When it’s time to captain the team instead of coaching it.

You have a great team, and you’ve been coaching well. That’s fantastic and should be celebrated. However, let’s not forget that in any area of leadership, you’re not only on the sidelines, you’re also in the game.

Depending on your area of leadership, you may find yourself in a situation where you need to move from the position of Coach to the position of Captain. And if that’s the case, and you’re back in the game, who’s coaching you? This is a lesson I had to learn.

Soon after my arrival in Alaska, I needed to figure out how to build and motivate my ministry. Though I was trying to coach the youth ministry, I had a senior pastor and an elder board who was coaching the overall direction of the church. They definitely influenced my role as a youth pastor and therefore, coached me on some level.

And yet, who could specifically coach my decisions within youth ministry? Who had the experience to do so in my context? I started to ask about past ministry successes. This is an important task when starting a new leadership position; start asking about that ministry’s history.

1. Who were the key players from the past?

What were the big wins and big losses? What kind of people excelled in the role and who floundered? Many of these conversations took place within the first couple of months, and one name kept rising to the surface as a leader of the youth ministry’s golden years.

No matter who I spoke with, this person continued to have rave reviews on their success within the role I was taking on. The shocking part for me was that this youth ministry king…was actually a queen! (For anonymity, let’s call her Carolyn.)

Allow me to explain. I wasn’t shocked because this leader was a woman. I was shocked because most conservative evangelical churches at that time wouldn’t be willing to take the brave step of hiring a woman into leadership. More so, within a uber-conservative culture like Alaska.

With this context in mind, the church gave Carolyn the title of “director” instead of “pastor“, but it didn’t matter to the students. And it didn’t matter to me. She had obviously been a great shepherd of students and I could learn from her.

2. What did the key players leave behind?

The senior pastor found some old files and passed them on to me. As I scanned through various documents, I saw that she was steadfast in her work. She accomplished a huge amount of successful ministry during her term.

Unfortunately, as is the case with most successful leaders, they move on to new places with new opportunities after their season of ministry is complete. She no longer attended the church, nor did she live in the area. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a plot twist of God’s faithfulness!

I started hearing rumours that Carolyn would be returning to the area. Her plan was to attend our church and work somewhere within the community. To be honest, this news felt a bit threatening for me as the new youth pastor.

I knew it would be difficult for people not to compare the two of us. It wasn’t that long ago. Some might compare what Carolyn had done with what I would do. Which made connecting with her even more of a top priority.

3. How will you connect with key players from the past?

Soon after her arrival in the State, we met for coffee. We had a great time discussing the youth ministry’s past, present and future. I realized that Carolyn needed to become one of my coaches if I was to succeed.

She knew the culture of the State. She knew the culture of our church and the students in the area. I knew that running game plans by her before implementing them, would save me a lot of lost games.

Remember, sometimes, a ministry leader has to move from the position of coach into the position of captain. This was my moment. Carolyn’s willingness to become a coach gave me the opportunity to become a great captain. She was willing to encourage, challenge, and if needed, rebuke. She was an amazing asset to my ministry in Alaska.

4. How will you navigate disagreements with key players from the past?

Just like any good coach-captain relationship, Carolyn and I didn’t always see eye-to-eye, but it made us better. I always considered her suggestions, because she had the history to back it up. I was constantly aware that she had more successful years in youth ministry at that church than anyone else…including me!

The reality is that there is a massive amount of work to be done by any ministry leader. There’s always a limited supply of people and resources. We’re able to rally our team, but we’re also putting forth just as much effort as a player.

Before too long, we suddenly realize that we’re more like the captain of the team than the coach. This isn’t a bad thing, as long as we carefully select someone to coach us, so we keep up our serving experience as captain.

Join the Conversations; Share Your Thoughts:

• How have you had to transition from coach to captain in your leadership role?
• How has connecting with key players from the past positively impact your leadership approach?
• How has navigating disagreements with key players from the past contributed to your growth as a leader?