by Gary Reinecke | Apr 5, 2018 | Church Growth, Leader Development, Personal Development |
Not too long ago I was asked to recommend a book to help churches design a leadership pipeline. A “leadership pipeline” is a leadership development process that helps local churches establish, grow and reproduce leaders. At that point in time, when I searched my mental files, I came up short. Today, I can answer that question with a resounding “yes”.
“The Leadership Difference”, by Robert Logan, offers principles for the leader who’s vision is to develop other leaders. Reflection questions with related resources enable reproducing leaders to create their unique development process.
When discussing leadership development with other leaders, I’ve discovered the lines between discipleship and leadership are often blurry. In fact, some would argue, discipleship = leadership development. There is some truth to that statement. Logan makes the case and captures the essence of that dynamic; the relationship is one of interdependence:
Discipleship is the often less visible but absolutely essential foundation upon which leadership must rest. Without it, everything else collapses (p.19)
But there are also differences. The author makes a clear distinction between Discipleship Competencies and Leadership Competencies:
Discipleship Competencies:
- Experiencing God
- Spiritual Responsiveness
- Sacrificial Service
- Generous Living
- Disciplemaking
- Personal Transformation
- Authentic Relationships
- Community Transformation (p.21)
Leadership Competencies:
- Personal Development
- Developing Leaders
- Leading Teams
- Organizational Development
- Communication Skills
- Pastoral Skills (p.26-27)
This alone is worth the price of the book. A more complete list is presented in Appendix A and B. Clarifying the two creates a clear distinction. This allows a leader to design her/his own leadership pipeline, with the end in mind.
Logan is one of the leading thinkers in church planting and leader development today. His extensive experience as a coach, consultant and trainer in 30+ countries, spans four decades and gives him a broad base from which to draw. Logan is constantly asking God: “What’s next for the church to grow and reproduce healthy disciples and leaders?”
I highly recommend “The Leadership Difference” when you are being asked to build a leadership pipeline in the church or ministry you serve.
by Gary Reinecke | Mar 29, 2018 | Uncategorized |
Christ’s “mandate” is commemorated on Maundy Thursday—“maundy” being a shortened form of mandatum (Latin), which means “command.” It was on the Thursday of Christ’s final week before being crucified and resurrected that He said these words to his disciples:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34).
It is a solemn time for people of Faith. Jesus supped with his disciples, washed their feet and warned them of what was about to come. In our rush to move to Sunday with the anticipation of Christ’s resurrection we can miss this critical moment in time.
Several years ago I was asked to play THE part for our church’s dramatic presentation of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday. I memorized and recited the John 16 passage, word for word, verse by verse. Through that exercise I lived the Last Supper in my mind and with my co-actors. It became more and more real to me the closer we approached the evening of the performance.
I remember the solemn posture I took as I embodied His words. I imagined the humility that was required of Jesus that night. The fear that must have surrounded his thoughts. But in the midst of all of that, he embodied the essence of his life in a new command: “that you love one another: just as I have loved you.” A message our world so desperately needs to embrace today!
As we pause to reflect today on what Jesus did, let’s not forget His exhortation to pass on the love that comes through His life, His grace and His love.
by Gary Reinecke | Mar 14, 2018 | Church Growth, Church Multiplication, Coach Training, Disciplemaking, Leader Development |
Leaders want to know what is different about coaching.
I was asked this question recently and I gave my standard answers – click here. I like the illustration of wearing hats. When I am using a coach approach I have my “coaching hat” on. But when the focus shifts to another approach like counselor, adviser, teacher or mentor; I should be aware the leader may not see the shift they are asking me to make OR, that they may need help finding the assistance they really need OR, explain that I am willing to switch my “coaching” hat for some other hat.
The clearer we can be, the more confident people become when the shift occurs during a conversation. This is especially helpful when using a coach approach in disciplemaking and church planting/multiplication to avoid confusion, for the coach and the person being coached. I found the chart illustrated in Sending Well: A Field Guide to Great Church Planter Coaching by Dino Sinesi – to be extremely helpful to make the distinctions between coaching and other people-helping approaches. He breaks down the different roles in three categories: Function, Key Word & Scripture.
Here are the Roles with the Function and Key Word describing the outcome each role provides:
- Counselor: ER Doctor – Relief
- Advisor: Auto Mechanic – Solutions
- Teacher: Librarian – Information
- Mentor: Personal Trainer – Imitation
- Coach: Taxi Driver – Service
Reflect on these for a moment.
Below are three questions to help you clarify what approach is needed, and if you need to change your “coaching hat”…
- What kind of assistance is the leader/team asking for in this moment?
- Are you the best person to provide that type of help?
