Following are three observations “from the trenches” that are worth paying attention to if you have any interest, or concern over disciple-making movements. This is real data extracted from reliable resources. My goal is to clearly state the problem.
I hope you find the information helpful as we continue the mission of Jesus to make disciples…
Globally, the percentage of the world’s population that have become Christian is about the same today as it was 100 years ago
Approximately 32% of the global population was Christian in 1910 vs. 35% in 2010. The research also shows there has been a shift regionally, which is interesting to note; lower percentage of Christians in Europe and the Americas vs. an increase in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia Pacific, while the Middle East-North Africa has remained about the same – see Global Christianity – A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Christian by The Pew Research Center.
Most churches stall-out after the first generation
80% of the churches in the US have plateaued or are in decline.
Most disconcerting is that of the new churches planted in 2012; only 22% had started at least one daughter church within 5 years of existence – see Multiplication Today, Movements Tomorrow by Ed Stetzer & Daniel Im (p.14).
The 5-year window has been the “best practice” for a healthy church to plant a daughter church – see Multiplication Today, Movements Tomorrow by Ed Stetzer & Daniel Im (p.4).
Mac Lake suggest that only 4% of churches ever reproduce
Hirsch and Catchim tell us that the church in the US spends over $70 billion every decade on church plants and resources; but even so “we are experiencing decline in adherence and membership at an unprecedented rate” – see Beyond the Local Church by Sam Metcalf (p. 159).
This raises an important question: “With the heightened awareness of church planting as the most fruitful, God-given strategy to reach people far from Him, in combination with the resources (conferences, books and service) available; why aren’t churches able to make the shift missionally?” See Multiplication Today, Movements Tomorrow by Ed Stetzer & Daniel Im.
Here is my attempt to state the problem of the church in the US today:
The current way we make disciples, do church & plant churches has attracted the low-lying fruit therefore,
we must introduce new ways to make disciples, do church & plant churches.
In the upcoming blogs I will reflect a bit more on these three statistics and identify the signs that lead to Movement Drift.. If it were easy, I believe we would have already figured it out with out human ingenuity. I believe the solution lies not in our capacity to think through the solution but in our reliance on the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit first and foremost.
Please join me on the journey and participate in the conversation.
As my kids return home later this week from their summer internships and get ready for the fall quarter at university, I’m super excited to see them and de-brief their experiences. We’ll have three weeks together to enjoy some camping, hiking, swimming, beach days, and maybe a fire-pit or two. Both of our kids had amazing summers and I love to hear how God used them in their respective areas of focus before they go back to the grind of their studies.
I trust you are finishing your summer on a “high” note and preparing for the fall.
As you’re making your plans for the fall, I wanted to remind you about our two Collectives. Registration ends September 3rd, so if you’ve been waiting to apply, now is the time.
Here are the three easy steps that make-up the Collective:
ACTIVATE your vision through individualized coaching.
ASSESS your process to cultivate leaders using a coach approach.
APPLY principles in your context.
Click here to read more and apply for the Developing Coaching Excellence Collective
Click here to read more and apply for the Church Planting Coach Collective
Group discounts of two or more people are available upon request.
If you have any questions, we’re here for you. You can reply to this email or give us a call at (951) 473-4481.
If you’ve missed my last emails on our Collectives, here’s a quick recap:
They are comprised of small groups limited to 15 for an optimal learning experience
You’ll receive 4 group sessions (60-minutes each) of group coaching plus 6 hours of customized, individual coach mentoring to help you fine-tune your coaching skills.
You’ll gain a community of close friends and mentors in ministry that will be there to support you as you grow your coaching effectiveness.
Now for the best part….I have a group discount for you:
Teams of two or more that come together from the same organization, will receive a group discount.
Have questions on group discounts? Simply click here or call (951) 473.4481.
Ready to apply?
Click here to apply for the Developing Coaching Excellence Collective.
Click here to apply for the Church Planting Coaching Collective.
Feel free to forward this email along to any church planters, leaders who coach disciplemakers and church planting/multiplication leaders and entrepreneurs who use a coach approach that should know about this so that they can get the discount code.
