What is Christian Coaching?
Christians believe that the source of their power does not come just from within but is given by God and comes from Him.
Therefore, a specific understanding of the Christian belief system and practices from a practicing Christian is seen as essential to any believer wanting to make changes that honour their God.
Christian Coaching is coaching for Christians by Christians in a Christian context. It is a method of empowering you to go after “the desires of your heart” (your dreams, outcomes, goals) by changing the way you think and act within as biblical a context as possible.
Beneath this you will find one of the most advanced change models in the world based in cutting edge-cognitive psychology and a commitment to help you “walk as Jesus does” (1 John 2:6)
Although the secular model is used, it is used to create a powerful focus on the frames-of-mind involved in your walk with God.
Why is Meta-Coaching suitable for Christians?
Meta-coaching is a secular coaching model based in the cognitive sciences with universal applications because its focus is on changing the way people think [how their thinking works] rather than what they think [the content].
This makes it useful and suitable for working with Christians. Meta-coaching works with the higher processes of the mind to effect transformations throughout a persons mind-body that have far-reaching and positive effects.
As an aside, Paul Hebblethwaite, who heads up the course Cognitive Therapy in a Christian Context at Derby University, England says that cognitive therapy is the closest model we have in therapy to the biblical model because of its emphasis on renewing the mind.
What are the benefits of Christian Coaching?
You have all the benefits of the secular model plus:
†Christian Meta-Coaching enables your Christ-like attributes to emerge at work and at home.
† It identifies and works to free your from the ‘patterns of this world that exist as mental-emotional strongholds.
†It helps you ‘take captive every thought’ and make it obedient to Christ’.
†It works hand in hand with your faith to help you ‘be transformed by the renewing of your mind’
Why would I want coaching?
What follows is an extract from the book by Ian Field: Imitating Christ through Guided Changework:
“All of us get ‘stuck’, no matter how mature we may be, whether we are leaders, counsellors or people helpers. We hear the command of scripture to ‘put off’ ungodliness, and ‘put on’ new thinking, feeling and behaving (Col: 3.1-10) but feel unable to. As we look around our Churches, families and workplaces, we discover a national epidemic of ‘stuckness’. The pressures and demands of modern-day life will not allow most of us to pursue godliness in peaceful monastic surroundings, so we need to learn new ways to ‘unstick’ ourselves and the others we care for, to restore movement and growth in our lives….if anyone you know has ever been stuck then you know that what you really need is more choices…”
