The law of entropy in physics says that things that move toward isolation deteriorate. This is true in our lives as well. Ron Sylvia

By Ron Sylvia

As pastors, we are responsible for leading and building a community of Christ-followers. We teach the value of relationships and encourage our members to get involved in small groups because we know that life change happens best in deep, meaningful relationships. Does anyone else, besides me, find themselves longing for those same friendships that we challenge our congregation to seek out and live within?

Technology has made cocooning easier than ever before. Texting, email, Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks make possible a type of cocooning in which one can live in physical isolation while maintaining contact with others through telecommunication. Technology allows a perceived accessibility for a fast-paced life.

The danger of cocooning in a pastor’s life is isolation. A growing number of pastors are lonely people. Where does a pastor go for friendships? Our lives are filled with meetings, study, family, and strategic relationships to advance the church. We often wish we had someone we could talk to about our challenges, but most people in our church cannot understand the pressures of ministry.   

Church members have difficulty separating us from the church at large. To them, we as pastors represent “the church.” But eventually some get turned sideways because of differences within the church, and then they turn on us. When we experience enough “Judas moments” in ministry, we increasingly guard our hearts and allow even fewer people into our personal lives.

The natural move is toward isolation and cocooning. For survival, we protect ourselves from the people we love. The law of entropy in physics says that things that move toward isolation deteriorate. This is true in our lives as well. The isolation of the pastor has led to an avalanche of moral failures and burnout in ministry. The core problem: loneliness, the secret epidemic of pastors.

So what is the answer?

A good therapist? Maybe, but there is more hope for the pastor. I have watched with interest how corporate America meets the growing demands of its executives. They continually network for answers, relationships, and success.  
 
Several years ago, I was invited to a meeting with a high-level business owner in my church. I observed as 12 Christian men prayed, learned, and shared life’s burdens with each other. They counseled and challenged each other in business from a biblical perspective. As I sat, a silent visitor, one thought echoed in the halls of my heart: we need this for pastors. We need a network – a safe place – to share and learn. We need coaches who have been where we are in ministry.  We need a coaching network!

The very next year we piloted a coaching network for pastors at Saddleback Church and have since coached over 350 pastors. We designed the curriculum to develop leadership in pastors, but the added benefit in these networks became deep relationships. We found that these small groups, communities of pastors, understood the demands of ministry, experienced leadership growth, and felt free to deal with most any issue. In this safe environment, we were able to provide solutions to many of the normal challenges pastors face. We address the following questions:

• Are you overwhelmed with leadership challenges? Increase your leadership capacity and trust the ministry to others so that you can lead the mission of Christ to reach the lost.



• What do you need an answer to right now? Address your individual pressure points every month in a safe environment.



• Is your church stalled in any area? Confront the areas that impede growth and make the changes that will help you break through barriers – whether in leadership, attendance, finance, or staff.



• Are you carrying out your vision for the church? Learn strategic tools every month that you can take home and use right away to help you gain new perspective, cast vision effectively, and move your church forward.



• Are your current systems holding your church back? Identify and establish organizational systems that will support sustained growth in every area of your church and free you to lead.

NEXT Coaching Networks began at Saddleback six years ago. Now we’re offering coaching networks to lead pastors around the country. Networks consist of 10-12 lead pastors who meet a day each month for six months in a specific location and are led by an experienced pastor-practitioner. Each session is driven by a learning agenda, but flexible enough to deal with immediate pressure points all lead pastors experience. Our goal is simple: no pastor stands alone.

Beginning in July, we’re launching new networks. To learn more, go to www.Nextcoachingnetworks.com.

	Ron Sylvia is the founding and lead pastor of Church at The Springs in Ocala, Florida. The Springs started in an office building in 1994 with only 21 people and now averages 3,000 in weekly attendance. While leading a fast-growing church, Ron learned first-hand the value of mentoring and coaching. As a result, Ron started NEXT Churches, an organization that provides coaching networks, conferences, and resources to lead pastors nationwide. Ron and the NEXT team have coached hundreds of church planters and pastors to start and lead healthy churches. Ron also leads the coaching networks as one of the few certified in the well-known Tom Paterson Strategic Planning Process, using the process to help pastors think and act strategically in the local church. Ron is the author of Launching a Purpose Driven Church conference curriculum and recently authored his story and methods in the book, Starting New Churches on Purpose. Learn more about Ron and NEXT Churches at www.NextCoachingNetworks.com. Copyright © 2009 Ron Sylvia

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Posted Wed, Jul 1 2009 9:59 AM by MTBEditor