We are now in that unique time of the year in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. At Kicking at the Darkness, I believe in supporting and empowering pastors who invest their lives to serving others and who are making a positive Kingdom impact in their communities. That’s why, in the spirit of giving, I’m excited to announce a special offer for the month of December – free coaching sessions for pastors!

Why Pastors Need Coaching

Navigating Personal Challenges:Pastors often find themselves at the forefront of providing support to others, but who is supporting you? Kicking at the Darkness coaching sessions aim to create a safe space for pastors to explore personal challenges, set meaningful goals, and develop strategies for personal well-being health.

Enhancing Professional Leadership:The demands of leading a congregation can be overwhelming. Through coaching, I will help you enhance your leadership skills, develop effective team communication, and engage in strategic planning to help you cultivate a thriving and resilient ministry.

Free Coaching In December:

Personalized Sessions:Each week in December, we will meet together over the phone or through video chat for individual sessions to address your specific needs to create a coaching experience that is impactful and relevant to your life and ministry.

Goal Setting and Planning: Together, we’ll work on setting clear, achievable goals for both personal and professional growth to make 2024 your best year ever! Whether it’s improving you work-life strategy, refining leadership skills, or pursuing a specific ministry initiative, I am here to help you take action towards success.

Stress Management and Well-being: Ministry can be demanding, often leading to burnout. This coaching program will provide you with strategies for stress management, self-care, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance, enabling pastors to serve their communities with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

How to Claim Your Free Coaching in December:

Sign Up for Free: Visit www.Kickingatthedarkness.com and sign up for a free coaching session during the month of December.

Initial Call:I will reach out to schedule an initial on-boarding call to understand your specific needs and then put our December sessions on the calendar.

This December, take a step towards a more fulfilling and successful 2024 by investing in yourself. Sign up for these free coaching sessions, and let me partner with you in creating a brighter future for both you and your ministry. Together, we can make 2024 an amazing year of growth, resilience, and success.

Pastor, when was the last time you you prioritized your own S.E.L.F. care?

I don’t mean, when was the last time you booked a massage and a facial treatment? I’m not asking when was the last time you mentally and emotionally had to checkout because you were so tired and stretched thin?

When I talk about S.E.L.F. care, I want you to think back to when was the last time you prioritized your SPIRITUAL HEALTH, your EMOTIONAL MATURITY, your closest LIFE CONNECTIONS, and your immediate FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS.

As I pastor, I know how busy and how overwhelming it can be leading a church. The demands on your time and the immense responsibilities facing you make it difficult to slow down and look inward. Plus, you might think – how can I focus on myself when I have to take care of everyone else?

 S.E.L.F. care is NOT selfish. S.E.L.F. care is a way to function in life so that you can operate at greater capacity in ministry. You must attend to your SPIRITUAL and EMOTIONAL NEEDS so that you can be fully present for your LIFE and FAMILY.

In Mark 12:30-31, Jesus calls us to “Love the Lord … with all (our) heart and with all (our) soul and with all (our) mind and with all (our) strength.” He then goes on to say that we also must love those around us as we love ourselves.

When I entered ministry and church work, I thought everyday I would be engaging in practices and with people that would ensure that I increased and grew in these ways everyday. What I found out is that the opposite was more often the case.

Because ministry never stops, I neglected my PHYSICAL HEALTH. Too many pizzas and late nights in youth ministry. Lots of sitting and lunch meetings sharing carb-heavy meals. I gained weight and failed to take care of the body God gave me to carry out the work He called me into.

I let the stress of life and ministry impact me EMOTIONALLY and MENTALLY. In my 20s and 30s life comes at you pretty fast. Growing a family, greater responsibilities at home and in ministry. Transitioning roles, making decisions, balancing EVERY voice AROUND you, discerning the voice INSIDE you. If you cannot learn to function well in these areas, you will pay a heavy price.

