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.
by Gary Reinecke | Jan 8, 2022 | Uncategorized |
Introducing a FREE six week series (Wednesdays at 8am PST starting January 12, 2022) specifically designed for ministry leaders!
How is your health today compared to this time last year?
Did your plans get derailed (again!) by the demands of life and ministry?
Do you feel empowered or defeated, proud or ashamed of the state of your health?
Do you have a vague sense of what you wish to change, or do you have a solid plan in place for your physical, mental, and spiritual well being in 2022?
Putting a microscope to our own habits isn’t always an easy or comfortable task. But doing it in a safe space with other sojourners can take the edge off (and take us off the edge!). Creating a plan is the first order of business, and we want to help you do just that. You are invited to the Healthy Habits Workshop – it’s completely free and designed specifically for ministry leaders!
Here’s what one pastor recently shared about his health journey:
If I am going to take care of people, the only way I can do that is if I am taking care of myself. Too many times pastors are at the beck and call of staff, congregants, and anyone who has a need, putting ourselves on the back burner.
When I began to give attention to my health I had so much more energy, my sleep was better, I was able to be more alert and present with people everyday.
It took me from a place of feeling mentally oppressed, to feeling like I could make a difference in people’s lives.
In this free six-week series specifically designed for ministry leaders, you will have time and space to:
-
- Discover your “why?” Why do you even care to be healthy? What difference will it make to the quality of your life and ministry? What has God called you to, and how can you powerfully step into that with your mind, body, soul and strength?
- Evaluate your current reality and discover some simple approaches to shore up areas that are holding you back and draining your energy.
- Learn basic strategies to upgrade your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It will touch on the personal aspects of creating habits that will help you sustain what you begin. Ultimately, this is a great way to kick-off 2022.
I will be partnering with my colleague Micah Dodson (Thrive Church Planting), along with Gina Reinecke (OptaVia Health Coach) to help you create a plan to help you thrive in 2022.
HEALTHY HABITS WORKSHOP SERIES
WEDNESDAYS, JAN 12, 19, 26, FEB 2, 9, 16 at 8:00am PST/11:00am EST
TO REGISTER, EMAIL US AT admin@infocusnet.org
Workshops are presented in a Zoom format in weekly, one-hour sessions. The workshop is limited to 15 members to maximize interaction among the participants. We do not promote any organization or program, and we are not affiliated with a particular religious group. The presenters are volunteers who provide information and support. They are not licensed to give any medical or psychological advice in health, wellness, or other fields.
TO REGISTER, EMAIL US AT admin@infocusnet.org
by Gary Reinecke | Dec 23, 2021 | Uncategorized |
You are walking through possibly the most stressful couple of years that our generation will face. Coping mechanisms were created for times like these. But they aren’t meant to become habits. When they do, I find one area that suffers is our physical health—diet and exercise. These tips for coaching for physical health may be helpful to your clients… and maybe even yourself.
It may be a stretch to connect our physical health to scripture. However, I would gently suggest that as followers of Jesus it just makes good, common sense to be in the best physical, mental, and spiritual shape as we possibly can. Not solely for our benefit or the benefit of our loved ones, but as an act of worship and service to the Master. Doesn’t it make sense to prioritize your physical self care as much as your spiritual soul care? I am not suggesting that we all need to be svelte–not at all. But I am suggesting that we strive to be the very best version of ourselves for the glory of God.
It’s no secret that your physical health impacts your mental, emotional, and spiritual development. All areas of our health are important, but as a society we’ve relegated our physical health further and further down the list of personal disciplines. And so goes our spiritual and emotional health with it! Here are some important statistics that Health and Wellness Coach, Gina Reinecke, shares with her clients:
[Tweet “As you know, your physical health impacts your mental, emotional and spiritual development. “]
Obesity is one of the most pressing health issues of our time
- Over 70% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, with nearly 40% of our population obese.
- Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing many related, often serious conditions (e.g. heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer) and has a substantial economic impact.
- The U.S. spends an estimated $190 billion on obesity-related medical conditions, and the average annual medical costs for those with obesity are over $1,400 higher compared to people in a normal weight range.
