with the senior pastor being the head coach. Before you ask, Jesus is the owner/general manager.
1) You’re expected to have a game plan. I coached high school football for six years. Two of those as a head coach. I’ll be honest, I am a pretty decent defensive coordinator, but I am a horrible head coach. No really…horrible. I think I accrued a 4-16 record in those two years. I cringe when I think about it. One of my assistants called me out in that second year and said, “It just feels like your calling plays. There’s no real plan. No set-up.” Nothing is worse than following a coach who’s only real game plan is “win the game”. As a pastor, you’re expected to have a game plan, a vision, for not just the church, but for the community your church is in. If everyone in your church followed God’s lead 100%, what would your church look like in five years? How different would your community be? You’re not expected to have all the answers on how to get there. That’s what assistant coaches (and players) are for. Have a plan and communicate that plan often.
2) You’re expected to take care of the staff and players. A disconnected coach is not only not respected, but ruins any morale and cohesiveness on the team. A coach that doesn’t care about his staff and players can’t expect them to care too much about the success of the team…or to stay on the team for very long.
3) You’re expected to understand the game. This one is pretty much a no-brainer. If a coach doesn’t understand the game, he or she has absolutely no business coaching. One of the roles of the coach is to teach the players, and develop the other coaches. After a season together, everyone should be better at their jobs than they were before the season started. As a pastor, you may not be able to lead worship, or pastor kids or teens. However, you can put resources in the hands of those leaders that will develop them as specialists and leaders.
4) You’re expected to win. A win in sports is easily defined. A win in ministry is a little more etherial and difficult to define. However, Jesus defines some things that are not wins in His letters to the churches in the book of Revelation:
- A reputation
- Lukewarmness
- Doctrine that leads away from God
- Leaving the first love. That is, a love for Jesus.
Our job as coaches / pastors is not to build or draw a crowd. We are under-shepherds of the Great Shepherd who is busy drawing sinners to Himself. Jesus is building His Church. We join with Him in seeking and saving the lost. That is the goal, the touchdown, the score. As pastors and church leaders, we must never forget that Jesus’ primary concern is people not processes, denominations, or programs.
What other expectations for coaches, players, or fans can you think of that I’ve missed?
