by Gary Reinecke | Dec 17, 2025 | Uncategorized |
What to Expect from InFocus in 2026!
As 2025 draws to a close, I wanted to share a genuine sneak peek into the conversations we’ll be diving into on the InFocus Blog next year. My heart is truly set on staying at the leading edge of mission—not just in the US, but globally.
Sometimes that means we need to take a brave, introspective look at ourselves; other times it demands we reconnect with the foundational power of our historic roots; and at still other times, it requires us to look ahead to anticipate what’s coming.
I see our journey in 2026 organized around these three key, continuous questions:
1. What’s Tripping Us Up from Our Primary Task? (A Candid Self-Assessment)
We’re all pouring our best into ministry, but honestly, what are the real-life barriers that are actually getting in the way of our shared, primary task of making disciples?
- Is it the tyranny of the urgent? Are our schedules so full of maintenance that we have no bandwidth left for mission?
- Do we need greater clarity on the goal? Do we have a shared, practical understanding of what a multiplying “disciple-maker” truly looks like in our context?
- Have we unconsciously adopted certain cultural habits that actually make it harder for new people to connect, learn, and grow?
If you’re like me, you probably answered “Yes” to all of the above! I believe our shared opportunity is to become radically willing to ask this tough question about everything we do in ministry—whether we’re planting a new church or leading an established one. This isn’t about placing blame; it’s about bringing our shared struggles into the light so we can tackle them together.
Coming Up: I’m excited to share my experience with a very simple approach to making disciples and church planting. I’ll also be sharing a powerful interview I conducted with Dennis Bachman, a leader of the ViaCordis house church movement, as a clear example of how leaders are re-focusing their ministries to emphasize multiplication through disciple making.
2. Where Did We Start? (Reconnecting with Historic Roots)
I find immense strength in pausing to remember the passion and clarity of those who came before us. Let’s look back to our first-century roots:
- What was the original, driving, life-giving impulse that started this whole movement?
- What was the radical idea that drew people in? The strategy Jesus employed was simple: making disciples causes exponential, God-breathed growth. If it weren’t for that strategy, we wouldn’t be here today as part of this movement that started with Jesus and the twelve!
- By remembering your roots, you can often find the simple, foundational truths that have perhaps gotten complicated over time. It can give you the courage to simplify and refocus.
It’s easy to confuse church planting by addition with true multiplication. We use the word “multiplication” a lot to validate ministry, but it’s starting to lose its meaning.
Coming Up: Expect a series of blogs that will challenge and re-frame the way we approach training church planters. The problem with much of the current training is that it focuses on launching well (the bigger, the better), rather than launching with proven multipliers—a paradigm shift that’s not new, but essential.
3. What’s Coming Next? (Anticipating Our Future)
As partners in this mission, let’s look forward together. While our historic roots are solid, the environment we operate in is always changing.
- What are the cultural and societal shifts happening right now that will directly impact how we make disciples in the next 5-10 years? (Think technology, shifting demographics, and how people view community.)
- How can we prepare for these shifts now so we meet the future with grace and effectiveness, rather than just reacting defensively?
- What can we learn from the international church? Globally, the largest churches are over 250,000 people strong – read Smaller (much SMALLER) Churches Prevail + Bigger (much BIGGER) Churches are Needed. Contrast this to the largest and fastest growing churches in the US this year (2025) – CLICK HERE.
I’m not a futurist, but the trends are clear: internationally, the largest growth is happening through regional house church networks. What strikes me is this question: Why are we—in one of the most prosperous nations in history—so far behind the “international curve” in disciple-making and church multiplication?
Coming Up: I will continue to explore different ways the international church is experiencing different results through its disciple-making focus. I especially want to disrupt the limiting narrative that says, “What works over there won’t work here.” I can’t wait to dive into this one with you!
I’ll be starting our 2026 discussion with a review of the Top 10 InFocus Blog Posts of 2025 on January 7, 2026.
Until then, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Is there one of these three topics you are most excited to see us dive into first?
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by Gary Reinecke | Dec 10, 2025 | Uncategorized |
As 2025 draws to a close, we are filled with gratitude for your partnership and excitement for the doors the Lord is opening in the year ahead. Your support is foundational to our vision: to accelerate disciple making, empower indigenous leaders, and catalyze multiplication movements across the globe.
A Global Vision: Why Now and Why These Nations?
We are seeing a massive shift in global Christianity, with vibrant, accelerating growth in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia Pacific regions. To meet this moment, our strategy is to work directly with established indigenous leaders, empowering them through coaching to multiply disciples and equip new leaders in their own cultural context.
We believe the Lord has distinctly called our team to collaborate with strategic partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and India in 2026.
Will You Join Us in This Movement?
This vision to empower key leaders across two nations requires committed resources. Our total budget for the necessary Training & Expenses in 2026 is $59,850.
Your year-end gift is an investment in multiplication. It doesn’t just fund a trip; it funds the coaching that equips a leader, who then trains other leaders, who then multiply disciples for generations.