If you’ve missed my last emails on our Collectives, here’s a quick recap:
They are comprised of small groups limited to 15 for an optimal learning experience
You’ll receive 4 group sessions (60-minutes each) of group coaching plus 6 hours of customized, individual coach mentoring to help you fine-tune your coaching skills.
You’ll gain a community of close friends and mentors in ministry that will be there to support you as you grow your coaching effectiveness.
Now for the best part….I have a discount for you:
Apply by August 20th with promo code COLL18 and get $50 off
Ready to apply?
Click here to apply for the Developing Coaching Excellence Collective.
Click here to apply for the Church Planting Coaching Collective.
Have questions? Simply click here or give me a call at (951) 473-4481.
Feel free to forward this email along to any church planters, leaders who coach disciplemakers and church planting/multiplication leaders and entrepreneurs who use a coach approach that should know about this so that they can get the discount code.
The impact of a coach on a leader or team is tremendous. It can make the difference between winning and losing. Think Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors.
It is the same in disciplemaking and church planting. A leader with the right approach, who has developed the necessary skills and has the temperament to coach people to take action, has a tremendous advantage.
A group I worked with recently has a number of pastors and church planters learning the art of coaching. One leader shared the dramatic change in people when he has taken the coach approach. In several conversations when he was asked for advice, he turned to the individual and challenged them to reflect and brainstorm solutions for themselves. In just about every case, the people have responded enthusiastically and taken responsibility for their actions. This is the power of a coach approach.
Making this change is significant, strategic and sacrificial. Here are five shifts that occur when a leader moves from being indispensable to an empowering leader:
Shift from being viewed as the expert vs. viewing the other person as the expert
Shift from being the center of the conversation vs. supporting the other person
Shift from being the advice-giver vs. listener
Shift from being the creator of the agenda vs.hold the other person accountable for the agenda
Shift from being responsible to take action vs. empower the other person to take action
What could be the impact if you were to make these shifts?
You will help people think for themselves, foster a high sense of ownership and take action!.
You will expand your circle of influence so that you are not the only catalyst to lead an initiative, implement change or create a new culture.
The power of the image above is the strength of the individual parts that make the whole. Imagine if one of the rocks was slightly tilted at an angle that jeopardized the integrity of the tear-drop? This disruption would cause it to implode.
Similarily, the three strategies below are integrated into the Developing Coaching Excellence Collective. You will discover the value of the learning community as you reflect on your coach development, receive feedback from a coach mentor and learn with, and from other coaches. It is also a great opportunity to connect with other leaders from around the world with a similar vision to catalyze disciplemaking and church planting movements.
Strategy #1: Work with a coach mentor
Strategy #2: Receive feedback
Strategy #3: Learn with and from other coaches
InFocus is excited to present an opportunity to sharpen your coaching effectiveness. The launch of the first Developing Coaching Excellence Collective is September 2018. This Collective is designed to assist leaders who coach disciplemakers and church planting/multiplication leaders by creating a compelling and fruitful environment for you to grow your coaching muscle.
Why do I need a Church Planting Collective?
Relationally: Stay on-mission through the support of the Collective Coaching community & 1-1 coaching. The reality is, most leaders who are catalyzing disciplemaking & church planting movements using a coach approach, feel isolated. One of the bi-products of the Collective is the support that participant’s receive.
Strategically: Reproduce disciples, leaders & churches into the third & fourth generation. One of the challenges for leaders using a coach approach who have a vision for multiplication, is moving beyond growth by addition to multiplication. The strategic shift involved is supported by the work of the Collective.
Who is a good Collective participant?
Humility – leaders who are open to knew ideas
Hunger- leaders who are motivated to grow in their understanding and practice of coaching
Emotional Intelligence – leaders with a high level of self-awareness.
How the Developing Coaching Excellence Collective works?
LEARNING COMMUNITY
3-12 participants
Meet four (4) times
60-minutes each
INDIVIDUAL COACHING
1-1
Meet six (6) sessions
60-minutes each
What will be required?
