I’ve done conducted a lot of coach trainings over the years. Last week in Denver I did my first coach training geared specifically for missional leaders. Missional coach training: coaching for incarnational, missional ministry. It felt different. Since then I’ve been reflecting on what made this training even different. I’ve come to a couple of different conclusions.
Probably the most important difference is unified vision. They already knew what they wanted. They came in with a clear vision for helping people live incarnationally and missionally. In other trainings I’ve done, people have had varying goals. They may have wanted to use coaching for a particular project in their church. They may want to be trained as a coach as a career goal so they can get paid. They may have a ministry they want to improve or a group they want to consult with. Those are all fine goals. But in this case the group had a unified focus. As a result the training was functioning at a different level. There is something unique about a group that is trying to lead a movement. They already knew what they wanted and they instinctively understood how coaching could contribute to that end.
Another trend I noticed is that they already understood the multiplying aspect. They immediately saw that coaching would need to multiply if it was going to be effective. Yes, it must fit the context—be flexible and adaptable—but it would need to be reproducible at the same time. Although that’s true in all settings, I think it may be even more apparent—more obvious—in a decentralized, relational ministry context such as the ones these people were working within. The multiplication piece didn’t need to be “sold.” They all intuitively understood it already. The buy-in for multiplication was already there.
Stay tuned for future Missional Coach Training Events… more are being scheduled soon.