Coaching for Church Leaders
CfCL’s approach to coaching reflects a commitment to individual leaders’ growth and development, leading to the growth and flourishing of the Church in Aotearoa. These dual priorities shape both the posture and practice of coaching.
Supporting the hauora (wellbeing) of church leaders in Aotearoa
The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership. CfCL defines coaching as: “A proactive conversation which is focussed, sustained, and purposeful. Coaches prompt reflection and are non-directive (unless direction is specifically requested) — solutions come from the coachee.”
You might think of coaching like going on a road trip with a supportive passenger riding along with you. You’re in the driver’s seat, deciding where to go. As you drive, your coach accompanies you and assists you on your journey to reach your destination.
Your coach provides accountability, supports self-awareness, and helps you gain new perspectives. Coaches ask questions not to get to a particular answer, but to encourage meaningful exploration toward greater depth and competence.
What is coaching and how can it help me?
Our Coaches Are:
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They lead out of who they are in Christ, and as members of His Body the Church.
Spiritually disciplined, attentive, and prayerful.
Humble – with a due sense of their own standing before God and others.
Hope-filled – able to inspire hope and engender courage in others.
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Known as people of integrity, congruence, truthfulness, and honesty.
Wise stewards of money, time, and resources.
Emotionally mature and self-differentiated — able to restoratively navigate conflict and maintain good relationships in the face of difference. Attuned to boundaries and power dynamics.
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Steeped in Scripture.
Curious and imaginative – open to fresh ideas, willing to experiment.
See doing theology as the daily work of the community of faith in Christ and prioritise robust theological reflection as a vehicle for keeping the purpose of ministry in view, for attentive listening and discerning what God is doing in the Church and the world.
Committed to growing their coaching capabilities through ongoing professional development.
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Track record of effective and enduring ministry and mission.
Able to communicate the Gospel clearly and compellingly – faithful to the witness and authority of Scripture.
Adaptable - as resourceful as they are insightful in the face of changing demands.
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Aware of the differences between spiritual direction (discerning where God is at work), counselling (therapy), supervision (disciplined reflection on practice), mentoring (inputting expertise for competence), and coaching (drawing out the best in the coachee to support growth in both coachee and their context).
Aware of their own competencies, gifts, and limitations and able to move between different modalities with awareness, coachee agreement, and clear purpose.
Understand the social context of their coachee. In Aotearoa, this presumes a commitment to Te Tiriti relationships and intercultural awareness and competence.
Able to identify and cultivate fruitful intersections and networks that contribute to the coachee’s growth.
Recognise that the mission entrusted to the Church is urgent but should not be hurried: They invest time to coach toward incremental change that is consistent with a clear vision of healthy Church and the coming Kingdom.
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Able to move through and beyond what a coachee puts on the table in ways that foster growth in agreed dimensions of ministry and mission.
Able to see the individual leader’s growth and development within their wider ministry context, and coach them toward observable impacts as they find their place in it with greater awareness, conviction, and competence.
As iron sharpens iron, one person sharpens another
Proverbs 27:17What to expect
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To begin your journey, complete the form on our contact page, including the name of the coach you’d like to connect with, and we’ll be in touch.
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Certified Coach: A one-hour coaching session with a CfCL accredited coach will be billed at NZD $150 + GST.
Pre-Certified Coach: Sessions with CfCL coaches who are not yet certified will be subsidized, reducing the session cost to NZD $85 + GST.
Note: If you have financial restrictions that would prevent you from accessing our coaching, please discuss this with us as we have some rate flexibility for special circumstances.
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No problem — if for any reason you feel you or your coach aren’t quite the right fit, CfCL can help navigate this with you.
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CfCL has coaches based across New Zealand. Sessions may take place in person or via video call (such as Zoom). You can arrange this directly with your coach.
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A mentor offers subject matter expertise, wisdom, and guidance based on their own experiences.
A therapist typically deals with a person’s psychological well-being and healing.
In contrast, coaching focuses on guiding coachees to their own conclusions—providing individuals with the tools to more readily draw on their own skills and experience when navigating the complex challenges that come with leading a church. The coach is the expert in the coaching process, but the coachee is the expert on their own life journey.
Our coaches may provide mentoring within a coaching session if this is beneficial.
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CfCL’s approach to coaching is distinctive from Professional or Ministry Supervision.
While there are definite crossovers, Supervision is more about “looking in the rearview mirror”—reflecting on past actions and situations in order to make sense of them.
Coaching “looks out the front windshield.” It is an energetic, forward-focused partnership designed to accelerate your growth and help you navigate the road ahead.
We offer both coaching and supervision and are happy to discuss which is best for you.