Learning is maximized while you coach disciplemaking & church planting/multiplication leaders. The power of the Collective is that you will strengthen your coaching muscle as you are in the process of coaching leaders. The learning that you glean from the interactions in the learning community & 1-1 coaching can be applied immediately into the coaching relationships you are actively engaged.
Here are some of the resources that we will be using in the Collective:
$997 per participant + group discounts available upon request
Schedule first coach appointment
You will be contacted to schedule the first coach appointment with your coach mentor.
Block-out four group sessions @ 8:30am PST
Session #1: September 10, 2018
Session #2: October 8, 2018
Session #3: November 5, 2018
Session #4: December 3, 2018
It would be a privilege to have you join the Developing Coaching Excellence Collective. Sign-ups will continue through August and registration closes on September 1.
Click here if you have questions or are interested in more information.
What do you need to do, to take your coaching to the next level?
Learning Communities provide a great opportunity for leaders to learn with and from other coaches-in-training.
Christian Pulisic is a 19-year-old American soccer player that has made a name for himself with the German “Bundesliga” club – Borussia Dortmund. At a very early age, he realized the impact of being around other players and coaches who were more experienced, more accomplished and more motivated to succeed. Dortmund is known as a club that develops players, a sort of farm system or learning community to help players progress and take their game to the next level!
When leaders participate in a “learning community” to develop their coaching skills, mutual learning occurs when three virtues are shared with participants:
Humility – leaders who are open to knew ideas
Hunger- leaders who are motivated to grow in their understanding and practice of coaching
Emotional Intelligence – leaders with a high level of self-awareness.
How can you truly become a world-class coach?
In 2007 a member of my board, Linda Millerasked me about certification. For those who don’t know, Linda is a pioneer in the coaching industry. As a consulting partner, trainer, and team facilitator with the Ken Blanchard Organization she has coached leaders around the world. Linda helped establish the International Coach Federation to raise the caliber of coaching worldwide. When she asked me that question, it caused me to think.
As a result, I started my journey to develop my coaching skills. I’m not suggesting that people in ministry need certification. However, I am encouraging you as a leader who empowers disciplemakers, leaders and church planters, to take your development seriously. If you are satisfied with the results you are getting and seeing disciples, leaders and church planters reproduce into the third and fourth generation – by all means, keep doing what you are doing; if not, you might want to consider raising your coaching game!
When should you take the next step in your development as a coach?
InFocus is excited to present an opportunity to sharpen your coaching effectiveness. The launch of the first Developing Coaching Excellence Collective is September 2018. This Collective is designed to assist leaders who coach disciplemakers and church planting/multiplication leaders. Last week I introduced my co-facilitator, Mukesh Azad, who is an Indian living in Delhi and leading a Business as Mission initiative. He brings a refreshing view how his coaching business serves as a platform to enter communities while incarnating the gospel and being on-mission. The more I witness the work of God around the world, the more I see God mobilizing people who are working in the marketplace use their gifts while making disciples and planting churches. Read more about Mukesh and his expertise at the bottom of this page.
I would consider it a privilege if you were able to join us. Click here if you have questions or are interested in more information.
Do you remember your first shot? You were reassured; “it will only sting a little bit”. Feedback is sometimes like that.
Here are three strategies to develop your coaching muscle:
STRATEGY #1: Work with a coach mentor
STRATEGY #2: Ask For & Receive Feedback
STRATEGY #3: Learn with and from other coaches
I’ve discovered that the feedback I receive is mostly appreciated – usually helpful.
I remember the feedback on my coaching through a formal, written assessment – from two experienced assessors. The introduction to the report was brutal. So harsh, that I put the report down. Weeks later when I picked-up the document again; I found their recommendations extremely helpful. However, I had some questions.
During my internal struggle to gain perspective, I missed the window of opportunity for inquiry to engage the assessors. Lesson learned! If you are going to ask for feedback, be open to criticism.
Be prepared to accept what is genuinely helpful and reject feedback that does not accurately represent your experience and reality. Incidentally, this is a skill called “Self-Assessing” that is measured in the Online 360-degree Coach Assessment that I mention below.
