Fruit and Joy – A Coaching Breakthrough

Coaching leaders is one of the things I love most about ministry. Great coaching is a truly transformational process and contributes significantly toward greater Kingdom impact. My coaches have unquestionably played a transformational role in my life!

For me, the relationships themselves are personally gratifying. It’s rewarding to have coaching and mentoring relationships also become friendships, and I love seeing my friends succeed.

For context, there is a nuanced difference between coaching and mentoring, and of course they overlap.

• Coaching tends to be more of a week to week or month to month ongoing process, focused on more specific results, with someone who is a regular part of your life.
• Investment from a great mentor may only take place once or twice a year, can be from a distance, and usually focuses on the bigger picture aspects of your life.

One thing great coaches (and mentors) have in common is that they ask insightful questions.

Good questions are unique and focused on the individual. But good coaches also have favorite “go to” questions that are always helpful in the right moments. One of my favorites is based on only two words.

It’s the question of Fruit & Joy.

You can frame it up in several ways.

For example:

• “How would you describe the level of fruit and joy in your ministry life?”
• “As a leader, which is greater for you right now, fruit or joy and why?”
• “Tell me about the fruit and joy in your life in general.”

Here’s how it works.

• For example, while meeting over a cup of coffee, you can write these two words on a napkin, slide it across the table and say something like: “As a leader, which is greater for you right now, fruit or joy and why?”  (My favorite starting question.)

The result is a meaningful conversation because one of the two (fruit or joy) will be greater than the other and understanding why is insightful. It is the first step to identifying a healthy solution.

The conversation can be brief or lengthy depending on the need. The shorter conversations are appropriate when there is an awareness of which one needs attention, and a good solution is easily identified.

Longer (and often multiple) conversations are needed when either fruit or joy is noticeably low and this has been the reality for an extended period of time.

3 Coaching Insights:

1) Fruit that reflects the Kingdom of God brings meaning and fulfillment

I like the word fruit because it carries biblical weight from John chapter 15:1-8. The reference is to results or production. (bearing or producing fruit) The idea is one of measurable eternal outcomes. Success always includes vision-aligned results.

Success is not a secular term that should be rejected by the church. Joshua chapter 1 is one of many biblical examples where God refers directly or indirectly to success. (God promised success for obedience, strength and courage.)

Acts chapter 2 is a good example of Kingdom results. (Believers were filled with the Spirit, many were saved and baptized, and the church grew by about 3,000 people.)

Kingdom results are spiritual in nature, but that does not make them fuzzy or unclear.

In the same way, spiritual (life changing) outcomes (fruit) are not subjective merely because they involve people.

• One person saying yes to Jesus is measurable.
• A rocky marriage restored to health is clear to see by all who are close.
• Recruiting and training one small group leader is quantifiable.
• Someone breaking free from bondage to an addiction has a testimony that encourages and inspires others.
• A person being baptized is a measurable step of spiritual obedience and growth.

These examples represent the fruit of someone’s leadership, and of course, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

It is God who produces the fruit, but He uses your leadership to bring it to pass.

2) Joy that reflects the presence of the Holy Spirit is nourishing for the soul

This is also a specific word choice with biblical context from Galatians 5:22-23. Joy is listed as a fruit of the spirit.

Joy is deeper than “happiness.” There’s nothing wrong with the idea of human happiness, but it’s not wise to measure long-term healthy leadership against something that is often temporary.

Over the long-haul, there are seasons in ministry leadership that are not easy. In fact, some days and even extended seasons, are very difficult and discouraging.

But even in those tough times you can experience a deep and abiding joy knowing that you are called by God and leading with purpose and meaning by His design.

The Spirit of God brings peace and grace even during great stress, tension or discouragement.

These difficulties are not always directly connected to your work. Sometimes it’s a personal struggle or a problem at home. And we know it’s not possible (or desirable) to completely separate your personal life at home from your leadership in the church. They are highly integrated.

God’s love and joy is available for all who diligently pursue Him. 

3) The combination of Fruit and Joy brings healthy productivity to a leader’s life.

This is the primary insight you are working with: leaders must seek both fruit & joy for healthy and productive longevity in ministry. Lasting fruit and deep-rooted joy provide a sustainable foundation for ministry.

If you have one without the other for any length of time, your leadership experience begins to suffer, and can ultimately effect the quality of your life.  

It’s not a day-by-day perfectly equal balance of both components, but big picture, with the ups and downs of normal life, there is a healthy balance of the two.

Here’s the candid truth:

Fruit without joy is drudgery.

Results without joy in ministry is too heavy a burden for anyone to carry. Every leader needs to cultivate a sense of inner joy.

Very few leaders go the distance without an inner sense of genuine joy.

Joy is cultivated by:

• Loving the people you work with, loving your job and loving God
• Expressing a heart of gratitude for all that is good in your life
• Choosing a positive spirit even in the tough times

Joy without fruit is barren.

Joy without results in ministry is a bit like a fun party, it’s quite enjoyable for the moment, but if that’s essentially all there is, it becomes hollow and without much meaning.  

A sense of Kingdom fruitfulness provides your soul with deep meaning and fulfillment.

Fruitfulness is increased by:

• Consistent prayer and dependence upon God
• Intentional discipline to stay focused on vision-based priorities
• Developing and empowering others

You can’t go the distance in a meaningful way without both fruit and joy.  

This is a great gift you can offer those you care about and coach.