A Christian Perspective for Ordained Life Coach Ministers
The Christian Leaders Institute board met on November 15, 2018. The Life Coach Minister program from a Christian perspective was approved for launching in 2019.
The Christian origin of Life Coaching goes back to Jesus with his disciples. Jesus shared his core identity with his disciples. Jesus once asked his disciples, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16)
As a Life Coach Minister, so to speak, Jesus supported his disciples with a clear worldview that came out of his identity as the Son of the Living God. Throughout the ministry of Jesus to his disciples, he coached them to find their identity and calling in Him. He walked with them and spoke into their calling and development.
Jesus Teaches Servant Leadership
For instance, at one point there was a leadership dispute about who would be greatest in the kingdom. The dispute concerned the authority structure that men and women tend to rally around. Jesus coached his disciples to adopt a different leadership thinking.
Luke 22:24-26 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.”
In this powerful moment of life coaching, Jesus cast the mold for servant leadership that defines Christianity.
Servant Leadership for Life Coach Ministers
This Life Coaching Minister perspective has found expression in recent times. Some of the great movement leaders of Life Coaching continue to help those they encourage to find their authentic calling and identity.
A Christian Life Coach Minister comes from a self-aware Christian perspective that seeks to mold leaders as servant leaders who are called to live out and share the good news as followers of Jesus today. A Christian Life Coach Minister is not a counselor who hides his or her worldview. The biblical perspective is embraced with passion and commitment by a Christian Life Coach Minister.
Life Coach Ministry from a Christian Perspective
Today, many life coach organizations are raising up life coaches who teach that their coaches do not have a personal worldview. It is just a process of helping someone discover who they are and what they do apart from any grand narrative.
Instead, a Christian Life Coach Minister celebrates the biblical story of salvation as the narrative that helps each person. Therefore, they help others find their true image-bearing identities and the reason they exist and move and have their being.
A Christian Life Coach Minister is similar to a Chaplain in many ways. The key difference is that those who ask for a Christian Life Coach Minister are aware that they want to change and need the life coach for accountability and resourcing.
The Christian Life Coach Minister is about helping Christians embrace their stated goals and prayerful dreams and callings.