Barnabas File

Coaching in various forms is increasing, so it is getting more attention.  This means that change is at hand.  In a recent blog,  Edmée Schalkx  addressed “Trends in Coaching 2017-2022 ” and specifically noted what this means for users and coaches.   As one who believes both in the effectiveness of coaching and its usefulness in religious settings, I suggest what these changes in coaching means for those of us who work with churches.   First, faith communities will recognize that they need trained coaches.  Churches, judicatories, and other faith-based institutions will discover that coaching promotes retention, provides focus, and maximizes use of resources.  With less to work with, coaching will increase the impact of the work of faith-based organizations in all areas of ministry.   Second, seminaries will give more attention to teaching coaching skills and integrating coaching into the curriculum. Seminaries and church ...

What makes a coach--life coach, leadership coach, etc.--a “Christian” coach?  I have often said that it is not about the questions the coach asks of his or her client, but the worldview that the coach brings to his or her work. As Luther is reported to have said,  “The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”   On further reflection, I think that there is another dimension that the Christian coach brings to the coaching conversation:  the coach’s understanding about how God might be at work in the life of the person who is being coached.  If the Christian coach is to be faithful to his or her calling, the coach realizes that there are three persons involved in the conversation: the client, the coach, and the Spirit of God.   I try to remind myself of this is in a couple of ways.    First, before coaching sessions I try to...

Coaching is a growth industry.  Coaching in various forms is increasing, so it is getting more attention.  This means that change is at hand.  In a recent blog ,  Edmée Schalkx  addressed “Trends in Coaching 2017-2022” and specifically noted what this means for users and coaches.   As one who believes both in the effectiveness of coaching and its usefulness in religious settings, I suggest what these changes in coaching means for those of us who work with churches.   First, faith communities will recognize that they need trained coaches.  Churches, judicatories, and other faith-based institutions will discover that coaching promotes retention, provides focus, and maximizes use of resources.  With less to work with, coaching will increase the impact of the work of faith-based organizations in all areas of ministry.   Second, seminaries will give more attention to teaching coaching skills and integrating coaching into t...

Coaching in various forms is increasing, so it is getting more attention.  This means that change is at hand.  In a recent blog,  Edmée Schalkx   addressed “Trends in Coaching 2017-2022 ” and specifically noted what this means for users and coaches. As one who believes both in the effectiveness of coaching and its usefulness in religious settings, I suggest what these changes in coaching means for those of us who work with churches. First, faith communities will recognize that they need trained coaches. Churches, judicatories, and other faith-based institutions will discover that coaching promotes retention, provides focus, and maximizes use of resources.  With less to work with, coaching will increase the impact of the work of faith-based organizations in all areas of ministry. Second, seminaries will give more attention to teaching coaching skills and integrating coaching into the curriculum. Seminaries and church related col...

Coaching in various forms is increasing, so it is getting more attention.  This means that change is at hand.  In a recent blog, Edmée Schalkx addressed “Trends in Coaching2017-2022” and specifically noted what this means for users and coaches. As one who believes both in the effectiveness of coaching and its usefulness in religious settings, I suggest what these changes in coaching means for those of us who work with churches. First, faith communities will recognize that they need trained coaches.  Churches, judicatories, and other faith-based institutions will discover that coaching promotes retention, provides focus, and maximizes use of resources.  With less to work with, coaching will increase the impact of the work of faith-based organizations in all areas of ministry. Second, seminaries will give more attention to teaching coaching skills and integrating coaching into the curriculum. Seminaries and church related colleges will...

Usually when the topic of faith-based coaching comes up, the immediate response is, “Oh, you mean Christian coaching.”   In recent days, I have started to ask myself, “Is this what it really means for me?”   To put this in perspective, let me first share three observations. First, I am a person of faith.  I am a follower of Jesus Christ.  Even though I am probably better at it on some days that others, the relationship is there and the strength of it is more dependent on God’s grace than my faithfulness. Second, I am a Christian who is also a coach (life coach or leadership coach) and that means I want to be a good coach.  Martin Luther said, “The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”  If we do our work well, that in itself is a witness to what is of value to us.  Whether I am coaching a Christian or a non-Chri...