Barnabas File

In my work with the Summit Coach Training, I teach several times a year.  Most of our coaches-in-training are people with experience in the helping professions—clergy, therapists, social workers.  In a recent class made up of pastoral leaders, an idea emerged that I found invaluable.   First, some background.  In coaching, we teach that people are smart.  Our clients know more about their problems than the coach does.  They are unique individuals with various gifts, talents, and experiences that they can draw upon.  They can make decisions and pursue their goals.  The role of the coach is not to solve the client’s problems, but to help each client ascertain what they want to accomplish, what resources they have to get there, identify barriers and how they might be overcome, and celebrate their achievements.   As we were coaching around challenges that our class members face, we realized that taking a coachin...

When we consider resources that a coach might suggest a client pursue in faith coaching, there are many!  Please understand as I address this topic, I come from a Christian perspective (note the “a” and not “the”). However, there are rich spiritual resources connected to all religious faiths and to no particular religious faith.   Perhaps a starting point comes from the Methodist or Wesleyan tradition.    The Wesleyan Quadrilateral is credited to Methodist founder John Wesley.   This model bases its teaching on four sources as the basis of theological and doctrinal development. These four sources are chiefly scripture (the Bible), along with tradition, reason, and Christian experience.   As Christians, we are not bound by tradition, but we have two thousand years of tradition upon which we can draw.  Tradition is not simply about organization or ecclesiology, but ways in which believers approach God—spiritual practices (such a...

On my wall is an icon of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.  As one might expect, much of the story of Patrick is shrouded in myth. The accepted story is that he was kidnapped from Britain by Irish raiders when he was 16 and taken to Ireland where he was a slave for six years.  He eventually escaped and returned to his family, but he took vows with the Church and returned to his place of enslavement as a missionary.  He is credited with converting the island to the Christian faith.  By the seventh century, he had come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland.   The genius of Patrick seems to have been his ability to contextualize the faith to win converts.  He took advantage of the well-developed stories, customs, and institutions of Ireland to present the Gospel in a powerful way.  So significant was this approach that it gave birth to what we call Celtic Christianity, a movement that differentiated itself from the Roman form of t...

Humans are meaning making creatures.  We seek understand of the world and of ourselves.  We ask existential questions. Existential means "related to existence," often focusing on the big questions of human life like purpose, freedom, meaning of life,  responsibility, and place in community.     Assistance in finding answers to these questions come through revelation, myth, and reflection.  Coaches who partner with clients to consider faith questions begin by being open to what the client seeks, taking into consideration the client’s maturity level, life experiences, family of origin, religious tradition (if any), and present context.     Although individuals raised in a similar context such as a Christian tradition have common experiences, we should not assume a common vocabulary or equivalent response.  For example, the meaning of the Eucharist (Lord’s supper) for an individual varies upon whether they experienc...

In the last few years, religion scholars and the popular press have written much about the “Nones”—people who profess no religious faith.     Ryan Burge and Tony Jones have found that it is not that simple.    The Nones are often thought of as a single group, but Jones and Burge have found they’re not. There are the Nones in Name Only (NiNOs), Spiritual but Not Religious, the Dones and the Zealous Atheists.  There not discreet boxes but gradients.   What this means for coaches is that we may find ourselves coaching about existential or faith issues when we least expect it.  Our clients may say that they have no particular religious views, but some are more spiritual than they think!   All coaches—Christian or not—can their support clients in authentic meaning-making by exploring their inner world, uncovering  and integrating their true selves.  Faith coaching acknowledges and accepts the inherent ambiguities and tensions ...

“Over 85% of the world population identifies with an organized religion while millions more practice folk religions and spiritual beliefs. Humans may be innately spiritual, learning existential views early through family traditions, community practices, and cultural narratives.”   You may be surprised to know that this quote comes from a study by the International Coaching Federation Thought Leadership Institute.  The study points out that it is typical for individuals to ask existential questions, often focusing on the big questions of human life like purpose, freedom, and meaning. Religion and spirituality enrich the human experience through meaning-making and help find one’s place in the word.   For those coaches who follow the Christian faith, the opportunity to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18, NIV) is a given in our lives and will inform our coaching as well.  However, ho...

