1. Coaching for Spiritual Growth
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Throughout God’s Word we are taught about the need for individual spiritual growth. In the
sixth chapter of Hebrews the writer says, “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary
principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance
from dead works and of faith toward God.” God wants His children to grow spiritually, and it is
in this truth that we see the need and relevance for Christian coaches to help the children of God
to grow spiritually. In this paper we will examine three ways in which coaching is relevant to
spiritual growth: gives support; helps identify blind spots; and helps us to focus our lives.
1. Coaches provide support for those desiring to grow spiritually.
In His book Leadership Coaching Tony Stoltzfus says, “Coaches are change experts who
help leaders take responsibility for their lives and act to maximize their own potential.”
Coaches are able to provide the support that Christians need as they set out to successfully
grow spiritually like the Lord expects of them. It is without a doubt the responsibility of
every Christian to take the initiative to push forward, striving to become all God has called
them to be, but it is also true that this push can be difficult. Having a Christian coach who
can take you by the hand and walk beside you can help to ensure that each Christian reaches
their maximum potential in Christ.
In the Book of Genesis God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a
helper comparable to him.” From the very beginning God saw that man was going to need
help, so He created a woman to help him in the life He had given him. The same is true
today, whether man or woman, it’s not good for Christians to walk alone on the road of
spiritual growth. A coach is someone God can use to help other Christians mature and grow
into the image of Christ He has called them to be. Coaches are a great asset for Christians
seeking to maximize their growth in Christ.
As we think about coaches playing a vital role in the spiritual growth of Christians we find a
great example of how a coach is able to come along side and provide positive support in the
biblical account of Barnabas and Paul. Barnabas was originally named Jose, but the apostles
named him Barnabas, meaning son of encouragement. When Paul was first converted (at this
time he was known as Saul) Barnabas took him under his wing and provided the
encouragement and guidance Paul would need. God had a great plan for Paul, and Paul
would be a great leader, making decisions on his own concerning his spiritual growth. But,
Barnabas was much like a coach who was able to encourage Paul as he set out on his

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journey, and offer some guidance, as he made decisions that would affect his life forever.
Christians need coaches who will encourage them and lift them up, coaches who will help
them along the path Christ has called them, a coach who can help them reach forward,
growing spiritually and maximizing their potential in Christ.
2. Coaches can help us to identify blind-spots that can hinder our spiritual growth.
As Christians seek to grow spiritually they are often hindered by blind-spots in their walk
with Christ which they are not even aware of. In his book Masterful Coaching, in speaking
of transformation, Robert Hargrove says, “The first phase of the transformation model
involves interacting with the leader in a way that unfreezes their noble certainty in their
leadership and management style. The secret here is ripping the blinders off so that people
see themselves as others see them.” Christians can often have an unrealistic view of their
spiritual maturity; this view can serve to hinder their growth. Coaches are able to help
Christians see a more realistic picture of themselves; it is in this way that coaches can help to
unfreeze believers so that they are free to grow unhindered by these blind-spots that once
gave them an unrealistic perception of themselves and the world around them.
In speaking of blind-spots Jesus said, “How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the
speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the
plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your
brother's eye.” Jesus understood we would have blind-spot in our lives that would keep us
from growing in the way He desired us to grow. These blind-spots can go unrecognized for
years, without the help of someone we trust. Through creating an authentic relationship of
trust, coaches are able to help people see blind-spots that are hindering their spiritual growth.
When King David sinned by committing adultery with Bathsheba, and then having her
husband killed, he was blinded to the sin that was hindering his relationship with God. The
Prophet Nathan was able to go to him and paint a picture of the sin that existed in his life.
Nathan was able to rip the blinders off of David, helping him to move forward in his
relationship with God. Spiritual blinders can hinder and even stop our spiritual growth; a
coach can be a great asset in exposing these blind-spot.

3. Coaching for Spiritual Growth
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3. Coaches can help us to focus our lives spiritually.
Christians, as well as people in general, can often go through life unfocussed, they
consciously know the things that are important to them, but they have no plan that focusses
them on moving in that direction. Coaches can help Christians to focus their lives, creating a
plan to help them grow spiritually, as Christ desires them to. Daniel Harkavy, in his book
Becoming A Coaching Leader, says, “Life planning is nothing but a process of accumulating
net worth in the most important accounts in your life. This process gives you great clarity on
what you must do to accumulate net worth in each of those accounts.” Having a coach to
help you strategically plan out your life and the spiritual growth necessary to live that life to
the fullest is a great reason for Christians to enlist the aid of coaches in helping them to grow
spiritually.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Corinth, wrote, “Do you not know that those
who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain
it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to
obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with
uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.” Paul knew he needed a clear
direction to run his life; he didn’t want to do it with uncertainty. When Christians approach
their spiritual growth, and living life all around, without a plan, they are running with
uncertainty. A coach can help to make sure that Christians are running with certainty as they
grow and mature spiritually into the believer Christ has called them to be.
In thinking of a coach helping someone find a clear spiritual plan for life, a great example
can be seen with Jesus and the Apostle Peter. Jesus questions Peter’s love for Him to help
move Peter towards the plan He had for his life. Peter needed to be focused with a specific
plan for the path he was to run, and Jesus, much like a coach, helps Peter to create a plan
when He tells Peter to feed and tend His sheep. That’s exactly the plan we see Peter
following through with when the disciples of Jesus are gathered together waiting for the
promised Holy Spirit, and on the day of Pentecost when he takes the lead and stands up to
preach on the streets of Jerusalem after they had receive the promise. Coaches are a valuable

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asset in helping Christians create a life plan where they can successfully mature and grow
spiritually.
In conclusion, we can clearly see that coaching is relevant, and extremely useful, for the
successful spiritual growth of Christians. Finding a good Christian coach is a great place to start
for anyone desiring to grow spiritually and to achieve all Christ has called them to do and to be
in this life!