One saving grace for me is that God has blessed me with an incredible RELATIONAL SUPPORT SYSTEM. I have a handful of deep and abiding friendships – guys outside of my church environment who have NO exceptions on me other than to be a friend and to receive their friendship. My immediate family has been the single greatest blessing. I have a wife and kids who embody what it means to love whole-heartedly with UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

Here is what I believe and how I want to help YOU.

I believe that ministry and church leadership ought to STRENGTHEN YOUR SOUL – not slowly suffocate it. I don’t want the work you do FOR God IN a church to destroy the work OF God IN you. 

My work as a pastoral coach helps ministry leaders, like you, gain HOPE, CLARITY, and STRENGTH in every area of your life so that you can thrive personally and professionally. Through 1:1 coaching, I help pastors identify goals and work through issues to help them see and work towards a brighter future. I help leadership teams work better together – clarify their values, harness their strengths, create systems and process to share ministry across the whole church. I believe that the best way for me to serve the church of Jesus Christ is to serve pastors and church leaders.

So, as I sign off today, let me ask you a question…

• Renewing your SPIRITUAL HEALTH
• Moving toward EMOTIONAL MATURITY
• Strengthening your LIFE CONNECTIONS
• Focusing on your FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

If you could spend your time and energy on just one of these areas over the coming days and weeks, which would have the greatest impact on your life and ministry?

Leave a comment below and let me know which area would benefit you the most and why. If you leave a comment, I will send you a list of resources that can help you get started.

Micheal Felker here. I hope that you are doing well and that this letter finds you and your family in a great season of life.

Over the past two years, Kicking at the Darkness has connected with and made a difference in the lives of pastors and ministry teams across the nation, extending its impact even to missionaries in East Africa. Although there was a setback during my recovery from heart surgery, we are now at a point where we sense God opening doors and urging me to move forward with renewed vigor. 

Kicking at the Darkness is not just a ministry; it’s a movement set on empowering pastors and church leaders with a sense of hope, clarity, and strength in every area of their lives so that they may personally and professionally thrive.

Ministry isn’t just a 9-to-5 gig. It’s a 24/7 calling that often comes with a variety of unique challenges. By providing events, programs, and resources tailor-made to equip leaders to develop resilience, increase spiritual renewal, and stay engaged in ministry longer, Kicking at the Darkness wants to become a beacon of light to provide support that impacts leaders, their families, and churches across the world.

Now, here’s where you come in – we can’t do this solo. We need people like you, who believe in making a real impact. Your support could be the game-changer that takes our vision and turns it into a reality.

Any support that you provide will become the fuel behind initiatives like monthly Lunch & Learns, coaching sessions, and developing resources to help individual pastors and church teams live and lead well. Imagine the ripple effect of your contribution – empowering leaders to stand strong, no matter what comes their way.

Here are a few ways you can directly support my family and this ministry:

1. PRAYERS FOR THE WORK – Please pray for this ministry. Pray that church leaders who are discourage may be encouraged. Pray that ministers who are facing challenges can discover ways to overcome and thrive. Pray that churches will prioritizing caring for those who serve on their staff. Pray for this work. Pray for this ministry. Pray for me. Pray for my family.
2. SPREAD THE WORD – If you know a church leader who could use some soul care and ministry coaching, please connect us. If you know of a church that is looking for someone to help them navigate through a season of revitalization or transition, share with them my contact information. If you know of an organization that could benefit from team building or leadership development training, I’m uniquely gifted and have resources to help. If you know someone who is looking for ways to pour into pastors and provide resources, please send them my way. 
3. FUEL FOR THE FIRE – A financial gift of any amount – one time or recurrent – will be more than just a donation; it’s will be an investment in the future of leaders who shape the spiritual landscape for years to come.

If you are moved by our mission and inclined to support us, please visit kickingatthedarkness.com/partner-with-katd for more information on how to contribute or contact us directly. Your commitment to this cause will make a lasting impact on the men and women who dedicate themselves to guiding and uplifting others in the name of Jesus.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for considering this. Let us be the ones who bring hope, clarity, and strength to those who bring it to others each and every day!