by Gary Reinecke | Feb 20, 2022 | Uncategorized |
This month we have been discussing how abiding in Christ is the most important of all Christian coaching competencies. What we uncovered in our original research, documented in Christian Coaching Excellence, is that it’s the one competency that separates good Christian coaches from great Christian coaches. As we abide in Christ, we help our clients abide in Him, partnering with the Holy Spirit for greater significance in our coaching relationships, life, and ministry effectiveness.
This week I will unpack the third of five behavioral expressions that comprise Abiding in Christ:
- Intercessory prayer: Praying passionately for the person or team being coached.
Many leaders excel in the technical skills of coaching, but not all coaches excel in prayer and, specifically, intercessory prayer. If we rely primarily on our technique and expertise instead of asking the Lord for His intervention, we will not ultimately be effective coaches. We need God’s involvement. As coaches, abiding in Christ means seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit at each stage of the coaching process, recognizing our dependence on him as we discern the needs of those we are coaching.
Coaching is not only a time commitment and a professional commitment—it’s also a spiritual commitment made to those who are being coached. Coaches need to be intentional and explicit about praying for those they are coaching. Some keep a list of people they are coaching in a place where they will see it regularly. Others send out emails soliciting specific prayer requests from clients. Some pray as a regular part of opening or closing a session. The best methods will differ for different people, but the best coaches find ways to pray for those they coach. That connection often manifests itself through prayerful contact: writing notes of encouragement, offering networking opportunities, providing open doors to places of ministry, etc.
Here are three exercises for growing in the area of intercessory prayer:
1. Quote for meditation
“If we truly love people, we will desire for them far more than it is within our power to give them, and this will lead us to prayer. Intercession is a way of loving others….As priests, appointed and anointed by God, we have the honor of going before the Most High on behalf of others. This is not optional; it is a sacred obligation—and a precious privilege—of all who take up the yoke of Christ.” (Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, p. 191)
2. Pray Scripture
When you are not sure what you should be praying for people, you can use Scripture passages as your prayer. Some good Scripture prayers include:
o Colossians 1:9–13
o Philippians 1:9–11
o Ephesians 1:15–20 and 3:16–19
3. Practice exercise
Take a 30-day prayer challenge. If you are not currently praying for your clients during your coaching appointments, ask them how you can pray. Then pray with them during all of your appointments for the next 30 days. Afterward, assess the difference this practice makes in you and your clients.
Growing in the area of intercessory prayer is both a process and a practice; the more you intercede for your clients, the more attuned you will become to their needs. And the more attuned you become to the needs of your client, the better you can support your clients.
The post 3 Strategies for Growing in Intercessory Prayer appeared first on InFocus.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
by Gary Reinecke | Feb 13, 2022 | Uncategorized |
As we have seen, abiding in Christ is the most important of all the Christian coaching competencies. What we uncovered in our original research, documented in Christian Coaching Excellence, is that it’s the one competency that separates good Christian coaches from great Christian coaches. As we abide in Christ, we help our clients abide in Him, partnering with the Holy Spirit for greater significance in our coaching relationships, life, and ministry effectiveness
This week I will unpack the second of five behavioral expressions that comprise Abiding in Christ:
- Discernment: Listen, process, and respond to the Holy Spirit as you make coaching decisions.
Many leaders excel in the technical skills of coaching, but not all coaches excel in discernment. If we are unable to listen to God’s voice and submit to his leading, we will not ultimately be effective coaches. We need God’s guidance to discern when and how to address an issue, or sometimes whether to address it at all. As coaches, abiding in Christ means seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit at each stage of the coaching process, recognizing our dependence on him as we discern the needs of those we are coaching.
Many coaching decisions, both large and small, are made in-the-moment as issues and opportunities arise during a coaching session. The best coaches have their ears attuned to the Holy Spirit, following his lead as they coach.
Listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit involves giving up trying to steer things according to our own ideas or agendas. Opening with a question such as, “Where do you want to start today?” can help coaches place the agenda of the session in the hands of the person being coached. Continuing the session with questions such as, “What do you sense God is doing in this situation?” keeps the agenda there. When you approach coaching this way, you are less likely to miss what God is doing in a person’s life because you don’t assume you already know.