- Other countries are also experiencing growing rates of obesity and, worldwide, obesity has nearly tripled since 1975.
- Weight loss can help to reduce both the medical and economic impact of obesity by decreasing the risk of developing associated chronic diseases.
©2019 Medifast Clinical Studies Overview
Reasons we struggle to make physical health a priority
Some people are really good at keeping commitments to themselves in this arena. Others struggle. Here are some reasons people struggle to prioritize their physical health:
- Laziness
- Negative experiences
- Accountability
- Weather
- Motivation
- Accessibility
- Vision
Stop-Challenge-Choose
This is a very simple tool that was introduced by Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, Co-Founder of OptaVia. I have modified Dr. Andersen’s tool for our purposes here, and it’s a valuable resource to apply to your physical well-being:
STOP: What do you need to stop doing?
CHALLENGE: What specific actions can you take to achieve different results?
CHOOSE: What new behavior, technique, or mindset changes will you adopt immediately?
Used with permission from Dr. A’s Habits of Health (pgs.133-137) by Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen
5 ways to break the cycle and make health a priority
I’ve always been a believer in starting wherever you are on your health journey. It’s not uncommon that I hear from friends who have maintained a rather sedentary lifestyle for a decade or more and, after seeing a YouTube video of an Adventure Race, get the idea that they should begin training for a marathon! That is not a good idea. Most likely, that person is going to get injured. Assess where you are now and start there!
- Find activities you enjoy
- Take baby steps–like walking your block–and then increase gradually over time
- Take a health assessment with a health coach
- Find a buddy to do activities you both love to do together
- Remove one thing in your diet you are confident is causing you trouble
7 coaching questions to help guide a physical health journey:
It’s one thing to tell a person what they need to do–it’s quite another to help them discover it for themselves. Here are some coaching questions that can help:
- Can you describe “why” it is important for you to focus on your physical health? Your answer(s) might be:
- play with your grandchildren
- go on a hike
- outlive a parent that died prematurely
- etc.
- In what ways does your “why” compel you?
- What does success in your health look like?
- Identify your greatest challenges?
- What changes do you need to reach your goal?
- Who do you know can help you on your journey?
- What is one simple thing you can do that will help you get started?
It’s time to focus on your health!
Introducing a FREE six week series (Wednesdays at 8am PST starting January 12, 2022) specifically designed for ministry leaders!
You are invited to the Healthy Habits Workshop Series to set the tone for 2022. I will be partnering with my colleague Micah Dodson (Thrive Church Planting), along with Gina Reinecke (OptaVia Health Coach) to help you create a plan to help you thrive in 2022.
Healthy Habits Workshop Series
by Gary Reinecke | Dec 22, 2021 | Uncategorized |
Seven Questions for Establishing Healthy Mental Agility in 2022
You are walking through what are possibly the most stressful couple of years that our generation will face. Coping mechanisms were created for times like these. But they aren’t meant to become habits. When they do, one thing that suffers is our emotional health—our mental and psychological well-being. Following are some coaching tips for emotional health that may be helpful to your clients…and maybe for you, too.
“Mismanaged emotions not only determine whether you will become sick but also whether you will be happy, fulfilled, and successful in your life”
Hopelessness And Progression Of Heart Disease, Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis Vascular Biology
Everson, S A. Kaplan, G A. Goldberg. D E. Salon,R. 17, (8) pages 1490-1495.
[Tweet ““Mismanaged emotions not only determine whether you will become sick but also whether you will be happy, fulfilled, and successful in your life.””]
That quote says a lot. As a leadership and ministry coach I do not have the expertise of a counselor, psychologist, or medical doctor. However, I share my perspective based on coaching hundreds of leaders in their mental agility (self-awareness or what is commonly known as Emotional Intelligence – EQ). From that experience, I want to share three observations:
Three observations on mental agility
- What the authors of the above quote are not saying: if you manage your emotions well you will live a healthy, happy, fulfilling and successful life. We all know people who do all the right things to manage their emotional health yet suffer the cruelest complexities of life. Yet there are things within our control that, if managed well, can mitigate the side effects that lead to some physical ailments. The things that are outside of our control–like DNA, pre-existing conditions, or certain pre-dispositions–we have to navigate as they come.
