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:

1. Dictating – Tell people what to do
2. Teaching – Give info so they know what to do
3. Mentoring – Sharing previous experiences so they know what to do
4. Coaching – Coming alongside, asking questions to draw out answers/decisions
5. 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:

1. Never done this before – needs someone who has
2. Does not know “normal” – needs someone who does
3. Feels alone – needs an unconditional supporter

A few more soundbites:

1. You must find a good coach who has planted a church
2. The coach needs basic training in the science of coaching (i.e. Converge tools)
3. Need a coaching covenant/contract
4. Coach should visit the location and team before launch and within 12 months after launch
5. The planter must sense the coach cares and will be there in a crisis (this takes 6 months to sense)
6. 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.

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