There exists countless ways to receive feedback on your coaching. You can receive informal or formal feedback. In person, real-time or written. I have used and found each mode helpful.
I tend to lean on two types of feedback:
Real-time observation:
Small group, triads and 1-1 coaching sessions provide an opportunity for real-time feedback. The “fish-bowl” of group coaching gives participants opportunities to practice their coaching with timely feedback from individual of the group as well as a competent assessor. In addition, when asked in a 1-1 coaching session, feedback can requested to give you a sense of how you are helping the other person through listening and asking questions (for instance).
Qualitative Assessment:
Using a 90-degree, 180 or Online 360-degree Coach Assessment; coaches solicit feedback from people they have coached. Multiple people are asked to assess the leader using the Online Coach Assessment 360-degree how she/he demonstrated the essential skills of coaching. The result is a clarifying experience.
The combination of soft + hard data; group + individual; real-time + deferred; makes for a robust experience to develop your coaching excellence.
InFocus is excited to give you an opportunity to sharpen your coaching effectiveness. The launch of the first Developing Coaching Excellence Collective is September 2018. This is uniquely designed to assist leaders who coach disciplemakers and church planter/multiplication leaders.
I’m sure you see the similarities and are wondering if that photo above is “Gary”; honestly, it is NOT me!.
Here are three strategies to develop your coaching muscle.
STRATEGY #1: Work with a coach mentor
STRATEGY #2: Receive feedback
STRATEGY #3: Learn with and from other coaches
Let me unpack the “Why?” before the “How?”
Why is it important to sharpen my coaching skills? I am assuming if you are reading this blog that coaching is a muscle you exercise on a regular basis to develop people. Here are three contexts that ministry leaders flex their coaching muscle:
Local Church: Pastors and church planters developing leaders in a local church
Network: Leaders mobilizing disciplemakers & church planters within a neighborhood, city, state, region or nation
International: Leaders who catalyze multiplication movements across borders
If you coach in one or more of the three categories above, then you make coaching a priority in your schedule; and developing your coaching skills is a necessity!
You understand, to extend your reach that you must empower and coach. This is why coaching is an essential muscle that needs to be exercised. It is not a management tool. Coaching is an empowerment tool!
How can I sharpen my coaching skills? One of the most fruitful experiences of my development as a coach was was to work with a mentor coach. In fact, this last year I worked with two different mentor coaches, one female (Kim) the other male (Sam). “How was this helpful?” you ask.
Reason #1: Fresh insights
Reason #2: New perspectives
These caused me to rethink my process. Plain and simple.
If you want to develop your coaching muscle – first, find a mentor coach. Someone who is a step ahead. Or has a different approach. Or new perspective. Find someone that can challenge you in areas that will help you empower disciple-makers and leaders from the grass-roots to the leader of a multiplication movement.
InFocus is excited to give you an opportunity to sharpen your coaching effectiveness. The launch of the first Developing Coaching Excellence Collective is September 2018. This is uniquely designed to support the development of leaders who coach disciple-makers, pastors, church planters and multiplication leaders.
Let me introduce my co-facilitator, Mukesh Azad. I met Mukesh in 2016 while conducting a coach training workshop alongside a Disciple Making Movement training track. One evening over dinner we discussed his vision to establish training centers to send out entrepreneurs to start businesses to fuel disciple-making and church planting movement; in some of the most difficult regions of the world. As he scribbled his vision on a paper napkin I sensed the Lord had us meet for a particular purpose. I am partnering with Mukesh to fuel this shared-vision in India and provide mentor coaching to leaders in the US. Read more about Mukesh – click here, then go to the bottom.
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Let me introduce my co-facilitator, Mukesh Azad. I met Mukesh in 2016 while conducting a coach training workshop alongside a Disciple Making Movement training track. One evening over dinner we discussed his vision to establish training centers to send out entrepreneurs to start businesses to fuel disciple-making and church planting movement; in some of the most difficult regions of the world. As he scribbled his vision on a paper napkin I sensed the Lord had us meet for a particular purpose. I am partnering with Mukesh to fuel this shared-vision in India and provide mentor coaching to leaders in the US. Re