- Happiness is not the same as joyfulness! Happiness is a temporary state. Joy comes from the ongoing, internal work of the Holy Spirit. You might not be happy at the moment–in fact, you might be suffering, grieving or feeling downright ornery–but you can maintain your joy in the experiential knowledge that God is always at work, knowing He can sustain you through the most difficult life and ministry challenges.
Though the cherry trees don’t blossom
and the strawberries don’t ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten
and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
and the cattle barns empty,
I’m singing joyful praise to God.
I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God’s Rule to prevail,
I take heart and gain strength.
I run like a deer.
I feel like I’m king of the mountain!
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (The Message translation)
3. Fulfillment and success are not the best gauge of well-managed emotions! This third point takes me to our current state of affairs at this moment in history.
Most–if not all–leaders who have led their churches well through the pandemic have at some point questioned their judgment. This has led some leaders to new heights and others to greater depths than they have known before. Leading in this season is a wild roller coaster ride and not for the faint of heart.
Can you relate to the roller coaster of mental agility?
In our current conditions your level of fulfillment and success may have hit a lull (or an all-time low). In these moments you are being challenged to respond differently. This may be more difficult than you anticipated. Yet, you are learning to remain in the moment, steadfast and unwavering, learning to pivot in order to see your situation from God’s perspective. This has allowed you to take a deep breath, celebrate the good things that can be redeemed from the situation at hand and move on with a renewed sense that you did what needed to be done based on the information at your disposal. Doing this over and over again is helping you develop new muscles of resilience.
So much is happening right now in our world that is shaking the foundations of the church. If I were to describe what is occurring in our world it would be old news by the time you read this blog due to the rate of change and the expediency of social media! Rather than attempt to diagnose what’s happening, allow me to share seven questions to help you grow your mental agility and exercise your resilience when the path forward is unclear and changing without advance warning.
7 questions to help you grow your mental agility
-
- What insights about your mental agility can you glean as you have led over the past 21 months?
- How can you consolidate those into new behaviors to manage your emotions?
- Reflect on a real situation and consider how you can apply that learning in real-time?
- What difference will it make if you do this well?
- Is the benefit worth the effort?
- What will you do to move the learning from a theory to a practice?
- After you have taken a step of action, what new insight(s) do you have?
It’s time to focus on your health!
Introducing a FREE six week series (Wednesdays at 8am PST starting January 12, 2022) specifically designed for ministry leaders!
You are invited to the Healthy Habits Workshop Series to set the tone for 2022. I will be partnering with my colleague Micah Dodson (Thrive Church Planting), along with Gina Reinecke (OptaVia Health Coach) to help you create a plan that allows you to thrive in 2022.
Healthy Habits Workshop Series
by Gary Reinecke | Dec 17, 2021 | Uncategorized |
Our Christmas Review:
And once again, Christmas is upon us!
In the hustle and bustle of Christmastime, it’s easy to find ourselves lost…we all, to some degree, can get caught up in the unavoidable commercialism and social pressure of Christmas. Yet I have found that when I make some time to quiet my mind, it is a great season for reflection. With the new year just around the corner, it is naturally a wonderful time to look back on the past year, recalling the joys and the struggles, the lessons learned and the growth we have seen in ourselves and all around us.
Since last Christmas much has changed, and in many ways we are all still adapting to the new normal. It has been a busy year personally and professionally. Today, I want to share some of the highlights of this year and take some time to show my appreciation for everyone who is on this journey with me.
Personal review:
This has been a year of growth and change for my family. Last August my wife, Gina, and I helped relocate both of our kids to Boston. Parenting young adults has been a big learning curve! We are learning and finding people to lean on in this new stage of our journey as parents.
