There are so many interpretations of what Christian coaching is.
Is it when a Christian coaches someone?
Is it when a Christian coaches another Christian?
Is it when you pray?
Is it when you talk about God?
Is it when a Christian trains you to coach?
All of the above could call themselves Christian coaching but could well use plain, ordinary, secular coaching techniques, skills and tools. The only part of any of the above that makes the session ‘Christian’, would be that the people involved happen to be Christian.
That is apart from involving prayer, which is not strictly speaking coaching. Prayer in coaching must be conducted in a coaching manner for it to really be considered ‘coaching’.
Talking about God is a topic within a coaching session, like any other topic. It does not make the session ‘Christian’ per se. Now obviously if you are a Christian, having a Christian coach is re-assuring as they most probably have a whole set of values that are aligned with yours. But having a Christian coach, doesn’t mean they are giving you coaching any different to any other type of coaching.
I have also, had people say that when they trained in coaching, they felt that their trainers were Christian. Again, this doesn’t mean that they have been trained to do coaching in any other way than the normal, secular way, using standard coaching skills and tools.
Destiny Coaching has created a new category in coaching. It can truly be called Christian coaching as it is built form the ground up with biblical values and mindsets. The tools and skills, although approved to a high professional standard, (by ICF – International Coaching Federation), are created to host God to be in the centre of them.
These tools lead people towards a life and career that would align with God’s plans and purposes for them. Perhaps one of the most dramatic differences in this coaching model over and above other more secular approaches are the tools it contains. These tools help bring awareness to people of the complicated process of getting to their big goals, their dreams and their purpose. We know from the Bible that God takes each of us on a journey to fulfilment of our purpose and His promises. This journey is not a straight linear line, it is a journey of preparation, it has many twists and turns and unexpected detours! In this coaching model, we understand this and have tools which help coachees to understand their journey as well as getting clear on their destination.
We also recognise that coaching alone no matter how biblically based, and spirit infused your tools are, can only take you so far. It is God himself that transforms and accelerates. This is why we seek to include him in coaching when coaching Christians. The results of this are literally unprecedented.
The powerful combination of coaching and God together is not something that the Christian community has embraced and explored in depth yet. When they do they realise how this has been a missing element in discipleship, growing in our faith, growing in our calling. The powerful combination of God and coaching takes people further than they can go from listening to teaching, sermons and reading books alone. It takes people further than focussing on healing of hurts and trauma. It adds an extra part, a vital part to their journey, that of understanding who they are and what they were made for, alongside understanding how to get there, with God and through His guidance.
This is Christian coaching at its best!
And, when Christians take this to places that are not Christian and are able to move people forward to transformation, they have not found anywhere else, people are profoundly moved and profoundly impacted. They ask questions. This is when we can tell them, only if they want to hear, about the power of God, about His nature that He has a plan and a purpose for every human being and that being in relationship with Him takes your life into a different direction, one that once you have experienced you will never want to live it any other way.
Again, Christian coaches can coach in any arena, and can bring something more powerful than any other coaches. They can bring biblical wisdom, through biblically based coaching tools and skills. They can bring the presence of God through coaching that reaches the heart and spirit. This is what the Co-Creative Transformational Coaching Model from Destiny Coaching ministries does. Coaches trained in this model, can bring the power of God, through learning how to be connected to God when they coach. And so much more……..
Again, this is Christian coaching at its best!
Find out more about how Online Transformational Coaching School, to learn to coach this way