Coach
Spiritual gifts: Discernment, Exhortation, Healing, Knowledge, Wisdom
A disciple is "someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another; follower; adherent." We are called to be disciples of Christ, and to make disciples means to replicate His doctrine in the lives of others, not merely as head knowledge, but in practical application and maturity in the faith. A coach is like a spiritual mentor, providing guidance and accountability for the believer's growth as a disciple. This occurs in an intentional one-on-one pairing of a newer believer with a more mature coach of the same gender.
At Petaluma Valley Baptist Church, your pastor can help set up these pairings. All it requires is for the person wanting to be discipled to reach out and ask for help. Here are some good reasons to reach out for this help:
- You know you believe, but are not experiencing God's power to overcome sin in certain areas of your life.
- You want to serve God but aren't sure how to begin or whom to trust.
- You have questions about the Bible that don't seem to be answered anywhere, related to perceived injustice, evil, hypocracy, the Trinity, or other doctrines.
- You share your faith with others, but get objections that you're not sure about yourself - so you have doubts and want to get real answers.
- Your prayer life seems flat and repetitive or uninspired.
- You find it difficult to establish good habits such as daily personal Bible study.
All coaches must be held to a high standard as role models and possess a solid Biblical foundation, with an abundance of wisdom. Coaches will be paired with willing believers of the same gender, and equipped by a pastor with appropriate resources including reading material, study guides, outreach training, apologetic resources, and mentoring.
