a life coach of faith
I’ve recently been reminded of a course I had the opportunity to take while on staff at a former church. The course was called Spiritualities: Spiritual Gifts as Manifestations of the Trinity’s Grace offered by the Logos Institute in Canton, OH. While I’ve always had a general understanding of the elements and workings of Spiritualities (or spiritual gifts) as the body of Christ this course took a holistic, in-depth exploration of them. Near the end of the course and after exhausting the Scriptures we took an intense analysis of ourselves and the ways Christ re-lives His life through us as spiritualities.
First, our individual assignment was to explore by ourselves and with those closest to us (spouse, family, friends) which spiritualities inherently and supernaturally were manifested in us through the Holy Spirit. Second, we each had a session with our class/church staff to share our list and tweaked the original list. Third, we met with the professor/founder of the Logos Institute and built a diagram of how Jesus may supernaturally live through us. Lastly, we considered this diagram in prayer and intentionally watched it evidence itself in our lives.
For the record, I’ve taken many spiritual gift surveys and had my “top 3″ that I went by but I’ve never explored them quite like this. The diagram is pictured at the right that we drew up.
The main circle reads, “Life Coach of Faith.” This was made from the pastor and faith spiritualities. The circle that flows out of the main one is prophecy. The prophecy circle encompasses wisdom, exhortation and teaching.
So, why have I recently been reminded of this?
My occupation has always been working at a church with teenagers and music. It has never been shock to me when a teenager has asked me for advice on a certain circumstance or direction for their lives. It was my job-title and age group I invested in. There have been those couple teenagers that I’ve worked with in the past who’ve called me up later in life to ask for my advice on a life-altering decision. While I couldn’t believe they were calling me out of the blue to involve me in a huge decision, I shrugged it off as, “They’re calling me because I’ve been their youth pastor at some point in their life.”
But recently (when I say recently I mean in the last month or two), I’ve had adults who have an established career, a family to care for and who have a few more years on me in life involve me in a life-altering decision as a voice of reason. This has been absolutely CRAZY to me!
Here’s what I’ve noticed during and after those conversations:
First, they asked me…of all people, they asked ME. I don’t deserve to be let into their lives or these decisions and I’m completely humbled by the fact that they would think of me. I noticed myself guiding them, pastoring them. Second, I noticed that everything I spoke was about faith but never using that specific word. Lastly, I noticed reasoning and questions coming out of my mouth that weren’t things I’d normally say or questions I’d normally ask. (Honestly, I’m pretty average when it comes to smartness.)
A Life Coach of Faith, speaking words of wisdom.
It’s only by grace through Jesus that I’m privileged to have that sort of intimate role in somebody else’s life.
I have also recognized my weaknesses in these experiences and how much I need the whole body of Christ around me. There have been questions regarding things like discernment, knowledge and mercy that I’ve not been able to answer or lead through.
As I mature in life, ministry and spiritualities–I know I need to make these things more at the center of my identity than my occupation or what I do.
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