by Gary Reinecke | Jul 16, 2021 | Uncategorized |
Missional Values ask the question: Why do you love God, love your neighbor and make disciples?
Have you ever been at work, or at church, or chatting with a friend and you realize that you just said or did something differently than you would do if you were someplace else? Maybe you realized that you truly value honest relationships in your personal life, but when you’re at work, you can’t seem to be able to share important truths about yourself. Maybe you are an incredibly invested parent, but you can’t seem to work up that enthusiasm in church. It can look a million different ways.
Our friend and partner on the Discipleship Guides and Quiz, Glenn Spyksma, shares his experience with incongruent values.
Glenn’s experience:
I went through this realization myself not too long ago. One of my values is “people development”, or wanting to see people become all that God intends for them to be. I felt like I was living this out at work but at church, I struggled to help people in this way. It wasn’t that things were different at work and church… my values were different. My values were in conflict with each other and I realized that I would find myself having to change my identity depending on the situation. This inspired me to really consider what my truest and deepest values were.
I began by looking back on my life and considering consistent themes (positive and negative). I thought about influential people in my life, circumstances that shaped me, events that encouraged new ways of thinking and behaving. Next, I identified lessons learned…
For example, one of my values is “people development”, or wanting to see people become all that God intends for them to be. At work, this was played out through training classes, mentoring, coaching, and creating a freedom for upward mobility driven by personal accomplishment. But at church I struggled to find a way to help people like I did at work. It was frustrating. I felt like I was able to live out my value of “people development” at work but not in my church. I was not living a life that was congruent. I was being authentic to who God created me to be at work, but not at church. It wasn’t that things were different at work and church… my values were different. I was not being true to myself. This caused incredible frustration because my values were in conflict with each other and I would find myself having to change my identity depending on the situation. I wanted to discover my life values; my true and deepest values, and then align them with my behavior in everything I did. But where did I begin? Self evaluation can be difficult. If you find yourself, like me, weighing what you truly value, start with your most important, clear behaviors. For me that came down to love God, love others and make disciples.
Do you also feel the need to clarify your values? Follow in Glenn’s steps:
- Begin by looking back at your life to identify themes, influential people, circumstances that shaped you, or events that encouraged new ways of thinking and behaving.
- Identify lessons learned.
- Identify values from these lessons
- Now take 5 minutes and go back through and reexamine if your values are things, you value or life values. Modify your list, as necessary.
- Create three columns by each of your values. Maybe start with the three you see as most important to you. This can be whatever you see as the main areas to examine your values in. At the top of a column write Church, Work, Home, Playing
Sports or whatever you see as three areas to examine your values in. Begin to examine how you live out each value in the three areas. This is only for you, so be truthful!
So what did you observe? How can you change your actions to be consistent with your highest values in all areas of life? Tomorrow, as you go about your day, be especially mindful of your new and improved list of values… you will be surprised at how it changes your day and makes you feel more at peace with yourself.
About Glenn: Glenn is a semi-retired Operations Executive formerly with The Wine Group. He has also worked with colleagues in the operations and engineering arena developing people and systems for large brands like Campbell Soup and Chef Boyardee among others. Glenn has always had one foot in the church and one foot in the marketplace. He is an avid church-goer and involved in church leadership.
If you still haven’t taken our FREE Disciple Coach Quiz, take it HERE!
Coaching Guides expand on the habits and are part of a follow-up Zoom call after you take the quiz.
Also coming up: a new webinar on 5 Disciple Coach Habits. It will take place Monday, September 13 from 10-3 PST. Get tickets HERE!
Look into our full webinar package with five triad sessions, following the webinar. Get tickets HERE!
by Gary Reinecke | Jul 9, 2021 | Disciplemaking, Uncategorized |
If there is one thing that we know at InFocus, it is that we are at our best when we collaborate with others to gain new insights. These last few months we have been hard at work as we launch our new disciple coach quiz and now that is finally available, we want to take this time to shine a light on our partners who helped us shape our approach to discipleship: Our primary vision for the quiz was to introduce a coach-approach to disciple making:
A disciple coach helps their newest disciples by listening and asking questions to help them discern the voice of the Holy Spirit so that they can take the next step in their discipling making journey.
