Hello fellow SEND-ers,

I am on my way home from Barcelona, where I participated in a “Training for Trainers” workshop. Last month, SEND U purchased the license and materials to train others in coaching, using the training materials developed by Keith Webb and Creative Results Management. Creative Results Management is the organization that has trained all of the coaches in the SEND U coaching pool, and a number of other coaches as well in SEND. All of those in the SEND U coaching pool have completed their Core Coaching Skills Certificate program, which requires 60 hours of training and a minimum of 25 hours of coaching practice. But while many of our missionaries are interested in learning coaching skills, not nearly everyone is interested in such an extensive training program nor willing to raise the funds (a minimum of $2000) for the training, travel and accommodations. Nevertheless, SEND U would like to see our missionaries equipped to use coaching skills in their ministry and leadership, regardless of whether they ever become professional coaches. For these reasons, the SEND U Leadership Team decided to purchase the training license so that I would be able to train our missionaries in coaching in a 3-day “Coaching Workshop”. Having now gone through the “training for trainers” to prepare me to offer this coaching training, I am confident that the 3-day Coaching Workshop would be very helpful for any of our missionaries who desire to become more effective in empowering the people they disciple, train or lead to fully live out God's calling in their lives. If you are interested in getting this training, talk to your team leader or area director about when your area might be able to hold a Coaching Workshop for you and your fellow-missionaries.

Although I continue to hear about SEND missionaries who want to be trained in coaching, I have noticed that there has been a recent downturn in the number of total coaching hours that are being logged by our SEND coaches. This was a surprise as we had been seeing coaching hours continually increasing each quarter for the past couple of years. It was also a disappointment, as SEND would like to develop what we call a “coaching culture” within our mission, believing that coaching is one of the most effective ways to empower our missionaries to keep growing and developing their ministry skills. As our SEND U Leadership Team has talked about this recent downturn, we have wondered whether maybe coaching is being perceived within SEND as something designed primarily for mission leaders. It is true that SEND U has been emphasizing the benefits of coaching for mission team leaders, but the testimonies of our own missionaries clearly indicates that coaching benefits all missionaries , regardless of whether they are leading other missionaries or not.

In fact, some of the most significant changes in life and ministry after coaching have been seen among those missionaries who were not in a position of leadership when they were being coached. One of our first-term missionaries wrote about the benefits of coaching, “As I was finishing language school, I stood before a many-forked road of ministry opportunities. Which to choose? Everyday life was getting busy and I was beginning to get overwhelmed. How could I fit it all in, or did I need to? Coaching helped me when I couldn’t clearly see my path. Through prayer and wise counsel, the right fork was chosen and my life simplified. I am grateful for the time spent in coaching and for the compassionate yet direct method used.” Another missionary wrote his coach, saying, “I am deeply grateful for the time we spent together – the coaching was of tremendous value to me personally and spiritually and vocationally and the Lord knew what I needed and sent you my way at a critical juncture.”

We are not claiming that coaching by itself will dramatically improve your ministry. The power for personal growth and multiplication of ministry fruit comes from the Holy Spirit, not a coach. But a trained and caring coach can help a believer who is walking by the Spirit to listen to what God is saying to them, and start moving in an intentional, consistent way in the direction that the Spirit is leading. As we seek to “keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25) in our personal lives and ministries, it is very helpful to have someone walk alongside of us, someone who is committed to our growth and who will help us to identify the next steps we need to take to fully live out God's calling on our lives.

If you are interested in exploring whether coaching might be for you, check out the free online assessment, “Am I Ready for Coaching? ”. Several SEND coaches have indicated that they are willing to coach additional “coachees”, and we have recently decided that when we coach other SEND missionaries, we will do so at no cost to the one being coached. So if you are looking for a coach, or just want to ask more questions about coaching, please contact me (mailto:kguenther@send.org).

I will end by reminding you of the church planting training that SEND U is recommending, particularly for home service missionaries. A number of SEND missionaries have indicated that they are planning to attend the ReachGlobal/ EQUIP church planting school in Minneapolis from June 28-July 1, 2011. Please contact me or Ted Szymczak if you are also interested in participating in this training.

Ken

Ken Guenther
SEND U Director
email: mailto:kguenther@send.org
SEND U wiki: http://www.sendu.org
SEND U blog: https://sendublog.com/