Have you ever had that sense that the Spirit is nudging you to say something but you realize it involves risk, discomfort, or may come off as presumptuous, so you’re hesitant to say it? This often happens when we least expect it. But if it truly is a message the Lord wants you to communicate, it will have the desired impact.
Recently, I was observing someone coaching a client–a church leader and businessman–in order to provide the coach with feedback. What I observed between the coach and client was a sweet synergy, partly because the two had a long history, but also because the coach was sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and was able to encourage and support the client as he clarified his core values and mission for life.
The coach did something very important after the client shared his thinking behind each value: he simply affirmed the work of God in his life. The timing and manner in which the coach gave his affirmations was life-giving to the leader. As an observer of the situation, it was evident to me that these affirmations were more than just encouraging words; his words were empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Here are three suggestions and exercises for growing in the area of discernment:
1. Practice exercise
- Practice listening for the tugging of the Holy Spirit as you are coaching. When you get a hunch, sometimes you’ll want to ask the client about it.
- Don’t phrase it as, “God told me to tell you this,” but more like, “This might sound off the wall, but….Anything going on there?” Another helpful question is, “I’m wondering….How does that resonate with you?” This type of question gives the client the opportunity to respond freely and honestly. After all, you might be wrong.
- Challenge: Try following through on what you are hearing from the Holy Spirit. Speak what you discern and see what happens.
2. Spiritual direction
- Consider finding a person with expertise in spiritual direction and ask them to guide you through the Ignatian Exercises to help you become more attuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
3. Explore spiritual rhythms and the daily offices
- Visit with a friend from the liturgical world. Ask them to share their journey that led them to engage in these practices, the challenges they face, and the fruit they experience.
- Read Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero.
- Visit a monastery for a personal retreat. If possible, join the community for prayer throughout the day and night to experience the rhythms of life in a cloistered environment.
Growing in the area of discernment is both a process and a practice; the more you practice listening for the Spirit’s voice and responding to it, even if you’re off at times, the more attuned to His voice you will become. And the more attuned to the Spirit you are, the better off your clients will be.
The post 3 ways to Grow in Discernment appeared first on InFocus.
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash
by Gary Reinecke | Feb 6, 2022 | Uncategorized |
Last week I introduced the practice of Abiding in Christ. I defined it as:
“the extent to which a coach seeks the Holy Spirit’s guidance at each stage of the coaching process and how much a coach depends on God in discerning the needs of those being coached.”
Abiding in Christ is the most important of all the Christian coaching competencies. What we uncovered in our original research, documented in Christian Coaching Excellence, is that it’s the one competency that separates good Christian coaches from great Christian coaches. As we abide in Christ, we help our clients abide in Him, partnering with the Holy Spirit for greater significance in our coaching relationships, life, and ministry effectiveness.
This week I will unpack the first of five behavioral expressions that comprise Abiding in Christ.
- Character development: Consistently cultivating godly character through the application of biblical values.
Who do you know that demonstrates Godly character?
It’s a bit of a loaded question. It suggests that some people are living congruent lives–those individuals who knead the Scriptures into their lives have a noticeable and lasting impact. In the Old Testament, one of the reasons Job stands out is because he was tested over and over again, yet remained faithful.
Job 1:1 “There once was a man in the land of Uz named Job. The man was blameless as well as upright. He feared God and kept away from evil.”
Later, Job had this to say after losing everything (Job 1:20):
“I left my mother’s womb naked,
and I will return to God naked.
The Lord has given,
and the Lord has taken.
May the name of the Lord be blessed.”
A lot more can be said about Job, but we know how the story ends. After losing everything, God blesses Job.
Job 42:12 “The Lord blessed Job during the latter part of his life more than the former.”
Job did something unique, something special, something unequaled by his peers to forge Godly character. He was obedient! In the best sense of the definition, he practiced obedience where others faltered.
Reflection Questions to Help You in Your Character Formation
Regarding your coaching journey and this particular area of development, consider these reflection questions:
- Where are you finding success connecting with God?
- What does not work well for you?
- How has God wired you to connect with him?