Based on that vision, we asked the important question: What kind of support does a disciple need to make disciples using a coach approach? Both Colin and Glenn bring a unique perspective to disciple making.
Colin Noyes is a trainer, coach and consultant in Brisbane, Australia. He coaches in secular environments, working with business managers and executives, but he is also very involved in denominations and local churches in the Christian world. His focus is making more and better disciples, developing leaders and multiplying churches. Personally, being married to an Aussie and having spent considerable time in Melbourne, Australia; I’ve experienced the radical (meaning “going back to the root understanding of Jesus’s way of making disciples”) approach to disciple making that is necessary in a secular environment.
Colin and I have talked for years about the shifts in the culture and the implications on disciple making, and he truly was the foundation for our approach to discipleship; that discipleship starts in the harvest, not once you become a follower. He helped me to see this, reminding me that Jesus focused his time on engaging with those outside of the church. After hours of conversation, we tried to think of ways to shift the starting point when it comes to discipleship.
LEARN about the DISCIPLE COACH Quiz
Glenn Spyksma was the Operations Executive of the second largest wine distribution company in the world and has a background in engineering, working with many large brands. He has three decades in industry and now serves in a leadership role in the Central California region of the denomination of which his church is a member. Glenn strives to help individuals rise to their highest level, take educated risks, enjoy work and realize their self-worth. After Glenn participated in a coach training workshop I led for pastors and leaders in his region, he commented during a de-brief of a triad exercise he did with two other leaders that asking questions and listening to others in this manner – “was the most profound experience he had ever encountered”.
Glenn has always had one foot in the church and one foot in the marketplace. He is an avid church-goer and involved in church leadership. Glenn and I have spent a lot of time discussing the struggle of living in both the secular world and the Christian world and asking the question; what support do I need as a person who is making disciples? Eventually he came up with the five habits of good disciple makers, which became the catalyst for our disciple coach guide, and the basis for our coaching quiz.
Then there are the leaders who have been generous with their time to take the quiz and give us feedback. This helped us refine the questions and the coaching guides. Read their endorsements of the quiz at the bottom of the page- CLICK HERE.
We are so grateful for these people, without whom, the Disciple Coach Quiz couldn’t have been made. Their particular ensigns in both the Secular and religious world shaped the way we think about discipleship. Together, we want to bridge the gap between the insulated Christian world, to the rest of the world past the doors of our church… where discipleship really begins.
TAKE the DISCIPLE COACH Quiz
Gary Reinecke and his team have developed a really useful questionnaire which gives you an overall Disciple Coach Score as well as some improvement keys to help you grow in your commitment to His Mission.
Colin Noyes – Author DisciplingAsYouGo Blog, As You Go, Makes Disciples, Making Disciples in a Postmodern Era & Making Disciples Coaching Guide with Storyboard
by Gary Reinecke | Jul 1, 2021 | Uncategorized |
We’ve been so excited to share this resource with our readers and it is finally time! If you are just joining us, here are some things you might want to know about the Discipleship Coach Quiz:
Who is this quiz for?
Church leaders, church planters and pastors and anyone. who aspires to be, or already is, a disciple-maker.
What does this quiz cover?
We check your strengths and weaknesses in five key areas of discipleship: missional values, active prayer, relational connections, disciple-making cycle and strategic partnership.
LEARN about the DISCIPLE COACH Quiz
How is this quiz best used?
It is best shared with small groups that can process together; to help one another engage and grow in relationship with each other and with the Lord. This is not part of a step-by-step guide… more of a jumping off point to help you understand and grow your unique way of discipling.
How long does the quiz take?
We know you’re busy, but don’t worry, this will take less than five minutes of your time!
Okay, I’m interested… but how much does it cost?
Nothing! This quiz is absolutely free.
TAKE the DISCIPLE COACH Quiz
So, after I take the quiz… then what?
You will receive a score breakdown with a graph of your current strengths and weaknesses as a Disciple Coach, with a brief explanation of the area where you should direct the most focus. This will be linked to a coaching guide to help you develop this area. You will then be invited to schedule a no-obligation, free 25-minute Zoom call with me to discuss your results.