Gina’s health coaching business has grown steadily. InFocus has partnered with her to do some wonderful work with three unique groups that started out as clients and took the step to become health coaches. We are especially proud to say that about a third of her team is made up of people of color. You can read more about our partnership – CLICK HERE. We are also grateful to share that Gina’s parents in Australia are finally coming out of lockdown!
This year, one of my personal goals regarded my own spiritual growth. I had been feeling stagnant in my spiritual life and knew it was time to create some intentional space to learn and grow. I have enlisted in a three-year cohort through Fuller Seminary’s Doctoral program and began working with a spiritual director. Together, we are exploring my relationship with Christ in some deeper and refreshing ways. It has been so revitalizing to my soul!
I want to finish with a personal accomplishment: I am likely to surpass my 2020 record in miles and elevation in mountain biking! My love of mountain biking is only growing!
Professional review:
This has been a busy year for me in ministry. I am proud to look back on what InFocus and our affiliates have accomplished. It’s been a great year for collaboration!
- Training Coaches to Help Churches in Transition
In conjunction with Micah Dodson, I began working with leaders from a denomination in the Pacific Northwest who are coaching churches in transition to aid these congregations in their revitalization. We trained these leaders in the coaching process and saw significant growth. Here is what the leaders shared about our work:
“Over this past year, our district contracted with Dr. Gary Reinecke of InFocus Ministries to train several turnaround coaches. Our aim is to better serve, support, and resource our pastors who have been called to lead churches in need of revitalization. Engaging this partnership with InFocus immediately resulted in fourteen of our pastors receiving monthly coaching. No doubt these numbers will continue to rise as our coaches gain experience and additional pastors begin to hear of the impact and value from those already engaged. The benefits have been significant. Our pastors are encouraged because they feel less isolated. And, because they are experiencing personal growth and developing their leadership capacity, their leadership teams are also being impacted. This has been a worthwhile investment. I highly recommend Dr. Gary Reinecke and InFocus Ministries. He is a ‘master’ coach who will serve you well.”
We are so proud of our Leadership Collective! In collaboration with Russ Siders, we focused on multi-ethnic churches in 2021 with a focus on building and developing strong leaders who are passionate about developing leaders, beginning with the newest disciples and ending with a culture of ministry multiplication. The goal is to raise up church leaders and equip individuals to grow and transform their communities.
- Five Disciple Coach Habits
In 2020, InFocus and our affiliate, Micah Dodson, began a workshop called Five Disciple Coach Habits. We hosted another round in October 2021, examining these five habits and offering a series of private coaching sessions to follow. We are so pleased with how the webinar turned out and gained so much from our coaching sessions!
My colleague, Bob Logan, and I launched the Christian Coaching Tools platform and are in the final stages of publishing Christian Coaching Excellence (coming out in January 2022). Our vision is to raise the level of Christian coaching around the world by developing the best coaching resources and tools.
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I am in the process of writing a new book with my colleague Colin Noyes in Australia. In this book we introduce two unique perspectives of a new disciple’s spiritual journey:
Move the starting point:
First, we move the starting point of a new disciple’s journey. As people go about their everyday business and encounter a disciple of Christ who is willing and able to engage in spiritual conversations, their awareness is triggered on a subconscious level until it happens enough times that it surfaces to a conscious awareness. A more familiar–and common–place in which people are initially aware of the beginning of the disciple journey is when they enter a church or participate in a discipleship program.
Self-awareness:
Second is the guiding principle of a disciple coach: “What a new disciple discovers for themselves will empower them to take the next step on their disciple-making journey.”
The most difficult part of this year has been discovering how to help pastors and church planters navigate the pandemic and enter a new normal. We at InFocus are infinitely thankful for our clients and affiliates! It is because of our work together that we have made it through these unprecedented times and accomplished so much along the way.
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Thank you for your continued support of InFocus and our work!
I would love to list the names of all the leaders that serve faithfully around the world, but due to confidentiality I am unable to do so. I will just say that our combined efforts result in the mission to make more and better disciples, develop leaders, and plant healthy churches that reproduce healthy churches.
Merry Christmas to you all!
Gary Reinecke
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