- Given your current stage of life, what might be some helpful ways of engaging with God?
- What environments are conducive to connecting to God for you?
- Journal the following:
- When have been the times in your life when you have grown in character the most?
- What do you think contributed to that growth?
- What does that tell you?
Use these questions to trigger old practices that have worked in the past, new habits that you want to test to connect with God, and find someone to help you focus on your journey of ongoing growth to build Godly character.
The post Questions to help you reflect on your character development appeared first on InFocus.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
by Gary Reinecke | Jan 30, 2022 | Uncategorized |
The Most Important of All Christian Coaching Competencies
Abiding in Christ is the most important of all the Christian coaching competencies. What we uncovered in our original research, documented in Christian Coaching Excellence, is that it’s the one competency that separates good Christian coaches from great Christian coaches. As we abide in Christ, we help our clients abide in Him, partnering with the Holy Spirit for greater significance in our coaching relationships, life, and ministry effectiveness.
I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts that I have taken this competency seriously. Primarily because in my initial 360-degree Christian Coach Assessment in November 2009, abiding in Christ was my lowest score. More recently, I’ve had a growing desire to experientially understand what spiritual formation entails and how it connects to spiritual direction. This is where the two worlds intersect–Christian coaching and spiritual direction, with abiding in Christ as the common denominator.
As a result, I am participating in a three-year cohort in the doctoral program at Fuller Seminary. Additionally, I have enlisted the services of a wonderful spiritual director who has given me the gift of listening prayer, friendship, and support. Through that relationship–and a triad I meet with every other week–I am beginning to get a glimpse into the nuances of abiding in Christ that only comes through the crucible of life and ministry. It goes beyond head knowledge into the more subtle places in our souls.
Back to the point.
Abiding in Christ deals with the extent to which a coach seeks the Holy Spirit’s guidance at each stage of the coaching process and how much a coach depends on God in discerning the needs of those being coached.
As we approach the Lenten season (March 2 – April 16), let’s not miss the opportunity to instill a renewed desire to know God as we prepare for Jesus’ resurrection. It is so easy to let this season–and the opportunity to increasingly know God–slip our attention. It is all too easy to find ourselves celebrating the Resurrection without acknowledging what comes before: Lent, a reflective and repentant seasonal journey on the church calendar.
In coaching, as we abide in Christ, we will begin to sense a higher purpose in our coaching, a lighter weight to carry, and a deepening of the souls of those we coach. The benefit to our clients? They will, hopefully, begin to think more about God and less about themselves. One among many, many benefits.
How to develop your ability to Abide in Christ?
There is not a simple answer to this question. I mentioned how I am zeroing-in on this competency above myself, but that is just my approach. Your approach will be unique to you. If this is an area that surfaces as a growth point for you, then I would suggest you consider the Coaching Excellence GrowthTrack.
I am extending the registration date through February 15. This cohort offers a unique combination of the 360° assessment, personalized one-on-one mentoring, and webinars aimed at raising your effectiveness as a coach. We will use the newly released book Christian Coaching Excellence to guide participants along their coaching development journey.
If you are looking for a way to increase your coaching effectiveness, this is a great opportunity! And, an added bonus is the 10 hours you can apply to your coach mentoring requirement with ICF!
Pursuing ICF Certification?
Our goal is to make this the best 10 CCEUs (Continuing Christian Education Units that qualify for International Coach Federation Coach Mentor credits) you can get! Learn more at ChristianCoachingTools.com.
Registration for this cohort closes on February 15th. Do you want to explore this opportunity further? Read more HERE. Register HERE!
May God bless you as you listen to His direction for your life and ministry in 2022!
The post How to develop your ability to Abide in Christ? appeared first on InFocus.
by Gary Reinecke | Jan 23, 2022 | Uncategorized |
Back in 2007 I was launching InFocus. I remember a conversation with one of my founding board members, Linda Miller, who is a world-class coach and highly regarded in the coaching world both inside and outside the church. She is a pioneer and was influential in the establishment of the International Coach Federation (ICF). When we met, she was fully engaged with coaching for the Ken Blanchard Co. (her title, if I remember correctly, was “Global Liaison for Coaching”). She graciously accepted my invitation to be on the board, and I remember a question she asked me as I was expanding my coaching practice. She asked, “Where are you on your certification?”