Would you prayerfully consider a special year-end gift to help us meet this critical need and launch these two strategic partnerships in 2026?
Thank you for being a vital part of this global work. We are excited about what the Lord will do through our partnership in the coming year!
To make your year-end gift to support these partnerships in the DRC and India, please visit the InFocus Donor page or make your checks out to InFocus Ministries and mail them to: 25838 Seagrass Trail, Wildomar, CA 92595.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Gary
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by Gary Reinecke | Dec 3, 2025 | Uncategorized |
A Coaching Culture Enhances Discipleship
Listening and asking questions are fundamental coaching skills. The ability to genuinely listen and understand what the Holy Spirit is doing during discipleship or leadership discussions can yield profound insights. Personally, I have dedicated myself to becoming increasingly skilled at recognizing the Holy Spirit’s voice – there’s no replacement for investing time and attention. Cultivating this ability in others to listen to and interpret the Holy Spirit’s guidance is both thrilling and transformative.
It blurs the distinction between spiritual guidance and coaching, but over time, disciples remain engaged and are more inclined to pass on their faith to future generations. Leaders embody authentic lives that align with their God-given identity. One leader who has integrated a coaching approach into his community has noticed a remarkable shift in how disciples participate in their journey of making disciples. One result has been an increased sense of “mystery” – a mystery surrounding Jesus’s longing to capture the hearts of all people, along with the unexpected discoveries they encounter along the way.
One area that has seen significant change is its outreach to “young adults.” By placing responsibility where it rightfully belongs, new disciples are taking initiative to align their lives in more fulfilling ways, which has transformed the culture. An emerging leader has risen to take the lead with a vision to guide others in listening and obeying!
Beyond Individual Coaching: Empowering Networks
If you’re a pastor or leader aiming to empower others through coaching, one of the most effective tools you can adopt is coaching itself!
As your demand for more coaches surpasses your individual capacity—transitioning from one to many—a crucial and essential step is to establish a standardized coach training program. This guarantees that all leaders employing a coaching approach, regardless of their previous experience, follow a consistent process and maintain uniform practices.
This establishes crucial quality control for your network and for the “clients” (disciple-makers, leaders, pastors, church planters, missionaries) you support.
Yet, standardizing practices is merely the starting point. To genuinely witness your coach network thrive, ongoing quality control and investment in your coaches’ development are essential.
The Challenge: Ensuring Coaching Excellence
Initially, your network may assess coaches based on their previous achievements, interpersonal skills, or formal education, such as Christian counseling. While these qualifications are beneficial, they do not always guarantee consistent coaching success. The truth is that leaders guided by “coaches” with diverse competencies will experience different levels of success.
Effective and consistent coaching is the “X” factor that will significantly influence your network’s success. Without dependable and valid assessment and development, it becomes challenging to determine where to concentrate your efforts for a coach’s growth.
Here are five typical challenges networks encounter when they fail to assess and develop their coaches:
1. Mixed Results: In the absence of formal assessment, a coach has a 50/50 chance of unlocking a leader’s potential.
2. Intuition Can Be Misleading: Many coaches, even those with some training, often depend on intuition for their own growth, which can be inaccurate.
3. Unreliable Feedback: Although client feedback is valuable, it is limited as a primary assessment tool.
4. Lack of Developmental Pathway: Without a systematic process, coaches do not have a clear roadmap for ongoing improvement.
5. No Guide to Walk Alongside: Coaches require mentors to assist them in effectively honing their skills.
Even as a solo pastor initiating a leadership training program in your congregation, you will face these challenges. In a team or network, the complexity of the problem increases with the number of coaches involved.
When was your last formal coach assessment?
Up until now, I’ve discussed everyone except for you. You may have completed a basic coach training program. You might have also undergone a competency-based assessment. If you haven’t, have you thought about taking the 360° Christian Coach Assessment?
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Maybe you completed coach training that ended with the 360° Christian Coach Assessment. Is it time for you to reassess your progress in your coaching development? This assessment will establish a new baseline, help you recognize the changes in your growth, and include up to seven clients you have coached. Generally, most leaders only have two assessors during their initial assessment.
We see the 360° Christian Coach Assessment as a sort of annual check-up for coaches, suggesting a timeframe of 12-24 months between assessments. The key point to think about is whether the next step in your coaching development should be the assessment or perhaps some other specialized training that aligns with your unique ministry focus.
What about you?
Think about what actions you can take to enhance your coaching effectiveness.
Download the FREE Action Planner.
Mark a date on your calendar for your 360° Christian Coach Assessment.
If not now, when?
Consider having a coach mentor support you along the way.
I can assist you in your coaching development journey and speed up your growth.
The added benefit?
The International Coach Federation (ICF) acknowledges the 9 Christian competency areas, 55 behavioral outcomes, AND coach mentoring with InFocus. In summary, 10 hours of coach mentoring fulfill the requirement for ICF certification.
Are you ready to advance in your personal coaching journey or to empower your team with truly exceptional Christian coaches?
Get in touch with us to begin today!
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