What can I do to keep growing after I take the quiz?
Coming this September we will be hosting a five-hour webinar on discipleship! More information will be coming soon!
Here is what one disciple maker says about the Disciple Coach Quiz:
“As someone who desires to grow in their understanding of how to be a disciple who makes disciples and lead others through this process, the Disciple Coach quiz was extremely helpful. It highlighted key areas of growth as well as provided practical next steps that were specific to my disciple making journey. For those of you who are unsure of where to begin as disciple maker or feel stuck in the process, the Disciple Coach quiz is an excellent resource that will empower you to take significant steps forward in the vital mission of making and multiplying disciples”
Sam Brown – Salem Alliance Pastor of House Churches
by Gary Reinecke | Jun 10, 2021 | Uncategorized |
How were you first taught to make disciples? Was it through inviting new friends to your church? Handing pamphlets out on corners? Sharing testimonies with strangers? If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone. For decades, this was how many Christians were taught to share the gospel and produce more followers of Christ. However, if you have tried any of these methods recently, you have likely been met with indifference or even animosity.
A couple of years ago we met our new neighbors and had them over for dinner. We had a wonderful time connecting which led to conversations dealing with their journey of faith. At no time did it seem odd to go there. They had been seeking relationship and we were first to extend an invitation. This led to multiple encounters over the next few years that allowed us to coach them to a next step on their spiritual journey simply by listening and asking questions. A skill-set that most Christians can develop.
We created the discipleship coach quiz because only about two percent of American Churches are growing through multiplication, while ninety-eight percent are not producing disciples for the next generation. Part of this problem is due to the fact that the Church is a little behind the times. We need to understand the cultural shift of a postmodern person. The postmodern generation doesn’t like to be told what to do and how they should do it; they value discovering these things on their own, in their own way.
In a previous blog we contrasted the spiritual journey of a modern vs. a postmodern person Essentially I asked: “WHAT’S DIFFERENT?” My answer, based on experience, observation, discussing the topic with others in the field and reading books on the topic: “THE STARTING POINT HAS CHANGED!”
- Instead of beginning with ‘Believing’ as the starting point – the initial point of contact is ‘Blessing’.
- When a person comes in contact with a Christian who heightens their curiosity for spiritual matters, that person might be interested in exploring a next step on their discipleship journey.
- That initial point of contact, which heightens curiosity and could lead to a potential next step, most naturally occurs in the Harvest!
So how do we reach the very people that are like the disciples Jesus tapped to follow Him? They are not going to magically appear in church. They are unlikely to seek out Biblical wisdom out of the blue. We need to meet them where they are at; outside of the walls of the church. Jesus didn’t go to the temples to find his first disciples; he met them on the shores of Galilee, in the middle of their workday. Disciple making doesn’t start in church “anymore”; it begins earlier, in the harvest. It begins in conversation and through true relationships. It starts by recognizing where not-yet Christians are on their spiritual journey and finding ways to join them.
Everyone has a different path. We shouldn’t impose a pathway… Everyone needs to create their own. We may have a few principles or milestones, but they are the author of their story. They create their own pathway.
We are getting closer and closer to launching the Disciple Coach Quiz. As we beta-test the quiz we are receiving amazing feedback. Here is what other people are saying about the Disciple Coach Quiz…
Gary and the InFocus team have put together a very helpful tool in the Disciple Coach Quiz. It only took a few minutes to complete and gave comprehensive feedback that was immediately helpful. The quiz helped me identify where I was weakest and the quiz report offered up quality questions to help me start down the road of growth in this area. A natural next step will be to pursue coaching in this growth area.
