4 Values of a Disciple Coach

4 Values of a Disciple Coach

One of the realizations of this season we find ourselves in is discovering what is important to each of us.

For example, certain things we just are not able to do now like going to sporting events, the movie theater and even hanging out with friends and family that are not under the same roof. There are some things we are still able to do.

Reflect on those things that are important to you

Perhaps it is taking a walk or hike, getting to know your neighbors or spending a day at the beach with your immediate family.  Maybe it is reading a good book, making stuff with your hands or cooking.  Whatever those things are – many of us have found a way to do those activities we truly value, despite the threat of a pandemic.

One activity I love doing is riding my mountain-bike.  You will find me and my wife on the trails in back of our home, three mornings a week from 6-8:30am.  This is the time when we feel safe to ride given the low numbers of people on the trails and cooler weather.  If you are interested – I’ve uploaded two, 25-second videos for your viewing entertainment below:

  • Gary climbing a gnarly hill, 65′ change in elevation – CLICK HERE
  • Gary dropping down a technical gully, 73′ change in elevation – CLICK HERE.  The photo at the top of this blog is the cut I sustained when I misjudged the final drop earlier this season.  It was not pretty…

BTW – in case you are wondering, my wife, Gina was the videographer.  To give you an idea of her riding capacity – she was so far ahead of me that she was able to unload her bike, get positioned on the trail with her iPhone and record me riding.  I want to be like her some day:>)

Let me suggest that disciple coaches value certain behaviors.  Even during a pandemic, disciple coaches understand the importance of the intentional effort required to connect with pre-Christian, helping new disciples grow in their faith, coaching  disciples to move from being a consumer to serve others and reproduce into the lives of other yet-to-be disciples of Christ.  Here are those values again, taken from the Making Disciples Storyboard:

CONNECT

GROW

SERVE

REPRODUCE

  1. Interested in learning more about the values of a disciple coach?
  2. Would you like to explore being part of a cohort with like-minded leaders?

Leadership Collective

Missional Discipleship

Kick-off Event: Nov 15-17, 2020

  • Discover ways to incorporate disciple coach values in your life and ministry.
  • Connect with like-minded leaders on this same journey.in meaningful ways.
  • Create a comprehensive discipleship pathway that suits your context.
  • Equip other disciples coaches on your team to Connect, Grow, Serve and Reproduce.
  • Bring your spouse to the 2-day, kick-off event in La Jolla, CA – at no additional cost, except for travel.

Learn more by joining our

“by-invitation-only” community by clicking THIS LINK.

 

Reflection Questions for a Disciple Coach: BUILDING BLOCK #4 – Strategic Accountability

Reflection Questions for a Disciple Coach: BUILDING BLOCK #4 – Strategic Accountability

Previously, I alluded to our Leadership Collective 2000 and presented 4 Basic Building Blocks of Disciplemaking – CLICK HERE. Since then I have been working with Glenn Spyksma to brainstorm reflection questions under each of the Disciple-Making Building Blocks (DMbb).  

Disciplemaking is a spiritual process with very real actionable steps.  I use the term, Disciple Coach for the disciplemaker because it is more descriptive of the role of the disciple who makes disciples in our world today.  Here are three benefits of Building Block #4 – Accountability.

The Power of Strategic Accountability:

  1. Accountability helps the Disciple Coach keep the main thing, the main thing.
  2. Accountability helps the Disciple Coach learn from real experience.
  3. Accountability helps the Disciple Coach in-motion.

Following are the reflection questions that you can use as a Disciple Coach to have a discipleship cycle (not a process)

 

Reflection Questions

DMbb #4 Accountability

  • With God
    • What are you learning about God?
    • How do you know when you are doing the things God has called you to do as a disciple coach?
  • With yourself with grace
    • How am I prioritizing life events as a disciple coach?
    • What am I not doing that I know I should be doing?
  • With those God has entrusted to you
    • What do you do to process set-backs with a disciple when their good intentions don’t produce the intended fruit?
    • What progress are you observing with the disciples you are coaching on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis?
    • How do you celebrate a disciple’s progress when they take action?
  • With trusted mentors
    • What do you do to process missed opportunities as a disciple coach?
    • How do you celebrate your progress when you take action as a disciple coach?

 

A resources to help Disciple Coaches stay in motion

Making Disciples Coaching Guide: this includes a brief explanation of each of the locations on the “map” accompanied by reflection questions for use by the Disciple Coach OR used in the context of a coaching relationship (see the explanation below)  – CLICK HERE.

The best way to use the 4 DMbb

  1. Meet with a disciple coach or a group of disciple coaches.
  2. Use the 4 DMbb as an assessment – help the disciple coach identify which one they need to focus on today
  3. Depending on which of the four the disciple coach identifies, help them further reflect on the specific aspect they need to focus – see expanded list CLICK HERE

That will set the stage for a spiritual discernment process to determine the disciple coach’s next steps.  Use the reflection questions above, in addition to the questions we present under the remaining DMbb presented in future blogs to facilitate the conversation.  Help the disciple coach is to stay in motion by taking the next step in their journey to make disciples that make disciples.

