Cathy Liska Joe is a minster at a downtown congregation that wants to reach a new generation. Some of the younger members of his congregation have told him they don’t want to hear all the things they are doing wrong. Joe began looking for a way to provide a positive focus for his members while conveying the message he feels called to give. Joe found coach training would meet his needs because of the focus on understanding people and communicating effectively. He enrolled in an ICF-approved coach training program. He discussed coach training with a few members of his senior staff and they decided to enroll in the program and create a coaching culture amongst staff to spread throughout the congregation.
Joe and his staff realized they had been working within a comfort zone in which they knew they could control the outcomes. They began to recognize there are many ways to reach a goal. They started identifying the resources they have and fully utilizing them. The coaching team developed tools to respect each congregation member as an individual and empower them to reach their spiritual goals. Joe converted his pastoral counseling sessions to coaching sessions. He learned the impact of the words he chose to use in his sermons and how to provide the positive, forward focus that empowered his congregation.
Joe’s staff now has powerful motivation and a clear vision for the future because of their coach training. The congregation is growing rapidly with many new younger members. His members are enthusiastic about the growth and the positive changes they are seeing.
