From the Pastor's Study
Church Coaches
April 20, 2022
The coach in hockey stands behind the bench, and to the untrained eye, it looks like he isn’t doing all that much. Sometimes he might say something to a player, but for the most part he is silent, usually more silent than most of the fans behind him. It is not the role of the coach to play the game; that is what the players are for. The main work of the coach is behind the scenes, working with his staff to develop the team by training the players and give direction to the players during the game, if it is needed. Further, during the game, although the coach appears to be merely watching, he is actually watching with an analytical eye so that when the team gathers for training, he can work on the weaknesses and encourage the players in their strengths so that the team will be more successful.
A few years ago, I visited a high school, and I was taken on a tour. During the tour I noticed a man who was about 30 years old intermingling with the students. My tour guide pointed him out, and he told me that this man was a life coach for one of the students. I had no idea what that meant, but apparently, this student is accompanied by this man all day. His life coach is relatively quiet most of the time, but after school is out, he has a conversation with the student about the day, helping the student understand what went well and what he could have done better. I found it rather odd that this teenage student would have someone observing him all day, but I suppose that it was working. His parents were paying big money to have the coach around.
In the Bible there is a word that could be translated as “coach,” although it never it. In 1 Timothy 3:1 we see the word, “overseer,” a word that can also be translated as “elder” or “bishop.” It is the same word we get our word, “episcopal,” from, and an episcopal church is one which is led by bishops (e.g. Roman Catholic and Anglican). The bishop serves as a kind of coach, guiding the pastors of the local churches to do their work well.
In the CRC we do not have bishops. Rather, we have elders (presbyters) who serve in the capacity of coaches or bishops. The elders of our church are called to be overseers, watching and observing with the goal of helping, guiding, encouraging and correcting the members of the congregation. Much of the work of an elder, like that of a coach, is behind the scenes.
It used to be that the elders, during the Sunday service, did the equivalent of standing behind the bench. I understand that long ago in our church building there were some benches near the front which looked out over the congregation and pastor, and the elders (and deacons) sat there. Their presence was symbolic in a way, for it told the congregation that not only were they watching over the worship service but they also were watching over the congregation. True, their vantage point gave them the ability to take attendance, but that was not the purpose of seating them at the front. Taking the position of the coach was a reminder to the congregation that they were there to encourage, direct, correct, and guide. While we do not have our elders sit at the front, we are reminded that to do their work they have to be mature Christians, rooted in God’s Word and committed to following Jesus Christ themselves. This is what Paul is emphasizing in his letters to Timothy and Titus.
In hockey a team needs a good coach, but it also needs willing players. If the players do not listen to the coach and if they do not heed his direction, they will not become a better team. A team can have the best coach in the world but it will not be successful if the players do not play the game. In the same way, the coaching team of the church (the elders/overseers) can do the best job in the world but if the members of the church are not willing to do the work that God has called them to do, the church will not be faithful to Jesus Christ.
It is also important to note that the primary work of the church is not done by the elders (or the pastor or deacons, for that matter). In hockey it is the players who are the ones who score the goals. In the church it is the members who do the work God has called us to do. The elders are the ones who provide guidance for the members so that they can make God’s love and grace known to the world. Without a doubt, the elders have an essential role, but their role is not more important than any other role in the church. Each member has been called to be a witness to Jesus Christ in word and deed wherever God has placed them.
Incidentally, the work of the teachers, counsellors and leaders in our church is very much like that of the elder (overseer). They too are called by God to be overseers in the lives of others. Yet their work, while essential, is not more important than the calling we as members all have, namely to live our lives as a witness to Jesus Christ. It is often lamented that it seems that 20% of the members of a congregation does 80% of the work. This could be perceived as a problem, but we could also see it as being the way it should be. If everyone in the church becomes a coach, we won’t have any players, and, above all, there needs to be players, people who do the work of God in this world. When we are equipped by the church leaders, we can do our work well, and the church will flourish and be successful in the work that God has called it to do.
One final word: the word that is translated as “overseer” is also used of Jesus Christ. In 1 Peter 2:25 Jesus is called the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. The context of Peter’s words is taken from Isaiah 53 where we reminded that we are like sheep who go astray, but God has returned us to himself. Jesus then becomes our Good Shepherd, providing us with all that we need, and he becomes our Overseer, guiding us, encouraging us, and correcting us as necessary much like a life coach guides the student to grow up to become a mature and fruitful adult. We can be sure that Jesus uses the overseers appointed in our church to grow mature and fruitful in our faith and in our walk with Jesus.
Pastor Gary