- First, I was unaware that certification was a thing.
- Second, I was curious what was involved.
So I researched ICF and began my journey to become a credentialed coach. Over the next decade I accumulated the necessary hours of training, documented coaching hours, and navigated many exams to demonstrate my skills as a coach. In 2018 I received the highest level of certification as a Master Certified Coach.
The reason I share this is to point to the need to get better and better as a coach. Is certification necessary? That’s a question only you can answer (and one I am more than willing to discuss with you if you are interested). What I would encourage you to do is to take your coaching development seriously. The question Linda asked me was like a jolt to my system and the catalyst I needed to begin my journey.
For me, it has been a worthwhile journey as I have honed my craft through the process. In addition, I’ve taken advantage of the 360° Christian Coach Assessment which provides “teeth” behind your coaching development by providing a baseline of your strengths and weaknesses in comparison to other coaches.
Last week I mentioned that I partnered with Dr. Bob Logan to bring you the Coaching Excellence GrowthTrack. This cohort offers a unique combination of the 360° assessment, personalized one-on-one mentoring, and webinars aimed at raising your effectiveness as a coach. We will use the newly released book Christian Coaching Excellence to guide participants along their coach development journey.
If you are looking for a way to increase your coaching effectiveness, this is a great opportunity!
And, an added bonus is the 10 hours you can apply to your coach mentoring requirement with ICF!
Pursuing ICF Certification?
Our goal is to make this the best 10 CCEUs (Continuing Christian Education Units that qualify for International Coach Federation Coach Mentor credits) you can get! Learn more at ChristianCoachingTools.com.
Registration for this cohort closes on January 31st. Do you want to explore this opportunity further? Read more HERE. Register HERE!
May God bless you as you listen to His direction for your life and ministry in 2022!
The post Coach development resources for experienced coaches in 2022 appeared first on InFocus.
by Gary Reinecke | Jan 16, 2022 | Uncategorized |
Two New Coaching Insights for 2022
2022 is upon us and I imagine that, like many of us, you have a fresh, new vision for the year ahead. The Lord is using this season to refine and sharpen my own vision for coaching, helping others to become better at coming alongside new disciples, leaders, and teams to follow Jesus during a very challenging time in our culture. As I reflect on 2021, I recall story after story of leaders who are learning to navigate a very fluid season in the local church. This could be, perhaps, the most challenging season in our lifetimes.
Most recently, I was “zooming” with a group of leaders who are courageously leading their congregations during this time. We were discussing an upcoming retreat (which had been postponed from the fall) and each leader shared their “Why?” for the retreat–the real need they wanted to address. Almost in unison, they said, “To be in a space with other leaders to connect, face to face!”
I echo that sentiment!
Most leaders I speak to are living in the tension of trying to please two (or more) groups of people in their church. Inevitably, this is stressful and unsustainable. Moreover, leaders need the comfort and security that comes with being part of a community. One of my goals this year is to encourage my friends, neighbors, and clients to take the initiative to connect in meaningful ways.
This is one reason I am excited for the year ahead!
Two new coaching insights worth considering:
- How can we create learning communities of substance during this season while continuing to battle a pandemic?
- What do leaders who have completed foundational coach training need next in their development?
Without going into too much detail here, I want to share two resources with you in light of these questions.
Coaching Excellence
I partnered with Dr. Bob Logan to bring you the Coaching Excellence GrowthTrack. This cohort offers a unique combination of the 360° assessment, personalized one-on-one mentoring, and webinars aimed at raising your effectiveness as a coach.
Pursuing ICF Certification?
Our goal is to make this the best 10 CCEUs (Continuing Christian Education Units that qualify for International Coach Federation Coach Mentor credits) you can get! Learn more at ChristianCoachingTools.com.
This cohort closes on January 31st. Do you want to explore this opportunity further? Schedule a Zoom call with me – CLICK HERE!
May God bless you as you listen to His direction for your life and ministry in 2022!
The post Coach development resources for experienced coaches in 2022 appeared first on InFocus.
