Finding Time

Yes it certainly takes time! Whether it takes too much time depend on the priority you give to developing people as a part of your ministry. A number of ministers on reflection on many years of ministry come to the conclusion that if they were to have their time over again, they would spend more time nurturing and developing the committed, and releasing them into ministry, and less time personally seeking to reach those on the fringe.

This does not take away the need to maintain a focus on those outside the church - spreading the gospel is one of the primary tasks of the church. Rather that as leaders, we must recognise that our primary contribution may be to develop people and structures that will mobilise the whole church in effective ministry.

Drawing the distinction between coaching being a ministry focus, whilst mentoring being a people focus, there are clearly different time needs. An effective mentoring relationship will require an hour to an hour and a half three or four times a year. Coaching will take a greater time investment, but over a much shorter period. It may take an hour or two each week for several weeks for someone to develop the skills and confidence in an area of ministry. Some of the skill development can be done in training sessions, with several people learning the skill at once, whereas the coaching relationship is focused on helping the individual grow into that ministry, tackling their particular issues and concerns. There is no substitute for quality time spent with that individual.

Coaching and mentoring is classic quadrant two activity on the time management matrix - time spent doing things which are important, but not urgent. This time represents investment.