Barnabas File

Sociologist Brene Brown once said, “What we know matters, but who we are matters more."  This applies to our understanding of Christian discipleship.  As Christians, we often struggle with the balance between orthodoxy (right knowledge or doctrine) and orthopraxy (right practice or action). This is the challenge that James presents when he writes, “ But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” (James 2:18, NIV)   Both right belief and right action are necessary in the life of a follower of Christ, but can one get in the way of the other?   Historically, Baptists have been very good at communicating information about the Bible and the faith.  They delight in asking questions of scripture that exegete the text in an attempt to understand the who, what, how, and why of the passage.  We are less open to letting the text speak to us.     For e...

Leadership has been a popular topic of discussion down through the ages.  There has been an ebb and flow of emphases—authoritarian vs. participative; task vs. relational and many more. Take your choice.   A recent graphic by Kavit Haria that caught my attention exemplifies two contemporary approaches to leadership.  Haria suggests that many people tend to think that leadership is two things:  giving orders and always having an answer.  He then presents a broader understanding of what leadership  actually  is.  Here are his suggestions:     Making people feel safe.  Individuals contribute more to an organization when they feel that they are safe physically, intellectually, and professionally.  If a person fears or dreads coming to work, something is wrong.  A feeling of safety facilitates participation and personal investment.   Coaching.  A good leader calls forth...

Abraham Lincoln is reported to have said: “If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.” Stephen Covey in his   The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People  changed this to “Sharpen your saw.”     But even earlier, the author of Ecclesiastes wrote, If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success.” (10:10, NIV).    The Message has, “Remember: “The duller the ax the harder the work; use your head: the more brains, the less muscle.”   The basic idea behind the quote and the story is that we must spend time preparing to accomplish the tasks at hand.  What does this mean for us in these volatile times that challenge our capacity and resilience?  Let me share some ideas.   First, Rest.  In addition to an adequate amount of sleep each night, seize the opportunity during the da...

Leaders will often say that the people in their organization are its most important asset.     Many probably believe this.     As I have been thinking about the development of clergy leaders, I wonder if lay and denominational leaders believe this.     Is there sufficient investment in retaining, developing, and maintain clergy leaders?      In his book  The Systems Leader , Robert E. Siegel suggests that investing in staff should be a priority concern. Let’s look at his observations and apply them to our church and denominational settings.   First, Siegel observes that it is cheaper and easier to retrain that replace. He writes, “Studies show that it often costs less to reskill a current employee than to recruit, hire, and train a new one. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, finding and training a new employee can cost as much as six to nine months of their salary.”    This means reskilling existing pe...

We often talk about the value of coaches and mentors in professional development but give little attention to the value of peers in helping us achieve what we are seeking.   In The Career Game Loop , author Jessica Lindl emphasizes the importance of peers to our development.  They can be older, younger, or the same age.  The key is that you share a desire to learn and grow, and you are willing to make a mutual commitment to the relationship.  Peers can provide both accountability and inspiration.    Peers can hold each other accountable by giving attention to the following:   Setting goals.  We can share with our peer where we are and where we want to be, then articulating both specific goals and timelines to achieve them.   Sharing progress. We need to keep in touch regularly with our peer to motivate us to make headway between conversations.   Asking for feedback.  Questions and feedback from a peer can he...

When I began coaching, my colleague Mark Tidsworth introduced me to the concept of “positive psychology.”  I have come to appreciate how this approach, pioneered by Martin Seligman and others, can enrich and inform my coaching.   Basically, positive psychology is like the "glass half full" approach to understanding people. Instead of just focusing on what's wrong with us, it's all about what makes us feel good and live a good life.   Think of it this way:   It's not just about fixing problems:  It's about figuring out what makes us happy and how to get more of that. It's about our strengths:  Instead of dwelling on our weaknesses, it looks at what we're good at and how we can use those things. Happy feelings matter:  It looks at why feeling things like joy and gratitude are important. Getting lost in the moment is good:  That feeling when you're totally absorbed in something you love? That's important for feeling good. Friends are key:  Good ...

I am not an apologist for social media—it can be divisive, time-consuming, and distasteful. Even so, I continue to post regularly on Facebook.    Here are my reasons:   Posting reminds me to celebrate the good things of life—family, friends, special occasions.  I am reminded of the blessings of present and past relationships.  That’s why you will see lots of pictures of my grandchildren and great grandchildren!   Posting allows me to connect with a large community of people with both similar and diverse opinions.  Many of these are trusted friends and colleagues. I want to maintain that contact, not matter how tenuous. Posting is a way to encourage others.  I share scripture, key quotes, and ideas that have caught my attention.  There’s enough negativity out there; let’s encourage each other with positive ideas. Posting gives me the opportunity to teach.  That may sound a bit presumptuous, but I consider mys...

