Friday, November 21, 2014
Great Coaches
Millions of people throughout the
world take a good deal of interest in sports teams and athletes who have
distinguished themselves as exceptional.
Maybe this is because we all want to win or become the best we can be. Usually great athletes and great teams are
profoundly influenced by great coaches. This
begs the question, "What makes a coach great?" Below are a few philosophical insights about
coaching from coaches who have proven track records.
·
"I won't accept anything less than the best a player's
capable of doing, and he has the right to expect the best that I can do for him
and the team... To solve big problems you have to be willing to do unpopular
things." --Lou Holtz
·
"Coaches have to watch for what they don't want to see and
listen to what they don't want to hear." --John Madden
·
"Probably my best quality as a coach is that I ask a lot of
challenging questions and let the person come up with the answer." --Phil Dixon
·
"A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather
than what they are." --Ara Parasheghian
·
"I
have found that being honest is the best technique I can use. Right up front,
tell people what you're trying to accomplish, and what you're willing to
sacrifice to accomplish it." --Lee
Iococca
·
"Be
more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character
is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you
are." --John Wooden
Notice the sound principles, the firmness
and the honesty of these successful leaders. Similar characteristics are what
make great pastors. A pastor's role is
very similar to that of a coach. Here
are some of God's strong opinions about what makes a preacher either terrible
or great:
"Don't listen to the sermons of the
prophets. It's all hot air. Lies, lies, and more lies. They make it all up. Not
a word they speak comes from me. They preach their 'Everything
Will Turn Out Fine' sermon to congregations with no taste for God, Their
'Nothing Bad Will Ever Happen to You' sermon to people who are set in their own
ways. Have any of these prophets bothered to meet with me, the true GOD? bothered
to take in what I have to say? listened to and then lived out my Word? You
prophets who do nothing but dream— go ahead and tell your silly dreams.
But
you prophets who have a message from me— tell it truly and faithfully. What
does straw have in common with wheat? Nothing else is like GOD's Decree. Isn't
my Message like fire? ... Isn't it like a sledgehammer busting a rock?" (Jeremiah
23:16-18; 28-29 MSG)
We
live in a time when spiritual coaching is not always welcomed. Pastors are often encouraged to keep things
light and positive. Many people are
calling for "Everything Will Turn Out fine" sermons. The results speak for themselves. Pastors need not be mean or bigoted, but,
according to God's philosophy, they are coaches and if they do not resolutely
represent God, they render themselves ineffective. I am so thankful for the people who have
spoken truth into my life -- people who did not cave in to political
correctness or popular opinions. If you
have been blessed to have someone like that in your life, please let them know
how much you appreciate them. We need more
great spiritual coaches just like them.
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