Welcome to the third week of Lent! This blog aims to serve as a resource for leaders to use and guide their faith community through this meaningful season.
Lent offers a crucial opportunity to deepen the spiritual journeys of your faith community and cultivate a vibrant sense of curiosity for not-yet-followers of Jesus and followers of Jesus alike. However, sustaining engagement throughout Lent can present challenges. This coaching guide draws upon principles from Christian Coaching Essentials to empower you in leading your community through a meaningful Lenten experience.
A Defining Moment
As you guide your faith community through the Stations of the Cross this Lent, the fourth station – Jesus meets his mother – presents a powerful opportunity for contemplation and deeper understanding. Today, I want to share some reflections on this poignant moment, not only as a spiritual event, but also as a lens through which we can examine your own leadership, your ministry, and your community.
The Raw Emotion:
Imagine Mary’s anguish as she witnesses her son, battered and burdened, carrying the instrument of his own demise. Imagine the turmoil in Jesus’s heart, knowing the pain he must endure and the responsibility he carries. This encounter is not about detachment, but about acknowledging the raw emotions of pain, grief, and unwavering love that exist between mother and son, even in the face of unimaginable suffering.
A Call to Authenticity:
As leaders, we often feel the pressure to project strength and composure. Yet, the vulnerability and genuine emotions displayed by Mary and Jesus at this station offer a different perspective. Are you allowing yourselves to truly feel the joys and sorrows of your community? Can you acknowledge your own struggles and limitations with authenticity? Perhaps by showing genuine empathy and vulnerability, you can create deeper connections and stronger relationships.
Beyond Sacrifice, Towards Commitment:
While Jesus’ sacrifice is central to our faith, focusing solely on detachment may miss the broader message. Mary, despite her pain, stands with her son. Similarly, our calling as leaders isn’t simply to endure hardship, but to actively engage with the challenges and opportunities our communities face. How can you move beyond passive acceptance and embrace a commitment to action, inspired by love and service?
Reflection Questions:
- How do you navigate the challenges of balancing strength and vulnerability in your leadership?
- Are there areas in your ministry where you feel a need for deeper connection and emotional engagement?
- What actions can you take to move beyond simply enduring challenges and actively work towards building a stronger, more hopeful community?
The Stations of the Cross offer more than just historical reenactments; they provide opportunities for personal reflection and growth. This Lent, let us pause at the fourth station, not just to witness the pain, but to glean insights that can inspire more authentic, compassionate, and impactful leadership.
Lent Challenge:
Confront a difficult area in your life:
- What is causing you discomfort spiritually?
- What disordered attachments are draining your energy?
- How can you lean into the tension of being strong and vulnerable?
Invite your community to engage in difficult areas in their lives:
- Use communion as an opportunity during worship services to allow people time to pause, reflect, and present their disordered attachments to the Lord.
- Equip your small group leaders to come alongside their group members to help them identify disordered attachments and present them to the Lord.
- Provide a tool to help small group leaders (like the Coach Accelerator) to coach their members by listening well, asking powerful questions, discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit – CLICK HERE.
By applying these principles and drawing upon the wisdom of “Christian Coaching Essentials”, you can guide your congregation on a transformative Lenten journey. Through this shared experience, faith will be strengthened, connections will deepen, and your community will emerge closer than ever before.
Become an InFocus Partner
- Join a community passionate about making a difference.
- Invest in leaders who are transforming lives.
- Witness the impact of your generosity firsthand.
Click here to learn about joining the InFocus family to start your ripple effect!
Photo by Saulius Sutkus on Unsplash