Do you have what it takes to be a coaching leader?  A coaching leader is someone who encourages another person to identify his or her goals, discover the resources available to pursue those goals, develop action plans together, and then walk along beside that person in the process of achieving the person’s goals.  A coaching leader can apply these skills in working with groups and teams as well, multiplying his or her impact as a coach by including others in the process.   A coaching leader is strong in the elements that Daniel Goleman attributes to emotional intelligence:   Self-awareness. Self-regulation. Motivation. Empathy. Social skills.   These are skills that can be learned once a person understands his or her own emotional intelligence profile.  The more that you, as a leader, can manage each of these areas, the higher your emotional intelligence.  Emotional intelligence is essential to be an effective coaching leader. In ad...

A friend got very upset with me once when I said, “I don’t treat all of my children the same way.”     He thought this was very unfair, but I tried to explain that my desire was to relate to them in a way that was appropriate to them as individuals.     I am sure that I did not always succeed, but I realized that each of them was unique--the needs of one were very different from the needs of another.    I loved, and still love, all of them but the important thing was that I attempted to provide what I thought each one needed.   So here is my secret:  I don’t coach all of my coaching clients in the same way!  Why?  Because they are individuals with different needs, experiences, and capacities.  Each person has their own particular way of processing experiences, learning, and acting.  If I fail to take that into account, our coaching relationship will not be effective.   For example, one client may k...

The Gallup organization did a  meta-analysis  of 100 million employee interviews to identify what makes a highly engaged team.  The key factor is the manager, but one with a particular style of leading.  In a recent blog post, Jim Clifton reported, “ Gallup has discovered -- through studying what the best managers do differently -- that great managing is an act of coaching, not one of directing and administrating.” At the center of compassionate accountability is coaching.  Good managers engage in regular coaching conversations to encourage, develop, and support team members.  In the blog, Clifton suggests several ways to implement this game changing strategy in an organization. 1.    1.   Recognize that Millennials and Generation Z individuals want to learn and grow.     Coaching provides this opportunity. 2.       Announce to your organization that your leaders will move from administer...

A t some point, I discovered that you learn more by teaching than by being a student in a course.  For four years, colleague Beth Kennett and I have taught an Introduction to Coaching class as part of Summit Coach Training from Pinnacle.  In teaching, I have rediscovered at least ten concepts that I think every coach should remember.  1.   1.   The client is central.     Coaching is really all about the client. The client sets the agenda, and the coach provides the process.     If you have any concerns about what to ask or how to proceed, ask yourself, “Does this serve the client?” 2.       Coaching is really a partnership.     It is a collaborative activity.     Bob Dale spoke about coach and client as “thought partners.”     It is a partnership that fosters creativity on the part of client and learning on the part of the coach. 3.       You are not a “...

The first real “job” for which I was paid was as a math tutor.  Considering that I failed Calculus in college, this is rather ironic.  I was a junior in high school and my math teacher recommended me as a tutor for an eighth grader.  The parents paid me ten dollars a session.   As I began working with this young man, I realized pretty quickly that he already knew what he was supposed to do.  He understood the calculations and was probably a better math student than I was!  The key was focus.  He needed someone who would just sit with him, respond to his work, and provide encouragement.  I did not need to be an expert; I just needed to be there.   I find myself in the same situation very often as a leadership coach.  As I talk with a client, I discover that not only does the person have the best knowledge of the situation we are discussing, but he or she has some ideas about how to address it in a p...

Something exciting is happening in our culture.     Churches and their leaders are being called upon to step up and provide hope and community in these challenging times.     This is a time for believers to engage.    In recent years, many religious leaders have seemed content to sit on the sidelines, wring their hands over the “decline of the church,” and avoid the charge of Jesus that “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40, NIV) Bold leadership--foot washing and witness--go hand in hand, but this only happens when leaders are empowered and supported.   In his new book,   Coaching as Spiritual Practice: Deepening Faith While Deepening Impact  Edward Hammett suggests one strategy to provide that kind of support.   “I would like to propose that churches, denominations, judicatories, and districts begin to cooperate to employ a coach in ...