Daniel Bethel Director of Church Planting, Christar International , Malaga, Spain
Stay tune! We are excited as the we prepare for the launch of the Disciple Coach Quiz.
by Gary Reinecke | Jun 6, 2021 | Uncategorized |
One of the distinctions we are addressing in the Disciple Coach approach is to help engage Christians that really want to make disciples but for a number of reasons have been unable. “Tatum” (not her real name for a real person in our small group) came into our group as a curious, somewhat fearful and timid seeker. Following the experience of a painful divorce she decided to give God a try. What did she discover? That many of her friends noticed a change in her life they didn’t quite understand. What has she done? Honestly, she has had to make some hard choices about the relationships that were not contributing to her emotionally healthy spiritual growth. That was difficult and still is difficult for her to navigate. But for the curious one’s she is engaging in emotionally healthy discipleship conversations. How is she doing this? She is taking a coach-approach by listening carefully and asking questions to challenge, clarify and inspire her friends to take a step in their discipleship journey.
Tatum is the type of person we created the Disciple Coach Quiz for – to inspire the 98%. These are Christians who are looking for a way to use their gifts where God has placed them in life to help other people discover and follow Jesus so that they can make disciples. Our aim is not to have another thing for people to do or a program to follow, but to make several natural shifts that will enable each of you to make disciples who in turn make disciples.
Here are a couple of “best practices” to help you process your Disciple Coach Quiz results:
- Self-assessment: take the quiz and read your report and reflection questions.
- Pairs: consider working with another very new Christian (less than 6 months) and encourage each other to take steps to make progress in your disciple coach journey
- Triad: bring another yet-to-be Christian into the group and reflect on steps you can take individually as well as together to reproduce disciples into the 3rd and 4th generation
We are getting closer and closer to launching the Disciple Coach Quiz. As we beta-test the quiz we are receiving amazing feedback. Here is what other people are saying about the Disciple Coach Quiz…
by Gary Reinecke | Jun 4, 2021 | Uncategorized |
One of the distinctions we are addressing in the Disciple Coach approach is to help engage Christians that really want to make disciples but for a number of reasons have been unable. “Tatum” (not her real name for a real person in our small group) came into our group as a curious, somewhat fearful and timid seeker. Following the experience of a painful divorce she decided to give God a try. What did she discover? That many of her friends noticed a change in her life they didn’t quite understand. What has she done? Honestly, she has had to make some hard choices about the relationships that were not contributing to her emotionally healthy spiritual growth. That was difficult and still is difficult for her to navigate. But for the curious one’s she is engaging in emotionally healthy discipleship conversations. How is she doing this? She is taking a coach-approach by listening carefully and asking questions to challenge, clarify and inspire her friends to take a step in their discipleship journey.
Tatum is the type of person we created the Disciple Coach Quiz for – to inspire the 98%. These are Christians who are looking for a way to use their gifts where God has placed them in life to help other people discover and follow Jesus so that they can make disciples. Our aim is not to have another thing for people to do or a program to follow, but to make several natural shifts that will enable each of you to make disciples who in turn make disciples.
Here are a couple of “best practices” to help you process your Disciple Coach Quiz results:
- Self-assessment: take the quiz and read your report and reflection questions.
- Pairs: consider working with another Christian and encourage each other to take steps to make progress in your disciple coach journey
- Triad: bring another new Christian into the group and reflect on steps you can take together to reproduce disciples into the 3rd and 4th generation
We are getting closer and closer to launching the Disciple Coach Quiz. As we beta-test the quiz we are receiving amazing feedback. Here is what other people are saying about the Disciple Coach Quiz…
The mission of the Church is not simply reaching the lost, increasing Church attendance or teaching biblical information – or anything else. Our mission is to make fully-fledged reproducing disciples of Jesus. And this is true for each individual disciple. Disciple Making isn’t something we do; it’s everything we do.
Many of us are on the journey to being fully committed to the Mission of Jesus but we are unsure of the areas we still need to develop. This is where the Disciple Coach Quiz comes into play. Gary Reinecke and his team have developed a really useful questionnaire which gives you an overall Disciple Coach Score as well as some improvement keys to help you grow in your commitment to His Mission.
Even though I have been Making Disciples for a long time, the results of the quiz pointed out some areas I still need to work on and I have already created some action steps for myself.
Colin Noyes – Author As You Go, Makes Disciples, Making Disciples in a Postmodern Era & Making Disciples Coaching Guide with Storyboard
