There are many approaches to bringing transformation to people and situations.
The church has many tools and methods to help people grow in their faith and discover their purpose in God.
But what makes coaching, in particular, transformational for Christians?
Coaching which uses a biblical approach and includes God in the process (as does the Co-Creative Coaching Model from Destiny Coaching), accelerates a Christian’s journey towards all that God has called them to.
Here are five gifts it gives in a unique way that other methods do not, all of which are especially needed by Christians, and all of which lead to profound and significant transformation.
Permission
Sometimes what we need more than anything is simply to be given permission. Many people we coach are stuck and not progressing forward in an idea, a vision, something extraordinary that they have had on their heart, because they feel they need someone to say ‘yes’ to them. Sometimes they look to the leader of the church, or someone else. Sometimes people are waiting on a ‘yes’ from God.
A yes is a powerful motivator. It is a powerful confidence booster. Getting a yes from someone can spur us on into action.
But whoever we give the power to say yes to us, we also give the power to say no to us.
Seeking permission is natural. We naturally want to hear someone say yes. But are we looking for this because it feels right in our culture, whether that be Church culture or just the country culture that we live in? Are we mistakenly taking on board expected protocols which relate more to culture than to God’s truth? Waiting on permission, or favour, or doors to open, or financial security, or logical things to align before deciding on moving ahead, is such a common obstacle for many of us.
Co-Creative Coaching is transformational because it shows us where we are at choice to say yes to ourselves. It opens a space for us to explore what is on our heart and it invites God to speak into this space to give clarity, revelation, and permission. It helps clear up what beliefs are in the way that are not aligned with scripture that are holding back progress.
Affirmation
Sometimes we are stuck because we feel totally unseen. Our vision, our dream, our call may not have been seen or called out of us. Those around us may see us for who we are today but they don’t see who we are called to become in the future.
Heaven sees us in all our gloriousness, at our best, all the time, whether we are there yet or not. Being seen as who we are in spirit, as heaven sees us, is different to being seen as who we are currently. There is a lot more to each of us.
If you have never been affirmed in who you are becoming and never been affirmed in your destiny and purpose where you are headed and in all that God has for you, how are you supposed to see it for yourself or have any confidence in it.
Co-Creative coaching helps with this enormously as it coaches you to see the future. You get to see the future from many different perspectives. It coaches you to see your identity, who you will become when you are fully flowing in your gifts and assignment that God has for you. It coaches you to explore your future assignments. It coaches you to think bigger and see future possibilities. This is incredibly affirming. To have someone to lead you in this way, to believe in you, to see you in this way and facilitate a journey for you to be able to see this for yourself too, makes you feel valued and affirmed. But on top of this in the Co-creative approach God is invited in to also reveal to you the future as you co-create this with your coach and with God.
Confirmation
Just as important as being affirmed is having a sense of confirmation. Confirmation feels like green lights. It takes away lingering senses of doubt or apprehension. Yes, the way forward may feel scary but if you have had confirmation it helps you take each step you need to, knowing and feeling more sure and confident.
Co-Creative coaching coaches people to understand and see confirmations. This is a God-led, completely unique, and personal journey for each of us. But through this coaching we can also differentiate between normal natural obstacles that come up, which sometimes we misinterpret as red lights. When we have had confirmation, obstacles the enemy puts in our way are easier to spot. We have our overall green light, so roadblocks along the way become just part of the journey, instead of complete ‘show stoppers’!
Discovery
Without a vison the people perish, (Prov 29.18). Co-Creative coaching helps each and every person to create a highly compelling vision for their future. This is ideally done with God and using invaluable clues He has put in our pasts and in our hearts desires. Being led in a structured way through a journey exploring what is good and resonant in our pasts and what God has placed on our hearts is a journey of discovery that yields extraordinary results. In brings transformation. The Bible says – The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. (Prov 20.5). These deep waters when drawn out, bring clarity of purpose. This leads to a life led differently. The trajectory of lives change. Alignment happens and purposes are fulfilled in an accelerated way.
Activation
Finally, faith without works is dead (James 2:14). Co-Creative coaching has coaching tools which help people to understand their season, from a biblical perspective and then create goals that matter, that align to God’s will and their current season. Without help in understanding and creating steps towards all that God has provided for us, many of us get stuck and stay stuck sometimes for years! Coaching is so helpful, as not only does it help identify the right next steps in season, but it provides ongoing accountability which all of us need. We need a witness someone to hold us accountable to go forward.
These are just a few areas, that enable Co-Creative coaching to be transformational and to accelerate people’s journeys into the fullness of their purpose.
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