Why Christian Coaching?
It was strange to be without my family for an entire week. I'd never been away from Justus for more than a night, and it had been years since Katie and I had been apart that long. We said our goodbyes in the airport and then flew our separate ways. They were off to California to spend time with family, and I was headed to Seattle with a fresh hole in my heart.
And so my week of Christian coach training began.
Why Christian Coaching?
As a church leader, teacher, and preacher, I spend a lot of time telling people what to do. There's a lot of instruction, a lot of advice. There is certainly a place for these things, but I've known for a long time now that I don't have all the answers. And even when I'm pretty sure I do know what I'm talking about, people aren't always very motivated to get working on my ideas for their lives.
Enter Christian coaching. Coaching isn't counseling, and it's not even mentoring. It's an ongoing, intentional conversation that empowers a person to gain insights, take action, and live lives that honor their values and calling. It's not about teaching, it's about self discovery. A coach comes alongside you, helps clarify what it is you are seeking, then helps you create the action steps needed to accomplish those goals.
I was the recipient of this kind of help several years ago, and it was a real blessing for me. It was also very eye opening. Since then, I've read several books on the subject and have tried to incorporate aspects of it into my own ministry. Last year, however, as we began the transition away from Kharkov and into a new work, I wanted to grow in these skills in a more meaningful way.
Coaching helps me help others learn to lead without me, which is important as we are redefining our relationship with the church in Kharkov. It helps me encourage young Christian leaders to move forward and keep momentum going in their own ministries, which is going to be very important in my new role with UBI. Coaching principles are a valuable skill set in my work with others.
The Week Itself
It was an intense week of incredible training. There was lots of new information, useful resources, and very helpful peer coaching practice. My brain was on overload, and my heart was touched by the coaching I was receiving from fellow classmates. As we were saying goodbye on our final day, I realized I had never really taken time like this before. Time that was all about my growth, with no other responsibilities to worry about. I left Seattle energized and excited.
And I was ready to see my family.
Family Time
We spent the next couple of weeks with both sides of our family. It was the last time we'll see them before we head to Ukraine in July. We enjoyed warm weather, a fire station, a zoo, a river walk, an aquarium, and even a little swimming in Great Grandma Bunny's pool. Justus loved getting to spend time with his cousins and grandparents and aunties. Oh, and he also learned how to drive while we were there.
I preached at the three congregations that support us out there, and we also spent some good time with members from those churches.
Back In Oklahoma
So we're back in Broken Arrow for the next seven weeks. It's time to get serious about my class preparations for this upcoming fall semester and to take advantage of the time we have to be here with our church family.
And I'm still going through my coach training. There are follow-up classes online, and I also need to be formally coaching a few people to gain experience and build hours towards an eventual certification. If you’ve got some goals you’re after, or some changes you want to make (personally, professionally, or spiritually), let me know. This kind of relationship works very well through video calls, so distance really isn’t an issue. (It would essentially be a one-hour-conversation every two weeks for a few months' time.)
Thanks, everyone. We love you and thank God for you.
Sincerely,
Brandon (and Katie)
He loves to lead singing anytime he finds a podium…or anything that looks like one.
Working with Katie on his first memory verse, Matthew 5:6:
Katie: “Blessed are those…”
Justus: “…who go outside!”