This week I am excited to share something special with you. This week’s post is a guest post by my client and friend Tyler Bodlack. It answers one of the most common question coaches encounter: “Why would I need a coach?” Please enjoy.
When first considering the possibility of being coached by Stephen, I 
thought “Why would I need a coach? There are plenty of older men from my church who know me better than Stephen, and who are already mentors. Besides, being coached sounds a lot like seeing a counselor, which I isn’t something I need to do right now.”
After a few days, and a few conversations with my wife, I decided that, at the very least, it wouldn’t hurt to be coached by Stephen, and at the very best, it might even help. Stephen has graciously coached me the past several weeks, and he has helped me to clarify who God has made me to be, and how that relates to future decision-making.
Here are two things I’ve learned through my experience of being coached by Stephen:
Coaching and mentoring are not the same thing.
A mentor advises, using his or her expertise and experience to provide insight. A coach avoids providing advice, even if he or she is qualified to give it. Instead, a coach focuses on asking questions that are designed to cause his or her client to draw their own conclusions. One way Stephen did this for me was by asking me a question, and then, after I’d responded, requesting that I restate my answer using different words. I found this particularly helpful because it caused me to consider my thoughts from multiple angles. Often, I found that my initial response was only half-formed, that I possessed only partial understanding.
A while back, I borrowed a pickup from a friend to move some furniture. After loading a sofa and chair into the bed, I slid into the driver’s seat, turned the key, and set off down the road. The gas tank gauge on the dash hovered near the ¾ full mark, but within minutes, the fuel light blinked on. I pulled into the nearest gas station and was shocked to find the fuel tank nearly empty. Mulling over a thought or an idea with Stephen was a bit like my experience with that truck. Even though I’d thought that my understanding in a particular area was close to complete, Stephen helped me to see that it was not. By being persistent in sifting my responses to various questions, Stephen helped me arrive at a much richer understanding than I could have achieved on my own. Where I’d thought that my “gas tank” was nearly full, I found that it wasn’t. That is the role of a coach, to help his or her “client” turn over a problem or a
thought in his or her mind until they see its contours and complexities more completely.
Understanding how God has made you is a matter of stewardship.
In Matthew 25, Jesus shares a parable with his disciples that teaches us about the kingdom of God, and particularly about stewardship with that kingdom:
“…For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another two; and to another, one—to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. In the same way the man with two earned two more. But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, “Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!”
Jesus goes on to share how the master responds similarly to the slave who had doubled his two talents, but that he responds negatively to the slave who had done nothing with his talent. In fact, the master punishes this slave for his laziness and gives his talent to someone else.
In this parable, Jesus used the monetary word “talent” to refer to all those things he has given us that require stewardship, including our abilities. A major lesson is that it matters how we use what God has entrusted us with. One way in which we can be faithful stewards is by seeking to understand the abilities God has given us, and then, by using those abilities for the glory of His name. God gives varying gifts to His people, but no matter how much or how little we possess, we have a responsibility to joyfully use what He has given us for His glory. When I began meeting with Stephen, we set out to clarify my gifting and passions. Through a variety of methods, Stephen has helped me gain a fuller understanding of the abilities I’ve been entrusted with. While conversing with him, Stephen often pointed out to me when my tone of voice changed, or when I spoke with more enthusiasm or urgency. He keyed on those instances and helped me to truly see the passions God has laid upon my heart. With this increased understanding, I now have a clear lens through which to filter decisions and opportunities. It is my hope, that through the coaching I’ve received, I am now equipped to be a more faithful steward, more aware of how God might use me in the spread of His kingdom.
Being coached by Stephen has been an enjoyable experience. I’ve been reminded anew that we have been created by God to live in community with one another, and to share our lives with one another. Seeking help from others is not weakness, but rather, it is a picture of how the body of Christ is meant to function. Stephen’s expertise as a coach has contributed to a fresh focus and renewed zeal in my life. I am thankful for his willingness to help me work through my uncertainties and lack of clarity. While godly mentorship is certainly needed within the church, so is godly coaching. Both contribute to the fruitfulness and effectiveness of Christ’s body, and are vital elements in living a life of godly purpose, vision, and direction.