- If not, how can you help them find it?
by Gary Reinecke | Mar 4, 2018 | Coach Training, Disciplemaking, Leader Development, Personal Development |
What is the difference?
In his book Sending Well, Dino Senesi differentiates the unique ways coaches and mentors, or consultants, operate: Coaches “Draw Out” while Mentors “Pour In”.
If you find your-self desiring to help disciples, or disciplemakers you are coaching by “drawing out” the best path forward, then you might want to explore the upcoming Disciplemaking Collective.
We will give you a sneak-peak of what to expect in the Disciplemaking Collective, meet the Disciplemaking Collective Training Team and have a chance to interact on the questions you need answered.
Disciplemaking Collective Overview WEBINAR
Can you block-out 35 minutes on March 5 @ 2:30pm PST/5:30pm EST for this important FREE informational webinar to learn more about the Disciplemaking Collective?
Please register here to confirm your spot and write “Disciplemaking Collective Overview” in the Message box. Click Disciplemaking Collective Overview Login to enter the webinar.
Thank you for your continued passion and commitment to developing the healthiest, disciple-making movements possible. We’re looking forward to supporting you in every way we can.
The Disciplemaking Coaching Collective Training Team!
Gary Reinecke – Church Health Coach Facilitator
Daniel Bethel – Missionary & Disciple-Making Catalyst
by Gary Reinecke | Feb 27, 2018 | Uncategorized |
Disciplemaking Collective Overview: March 5 @ 2:30pm PST/5:30pm EST
SAVE THE DATE!
Disciplemaking Collective Overview: March 5 @ 2:30pm PST/5:30pm EST for this important FREE informational webinar to learn more about the Disciplemaking Collective. Please register here to confirm your spot and write “Disciplemaking Collective Overview” in the Message box. Click Disciplemaking Collective Overview Login to enter the webinar.
Thank you for your commitment to make more and better disciples through coaching.
by Gary Reinecke | Feb 12, 2018 | Church Growth, Church Multiplication, Coach Training, Disciplemaking, Leader Development |
Developing followers of Christ is like two rails of a train track. First, disciplemaking is the strategic side of helping a person follow Jesus. Second, coaching is the relational side of helping a person follow Jesus.
Coaching has evolved from an intuitive activity to a science. Discipleship sits in a similar continuum with “organic” and “programmic” approaches to spiritual strategy offering different perspectives on relational development. Combining effective coaching with a sound approach to discipleship often yields amazing results, with many individuals guided by this philosophy ultimately developing into followers of Jesus.
After listening to many leaders over the course of my career, I have discovered that coaching and disciplemaking perfectly complement one another.
What does it take to become a Disciplemaking Coach?
Listening to the Holy Spirit and asking powerful, thought provoking questions is central to the Disciplemaking Coach.
Here are two rails the Disciplemaking Coach rides:
1. The Developmental Rail
The Disciplemaking Rail using the Storyboard – the developmental path a person navigates on the discipleship journey.
2. The Coaching Rail
The Coaching Rail using the 5Rs – the path a coach travels as they interact with a disciple(s).
Recently, my family and I were sharing a meal with some new friends. The question of spirituality came up. My natural urge to offer my perspectives was managed by my more powerful desire to help these new friends take the next step on their spiritual pilgrimage to Jesus. Instead of sharing my nuggets of gold, I listened and asked questions. By allowing our friends space to discover the truth of Jesus for themselves, the conversation resulted in an invitation to another meal, where we will continue to explore the questions that matter most.
The Disciplemaking Collective is designed to give attention to both rails by providing:
1. Real-time learning to help you navigate the developmental path a person travels on their discipleship journey
2. Coach-skill development based on a Online Coach Assessment you administer with at least one disciple you have coached in the past.
Save the date! Please block-out 55 minutes on March 5 @ 2:30pm PST/5:30pm EST in your calendars for this important informational webinar to learn more about the Disciplemaking Collective.
Thank you for your commitment to make more & better disciples; by creating the healthiest church environments possible.
by Gary Reinecke | Feb 5, 2018 | Disciplemaking, Focused Ministry, Leader Development, Personal Development |
I like the statement, “First things First” coined by Stephen Covey. The intent is to ensure that the most important things get done first. Why is this important? Because other important, and urgent issues, get in the way.
Imagine if you were to give attention to the things that matter most in 2018. What difference would that make… for you? the people you love? the people you lead? the community you serve? the world?
Too often I get caught up in the business of life and the tasks of work, and lose site of the main thing.
Here is a very common situation around this time of year. The dust is beginning to settle on those resolutions made on January 1. Exercise is a classic. I notice more cars in the parking spaces at the gym in January, more people riding bikes and jogging. When we hit February the numbers begin to drop. By March and April, it is back to the norm. Why is that?
