This IS GOLD!
This IS GOLD!
I was all bright eyed and bushy tailed as an 18-year-old that just entered bible college. I had such aspirational dreams of being a missionary in Indonesia. I did not find myself in my family’s place of origin Papua, New Guinea rather I found myself in the urban setting of Toronto. While studying my Bachelor of Religious Education I was introduced to a fantastic group of young leaders that had one of the most energetic, culturally relevant ministries probably in all of Canada. They invited me to serve with them as a college intern. The pace was high, the experience exciting and I was in the throes of a diverse ministry culture. I was sold! This was going to be my lifelong call to be a presence in marginalized communities to share the peace of Christ in the projects of Toronto. I would be a part of a culture that would resource, mobilize and train future leaders. My hope was that future leaders would find this call just as exciting as I did. What I quickly found out was I could not keep this pace for the long term and my natural talent was not enough to keep me healthy, raise healthy leaders and build a healthy organizational framework. After a few burn outs and six years later, I was introduced to my first coach. Looking back, I’m thankful for coaching yet it was the late 80’s and I feel it was more of a share time without many resources. Although the experience with this coach was not the best I was grateful someone valued me and spent some time with me.
Mining for Gold helps us to understand the importance of having a seasoned coach that gives clarity of a ministry philosophy framework. This coach helps to value untapped strengths with those who are called and empowers them towards the potential God has for them. I truly believe we are called to multiply good healthy leadership as Camacho highlights in chapter 6. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2[1]. I loved serving most when I saw communities and people truly experience the value of our presence in their lives. The kingdom of God truly had come to earth when lives and communities experienced healthy change. My passion was to build healthy leaders and build a healthy organization, but I had little to no resources to direct this aspirational pathway of mine.
I felt as though I was in the wilderness trying to find my way without much or any direction at all. You must understand this was the late 80’s early 90’s where coaching was not really a thing! In those days it was all trial and error, no professional coaches and we had to find our way. Camacho reminds us that the coaching process comes alive when we choose to help others thrive by investing in the gold mining process, imagine more and more people being set free to flourish![2]
Fast forward 32 years later. I finally had a seasoned coach. She asked me about what outcome I was hoping to have, she asked me several questions about my call, my strengths, passions, I was given a few assessments and we unpacked what I was passionately hoping for. My greatest hope was to learn how to resource, train and launch future leaders. She led me to enter into my Master’s at age 50. I remember thinking “THIS IS GOLD!” and I can share this wealth with others! She helped me to discover my Sweet Spot! I wanted to help others do that too.
Camacho talks about a flourishing in Psalm 92 of a healthy tree bearing MUCH fruit.[3] I’ve always wanted to be that leader that would help others discover and lead from their sweet spot. I want those I lead to be godly leaders bearing fruit for the kingdom. I’m not that old. I’m 59 years old this year. I’ve been thinking a great deal about a legacy plan and there’s a great urgency to build a future of leaders that love Jesus, provide clothing, shelter and food for those who are in need for seven generations to come. This will be for a future we will not see without our names on it.
Part of my philosophy of ministry includes mobilizing leaders in the gifts they’ve been given (Ephesians 4), multiplying leaders (Matthew 28:16-20, The Great Commission) and all of this to the Glory of God (Revelation 4). Camacho has written a compelling framework to help us tap into the strengths in those we lead and empower them to reach their full potential:
- Creating a culture of excellence
- Helping to mine that Hidden Potential
- Curating an environment of Trust
- A landscape of Mentorship and Coaching
- Celebrating Successes
How exciting is it to have coaches that care, resource, and launch leaders into a future we will not see!
[1] Camacho, Tom. Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders Through Coaching. London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2019, p.81
[2] Camacho, Tom. Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders Through Coaching. London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2019, p.81
[3] Camacho, Tom. Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders Through Coaching. London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2019,133
About the Author
Judith McCartney
7 responses to “This IS GOLD!”
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Judith – thanks for sharing an incredibly inspiring post. I agree about the multiplying effect that God can have on developing leaders for the Kingdom. It is a beautiful thing to witness. Years ago, I had mentors and coaches, but they were separate camps and focused on unrelated topics. What do you witness in your relationship with your coach that stands out significantly? I get the impression that you may have switched coaches over time.
The unique difference with the most recent coach is that he asked me questions to assist me in finding clarity. He asked me what outcome I was hoping for and continued asking questions that helped clarify this pathway and my call in that particular season. The difference is that my current coach is actually a coach, and as you said, there is a difference between the mentor and the coach role. Glad you enjoyed my 1st blog Mike. More to come!
Judith,
It’s encouraging to hear that “coaching” was happening before it was a thing. As you reflect on that earlier time in the 1980s, which was under-resourced, and the later experience of a seasoned coach, how did they look different? I am fascinated by Camacho’s inclusion of the Holy Spirit and wonder if an under-resourced individual who is actively partnering with the Spirit can be as (or more) effective than a seasoned coach.
If I’m to be honest, the historical coach was not, in fact, a true coach. That individual meant well but was not resourced or trained to be a coach. I was grateful to receive a listening ear. I was grateful to not feel so alone. Yet fast forward years later, when I did have a trained coach, there was greater clarity of the role of the coach. My current coach asks what outcome I need and asks questions to direct my thinking, and at the end of the coaching session, we have curated a pathway that reflects the outcome I was looking for.
Your post makes me grateful for the opportunities and resources we have today in coaching and leadership development. I love your vision for the seven generations. You leave behind something that is living and continues to grow as the elders pass it along and prepare the new ones to cultivate it. It only bears the name of the one who has all the glory, our Lord Jesus Christ.
What assessment did you take that where most helpful for your to find your sweet spot? Have you found the 80%/20% idea that Camacho talks about to be true? I desire for 80% of what I do be within my sweet spot, but it feels almost unattainable with so many of the things that drain us that just need to get done. How have you found this balance?
The two assessments that I found great value in was the 5Q (APEST Assessment: from Ephesians 4: Apostle prophet, evangelist, shepherd, teacher) and the Enneagram assessment. The 5Q helped identify the sacred that God has called me to lean into (I am a Shepherd, an Apostle sprinkled with the Prophetic) I love to innovate and galvanize new things, yet I like to shepherd and care for the people God has sent my way. The Enneagram is an assessment I also give to all those who work alongside me. It gives us a greater understanding of how we lean into crisis and how we make our decisions. Both have given me such clarity about who I am and how I lead. Both assessments help our team to be gracious with one another through personal self-awareness and awareness of their peers and how they do kingdom work. Through the APEST model, I do feel I am able to lean into the 80%. The APEST model provides a way to have more horizontal leadership. Depending on the project or the issue at hand, the expert for that experience takes the lead, and we all lean into our areas of expertise in our ministries. Thank you Jess for your comment today. I really appreciate it.
Thank you Jude, this is so helpful!