Coaching in Context

We can seek to imitate Christ’s work and life by applying His methods, but at the end of the day, God is the only one able to bring about growth in a person’s life. Such change is fostered through our willingness to be transformed, the work of the Holy Spirit, application of biblical principles, and involvement in a fellowship of believers—the Church. Coaching in Context is an approach that attempts to help you take all of these factors into account.

What You Will Learn

In order to attain maximum effectiveness in our Coaching Bootcamps, I have found it profitable for the participants to see coaching demonstrated, experience coaching themselves, and then have them practice their coaching skills on others. Some of the groups who have used this material include pastors and church leaders who have sought coaching for themselves, or those who wanted to know more about how to coach themselves. Some of these leaders wanted to teach coaching to small groups or even whole congregations.

This manual is designed to prepare you, in your role as coach, for the challenges of daily life by emphasizing spiritual growth and transformation—for yourself first and then your trainee—through your coaching relationship. Various tools and suggestions are presented to help you get closer to this goal. It is my hope that you will come away from Coaching in Context with a greater understanding of your own needs, your trainee’s needs, and how to practically meet those needs in a coaching session. You will be given tools to communicate, plan, and grow personally and then share with your trainee. So, as you coach others on the road to success, be aware of the qualities to look for in those you pour your heart into.

“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2 ESV).

The first chapter deals with your relationship and connection to God. Who is Jesus and what has He done for us? What is the Holy Spirit’s role in your life? What help does the Bible provide? What is the role of repentance? In chapter two, you will find tools for managing your own health and growth while coaching others in need. The third chapter contains information about building a relationship with the person you are coaching that involves humility, creativity, and transparency. In chapter four, we examine the power of prayer and how crucial prayer is to the acceptance of responsibility for another person’s spiritual journey. You will be encouraged to trust God to guide your coaching choices and decisions by asking Him to show you the best steps forward in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The final four sections of this manual include tips for achieving constructive communication, crafting reasonable plans and expectations, and maintaining a constant attitude of growth and progress. Finally, the appendices provide practical materials and information to aid the process of self-reflection, goal completion, and the assessment of spiritual skills and gifts.

Goals, structure, timing, topics, etc. of your coaching can vary, but the best thing to do after reading this book is to practice and refine what you’ve learned with the individuals you are coaching.

A Journey with Jesus

Ultimately, as a coach, you’re using your influence to encourage those you coach to do the right thing and inspiring them to do their best. Your role is not to get those you coach to do things but to inspire them to establish positive habits and patterns that will help them reach the finish line in ways that honor God. You are helping people see that Jesus has an important context in their own lives. Coaching in Context focuses on encouraging the person you’re coaching to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish what they seek to achieve. Most importantly, coaching in context is not something we do for God, but with God.