The biblical framework ...
I think that Jesus coached the 12 disciples.
From a life of doing just what His Heavenly Father wanted, Jesus listened to his disciples from a well of knowledge and a deep concern about their well being. Jesus was great at asking questions.
"Who do people say that Son of Man is?" and "Which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?"
Jesus listened well and asked great questions. He had the heart of a coach.
Coaching is not Giving Advice
While a good coach does give advice and lots of encouragement, the heart of coaching is discovered when the coach completely centers on the person being coached. The one being coached drives the agenda.
The coach listens and asks great questions. "What's the one problem you are trying to solve?" "How can you clear away the road blocks?" "Give me three other options that you feel might work here?" "If you could choose an outcome, what would it be?" "What's the worst thing that could happen?"
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What I'm postive pastors and leaders are looking for ...
In conversations with hundreds of pastors throughout the United States, I have discovered they essentially want just five things ... encouragement, validation, a friend, a guide and a keen observer. Frankly, that's at the very heart of my coaching work.
Let me ask you a great question
"What would it be like to talk honestly and openly with an experience pastor who asks great questions?"
So why not email me for a free coaching session today? You'd get to see how it feels, and I know you'll be pleased with how much you like having a coach.
Getting connected...
1. I offer everyone a free coaching session. To take advantage of this offer, contact me at this email address: don@pastortopastorinitiatives.com
2. When I hear from you, I will send you a few questions to help me get to know you a bit. After I get your responses, I contact you with available times for your complimentary session.
3. Because coaching is not a short-term fix and because I am confident that you will like the first coaching session, I hope you will start a coaching relationship with me.
4. I will then send you by email a series of questions that help me know you a little more indepth. Answering them takes about 5-7 minutes. Your answers will give me a little background information on you and hear about your desires and concerns before we both jump into the coaching relationship.
5. As soon as I receive your answers, I will send you available days and times. I tell you what you can expect from me and what I expect from you. We then get our coaching dates on our calendars. Coaching costs are described below and we cover them when we set up our coaching agreement.
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Check out my blog. I have posted well over 300 times. I share what I'm thinking about, what I'm learning from the the Scriptures and what I think God is up to. You will enjoy my musings. The entries are short and pithy. You can subscribe to my blog once you get there. Enjoy!
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What makes me most effective as a coach and pastor
Jennifer and I have been married for 32 years. We have a shared ministry and a great marriage. She is my greatest ally, and I cannot imagine life in the ministry without her.
We have hosted small groups in our home, taken University of Illinois students on lots of missions trips, hosted hundreds of international students in our home, presented marriage seminars in churches in the Midwest, spoken together at college retreats, provided pastoral care for pastors and their spouses and taught leadership principles to pastors and missionaries in Zambia, Egypt and Jordan.
Because coaching, consulting with churches and doing leadership seminars for pastors and churches helps provide my living, I set coaching fees that are realistic for pastors and congregations. I also try to insure that I can take care of my family.
Some very generous friends who strongly believe in this ministry allow me to charge just $70 per coaching session for personal coaching. When we talk face to face or over the phone, you get one hour of my undivided attention. Building a relationship and learning about your unique situation takes time. I have not found coaching to be a quick fix. Generally I like to have at least 2 appointments per month. I have discovered that most coaching relationships take a minimum of three months and I have an ongoing coaching relationship with some of my clients.
Will you get Results?
That's certainly my very sincere hope. You are paying not just for my time but for results. I will listen well, ask good questions and guide you in coming up with a good action plan. At the beginning of each appointment, I briefly review our last discussion and ask you about your action plan.
We discuss costs, frequency of coaching sessions and expectations on my and your part when you are ready to set our coaching relationship into motion. I take our coaching relationship very seriously so I want to be clear with you at the outset about what is expected.
