From Mars Hill, an amazingly cross-centered church in one of America’s least churched cities.

• Training Introduction
• Description of a Disciple’s Lifestyle (DDL): Overview
• DDL: Gospel Identity
• DDL: Gospel Worship
• DDL: Gospel Community
• DDL: Gospel Mission
• Expectations of a Leader
• Understanding the CG Structure
• Resource: How People Change
• Resource: Instruments in the Redeemers Hands

One of the things I’ve really been asking God is a coaching/mentoring relationship with a church leader that would me grow, change, and become more Christlike. Unfortunately, I haven’t found one, but it seems like I’m not the only person who sees the value in these relationships

From Ed Stetzes Coaching, Mentoring, and Life Change

I am a big believer in coaching and mentoring. Coaching is essential for Christian life. However, it is often absent or underappreciated in churches. Even when there is mentoring, it seems mentoring is for the “few” and not the “many.”

…

I assumed that most people had mentors– we sure talked about it often in the 90′s. However, I have since learned that mentoring relationships like these are all too uncommon. I have assumed it was normal to have men who would invest themselves in one’s life and ministry. It seems that it is more unusual than I thought.

TransforMissional Coaching: Empowering Leaders in a Changing Ministry is a new book concerning the topic of Coaching and Mentoring. Ed wrote the forward for the book and here are some snippets. Good stuff.

TransforMissional coaching is a holistic approach. Unlike business coaching models that are only concerned with productivity or results, TransforMissional coaching engages the whole leader in transformation. Steve and Tim suggest that coaches transform leaders by helping leaders clarify calling, cultivate character, create community and connect with culture.

Coaching may be the primary vehicle that makes the transition from modern to missional paradigms. Young and emerging leaders are looking for relationship, proximity and affinity with those they allow to empower them. They will receive coaching and mentoring from those they trust, those who will be there for them. TransforMissional Coaching is an effective process for empowering emerging leaders to engage in missional expressions of church.

The authors suggest the art of listening and the use of effective questions as the keys to empowerment. Emerging leaders are looking for empowerment that is consistent with their world view and life experience more than that of their parents. Listening and good questions effectively anchor the coaching conversation in the life and experience of the leader more than that of the coach. The resulting trust allows the coach or mentor to speak timeless truths in a timely way without imposing his views or preferences or models on the leader. As you will see TransforMissonal Coaching includes several lists of great coaching questions.

As you can see TransforMissional Coaching goes well beyond simple coaching formulas and will be very useful to those who are serious about transforming leaders and empowering mission.