Every week, we find ourselves in some type of gathering with others.     Sometimes it is a group meeting where we are discussing topics of both collective and individual concern.     Often it is team of people working together to further the tasks of a church, organization, or service group.     How can you, as an individual, positively impact the effectiveness of the conversation in either setting?    Adam Grant is a professor in organizational psychology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.  He has shared these insights about group leadership.   The true leader in a group is rarely the person who talks the most.  It’s usually the person who listens best.  Listening is more than hearing what’s said.  It’s noticing and surfacing what isn’t said.  Inviting dissenting views and amplifying quiet voices are acts of leadership.  As I reviewed these observations, I realized that one d...

  "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there”. —Lewis Carroll   "If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else”. —Yogi Berra    We are far enough into the new year that most of our “new year’s resolution” have either taken hold or have been forgotten.  The beginning of the year is one of those pivot points that challenge us to stop, take inventory, and at least consider making changes in our lives.  Although we don’t often think about it, new year’s resolutions are a kind of goal setting.   The idea of setting goals often strikes fear in our hearts.  Most of us have been part of organizations that required us to set goals at one time or another.  Some of us didn’t mind so much setting goals as being required to!    In The How of Happiness , Sonja Lyubomirsky helps the reader to see goal setting as a path to mental health and growth rather than as a burden.  ...

During and post-COVID, I did some online coaching related to resiliency.     Very often we ended up talking about coping skills, actions that were a response to stress or change.    Coping skills are basically damage control, helping us to get back to a baseline of “okay.”   I was recently introduced to the positive psychology term of “savoring”—attending to and embracing the positive experiences of our lives.  Basically, coping and savoring are two sides of the same coin—both are emotional regulation strategies, but they operate in entirely different "climates."   You might think of them as the tools you use for different weather--coping is your umbrella for the rain, while savoring is your sunglasses for the sunshine.   In coping, we are trying to manage the negative in order to reduce distress, solve problems, or minimize the impact of an unexpected event.  Some examples would be seeking social support after a loss, pra...

  Have you ever worked with a leader who had the knowledge and training to do the job, but lacked the ability to effectively work with others? In both coaching and leadership, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is often the "missing link" between technical competence and actual effectiveness. While Intellectual Intelligence (IQ) might get you the job, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is what helps you keep it and excel in it.   The most widely accepted framework, popularized by Daniel Goleman, breaks EQ into four core domains.   1.          Self-Awareness (The Foundation).   You cannot manage what you do not notice. Self-awareness is the ability to recognize your own emotions “in the moment” and understand your typical triggers. Two aspects of this are emotional literacy—being able to clearly name the feeling  ( e.g., "I’m feeling dismissed") and impact awareness--recognizing how your mood affects the energy of the people around ...

As a leadership coach, I walk alongside individuals who feel a strong call to their vocation.  Despite their commitment, they often face challenges that they want to turn into opportunities.  As a coach, I act as a strategic partner who helps them bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Coaching is future-oriented, focusing on actionable growth and personal potential.  Coaching looks forward, not backward, encouraging the client’s focus, growth, decision-making, and resilience.   What can a coach provide for you? The most important offerings a coach provides can be categorized into four core "pillars" of value.   1. Radical Clarity and Focus.  Many people seek coaching because they feel "stuck" or overwhelmed by choices. A coach helps you filter out the noise to identify what truly matters by working with you to identify clear, actional goals and ensuring that daily actions and long-term goals align with your dee...

Coaching—executive coaching, life coaching, leadership coaching—is relatively new, but the impact of coaches in both personal and professional life has been significant.    Coaches have a certain "soft skill" DNA. The best candidates are typically professionals in "people-centric" fields who have already shown an ability to encourage and develop others.    I suggest that there are seven types of individuals who may be ready for coach training and have the potential to use those skills effectively with others.      1.          Clergy leader.      Pastoral leaders are called to do many things, but one that cannot be neglected is the development of others in the Christian faith.    These people may be staff or lay members of the congregation.    In Ephesians, we are reminded, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors a...