The conference ended almost a week ago, but here are a few notes from my final workshop, on coaching.
The workshop was with Bob Harrington, a Canadian now living in the southern US, working with the Restore Training Center, all about the training of msisional church planters. The host church’s web site is http://www.harpethcc.com/ but he also works with Stadia.
He defines coaching as asking questions to lead people. A few different terms not to be confused:
- Dictating – Tell people what to do
- Teaching – Give info so they know what to do
- Mentoring – Sharing previous experiences so they know what to do
- Coaching – Coming alongside, asking questions to draw out answers/decisions
- Releasing – Letting people go, assuming they know what to do.
A mentor goes ahead and pours themselves back into someone else, while a coach comes alongside and draws out questions.
A consultant comes as an expert, sets an agenda, brings expertise, gives solutions and content. A coach brings expertise in asking good questions, helping a person articulate their goals, and gives process.
- Relate – Share Life
- Reflect – Share Struggles
- Refocus – Share Needs for Help
- Resource – Share Insight
- Review – Share Top Ideas, Suggestions & Input
Settings are 1:1, 3’s, Clusters of 4-7 or Groups of 8-16
A church planter has:
- Never done this before – needs someone who has
- Does not know “normal” – needs someone who does
- Feels alone – needs an unconditional supporter
A few more soundbites:
- You must find a good coach who has planted a church
- The coach needs basic training in the science of coaching (i.e. Converge tools)
- Need a coaching covenant/contract
- Coach should visit the location and team before launch and within 12 months after launch
- The planter must sense the coach cares and will be there in a crisis (this takes 6 months to sense)
- A good coach can acts as a predictor of success – they can sense success or failure
Group Coaching of 8-16 people looks like:
- Head coach guides meetings
- Meet monthly for 6-12 months
- Meet all day
- Everyone has the same background training
- Everyone comes prepared with a top resources read, or a 1-page summary written
- Praxis is the focus
- Tangible Kingdom is a good resource for missional coaching.