I suggest it is Mission Drift. Mission Drift is that very natural phenomenon that occurs when a new habit is being formed. There is that initial euphoria that exercise provides. After a few weeks, the realization sinks in – “this is hard work!”
How can we as Christian leaders stay focused on the main thing. Three questions to ask yourself to prioritize Disciplemaking:
- What shifts do I need to make in my behavior to line-up with my values?
- Who can I connect with for support?
- Where can I acquire the skills and refine my process?
Here is an opportunity to keep discipelemaking in Quadrant II – Important & NOT Urgent. Learn about the Disciplemaking Collective that begins this April. The Collective will be a great place for you to connect with on on the same journey to stay On Mission. The Disciplemaking Coaching Guide & Storyboard are the resources we will use.
Please send any questions that you have about the Disciplemaking Collective by clicking here.
by Gary Reinecke | Dec 25, 2017 | Uncategorized |
This Christmas season, we wish you a joyous holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus!
Thank you for your continued ministry.
InFocus remains committed to helping you and your ministry thrive in the coming year.
by Gary Reinecke | Dec 5, 2017 | Church Multiplication, Coach Training, Disciplemaking, Leader Development, Personal Development |
I was coaching a leader recently and asked him what he is learning about himself. He paused, then shared:
I am learning the importance of taking time to slow down, reflect and see the progress I’ve made.
It is interesting, the more we “advance” as a species, the more we seem to need time and space to reflect.
Further, he went on to say:
Our coaching time together is the only time I slow down and reflect.
Why do you think that this is the case?
My hunch is that our fast-paced society is not conducive to slowing down and reflection. I can use all sorts of excuses, but I hold to the truth, the things I value are the things I actually do! One of my goals is to re-think my rythms for 2018.
Here is a helpful resource to learn how to manage the internal urges that we all have, to stay busy and in a non-reflective state. The Emotional Intelligence profile will give you and those you coach a starting point on addressing this important area. I’ve used this assessment on numerous occasions and it oftentimes kick-start a fruitful conversation on ways to be more self-aware to the need to be more reflective.
Check out InFocus Collectives 2018:
Collectives create the time and space for leaders to slow down, reflect – then arrive at new ways of thinking and doing.
10% discount for registrations prior to January 1, 2018
by Gary Reinecke | Nov 28, 2017 | Church Growth, Church Multiplication, Coach Training, Leader Development, Personal Development |
A book that I have enjoyed reading titled, Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger discusses change management. To illustrate this point Bolsinger uses the historical account of the Lewis & Clark expedition as a backdrop for church ministry and the reality for leaders to navigate in “uncharted territory”.
The author introduces Adaptive Leadership:
“… NOT ABOUT FINDING THE BEST-KNOWN OR MOST-AVAILABLE FIX TO A PROBLEM, BUT INSTEAD ADAPTING TO THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT OR CIRCUMSTANCES SO THAT NEW POSSIBILITIES ARISE FOR ACCURATELY SEEING, UNDERSTANDING AND FACING CHALLENGES WITH NEW ACTIONS.”
Leadership on the Line – Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading by Ronald Heifetz & Marty Linsky
The point I take from this explanation as it relates to coaching, is simple: “coach the person, not the problem”. There is a tendency to focus on solving a problem when you coach a leader. However, the true value you bring as a coach to a leader it to help increase the leader’s awareness e.g. “ACCURATELY SEEING, UNDERSTANDING AND FACING CHALLENGES WITH NEW ACTIONS.”
He unpacks three aspects of Adaptive Leadership that will serve you well as you coach leaders to navigate change and help leader transform their capacity to lead well, in that process. Here are the three areas with a key reflection question, that I’ve included, for you to drill down in each area:
1. Technical Competence:
Key question: What ministry skills does the pastor or planter need to develop in this season?
2. Relational Congruence:
Key question: How can this leader raise their emotional intelligence effectiveness to engage relationally?
3. Adaptive Capacity:
Key question: What aspects of change management must this leader need to pay attention to in this season?
A lot of important work has been done in the area of change management. Canoeing the Mountains does an excellent job defining adaptive leadership and narrowing the focus on the leader’s transformation.
Collectives 2018:
As we approach the end of the year, check out the Collectives for 2018 and consider which opportunity fits your needs. Collectives are not just for anyone. Collectives are for movement makers. Collectives are designed exclusively for catalytic leaders.
According to Merriam-Webster: “a catalyst is an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action”
Collectives will help a leader:
- who is on the verge of a breakthrough
- stuck in their development
- unable to keep up with the growth, expansion & reproduction of the ministries they are launching
Reflection Questions:
Who do you know that is on the forefront of catalyzing a disciple-making movement?
Who do you know that is catalyzing a church multiplication movement?.