Reflection Questions for a Disciple Coach: Building Block #3 – Discipleship Cycle

Reflection Questions for a Disciple Coach: Building Block #3 – Discipleship Cycle

Previously, I alluded to our Leadership Collective 2000 and presented 4 Basic Building Blocks of Disciplemaking – CLICK HERE. Since then I have been working with Glenn Spyksma to brainstorm reflection questions under each of the Disciple-Making Building Blocks (DMbb).  

Disciplemaking is a spiritual process with very real actionable steps.  I use the term, Disciple Coach for the disciplemaker because it is more descriptive of the role of the disciple who makes disciples in our world today.  Here are three assumptions that we make when we speak about disciplemaking. Here are three distinctions between Building Block #3 Have a discipleship cycle – and a process.

What is the difference between a “cycle” vs. a “process”?

  1. A cycle is ongoing and continuous vs. a process – it has a clear start and end point.
  2. A cycle prioritizes the need of the disciple vs. a process – it is linear with a pre-determined agenda.
  3. A cycle relies on obedience vs. a process – it relies on content and acquiring knowledge.

Following are the reflection questions that you can use as a Disciple Coach to have a discipleship cycle (not a process)

Reflection Questions

DMbb #3 Have a discipleship cycle (not a process)

  • Develop a comprehensive disciplemaking cycle that you believe in and will use:
    • Who have you shared your disciplemaking cycle with, in the last 90 days?
    • If you don’t have anyone that you have shared your disciplemaking cycle with recently, what is getting in the way?
    • What changes do you need to make to your disciplemaking cycle?
  • Develop a comprehensive disciplemaking cycle that is reproducible and incorporates the three steps of multiplication:

STEP 1

“I do you watch” 

STEP 2

“You do and I watch”

STEP 3

“You do and some else watches”

    • How transferable is your cycle?
    • Who have you discipled that is using your cycle with other disciple coaches?
    • What elements need to be refined further or added to make your cycle more transferable?

3 resources to help you design your own disciplemaking cycle:

  1. Watch Pastor Russ Sidders share his Disciplemaking Cycle – CLICK HERE.
  2. Disciplemaking Storyboard – CLICK HERE.
  3. Disciplemaking Coaching Guide – CLICK HERE.

The best way to use the 4 DMbb

  1. Meet with a disciple coach or a group of disciple coaches.
  2. Use the 4 DMbb as an assessment – help the disciple coach identify which one they need to focus on today
  3. Depending on which of the four the disciple coach identifies, help them further reflect on the specific aspect they need to focus – see expanded list CLICK HERE

That will set the stage for a spiritual discernment process to determine the disciple coach’s next steps.  Use the reflection questions above, in addition to the questions we present under the remaining DMbb presented in future blogs to facilitate the conversation.  Help the disciple coach is to stay in motion by taking the next step in their journey to make disciples that make disciples.

Reflection Questions for a Disciple Coach: Building Block #2 – Relationships

Reflection Questions for a Disciple Coach: Building Block #2 – Relationships

Previously, I alluded to our Leadership Collective 2000 and presented 4 Basic Building Blocks of Disciplemaking – CLICK HERE. Since then I have been working with Glenn Spyksma to brainstorm reflection questions under each of the Disciple-Making Building Blocks (DMbb).  

Disciplemaking is a spiritual process with very real actionable steps.  I use the term, Disciple Coach for the disciplemaker because it is more descriptive of the role of the disciple who makes disciples in our world today.  Here are three assumptions that we make when we speak about disciplemaking.

3 Problems that DMbb #2 Solves

  1. Knowledge without relationships will not make disciples.
  2. When you gravitate towards the local church for most of your relationships you will probably not make disciples.
  3. If you disproportionately form relationships with disciples of Jesus who are outside the local church, you risk isolation from Christian community.

Following are the reflection questions that you can use as a Disciple Coach to form relationships with pre-Christian and Christians.

Reflection Questions

DMbb #2 Form relationships with non-Christians and Christians

  • Relationships with non-Christians
    • Who are you forming redemptive relationships with to make disciples as a disciple coach? 
    • Using the following progression working from left to right, how would you classify your disciplemaking efforts:  Relationship — Friendship — Discipleship. 
    • What skills do you need to apply to move your relationship forward on the progression: listening, asking questions, prayer, other __________.
  • Relationships with Christians
    • What Christians are you forming intentional relationships with to support your disciplemaking efforts as a disciple coach?
    • What is missing to help you stay on-mission with  your disciplemaking efforts as a disciple coach?
    • What step can you take to strengthen that relationship?  

The best way to use the 4 DMbb

  1. Meet with a disciple coach or a group of disciple coaches.
  2. Use the 4 DMbb as an assessment – help the disciple coach identify which one they need to focus on today
  3. Depending on which of the four the disciple coach identifies, help them further reflect on the specific aspect they need to focus – see expanded list CLICK HERE

That will set the stage for a spiritual discernment process to determine the disciple coach’s next steps.  Use the reflection questions above, in addition to the questions we present under the remaining DMbb presented in future blogs to facilitate the conversation.  Help the disciple coach is to stay in motion by taking the next step in their journey to make disciples that make disciples.