Help others move forward in life - getting unstuck may be closer than you think!

Eliminate repeated conversations about the same issues - free up time in your day and multiply your impact

Learn in a collaborative environment - surround yourself with other ministry leaders who are in the trenches with you

Journey in freedom

When Jesus walked with His disciples, He didn't seek to control their behavior and words. He asked questions, told stories, and dug into the heart of what mattered most.

Coaching does the same for the people in your life. You'll learn how to ask empowering questions that will lead people to personal "Aha" moments.

Empower those you lead

When people own their decision-making process, they're strengthened in their personal walk with God. They depend less on you for their answers, and are more willing to take positions of influence in the Kingdom.

Release control

It's the essence of dying to oneself: recognizing I don't have to have the right answers for the people I lead, and even if I think I do - what good is it if they need to come to me for everything? Coaching means embracing the truth that we're all on a journey together, and we don't need to control others along the way.

Avoid frustration

Have you ever had the same conversation with someone multiple times? They've insisted they want to change, yet they don't take steps forward.

Coaching short-circuits that process by drawing action steps and ownership out of the other person. You don't have to come up with convincing arguments for your ideas; instead, you help them create goals and next steps for wherever they're at and encourage them along the way.

Multiply your effectiveness

When I was a dean at a Bible school, my schedule was packed two weeks out with back-to-back meetings. Many of those conversations were on similar topics, and I couldn't get ahead on anything else!

When people start moving forward in life, your schedule opens up - they don't need you as much anymore! Even better, the people you lead are growing in confidence and wisdom, and the overall impact of your ministry increases.

It’s Biblical

Coaching is built on listening to people, asking powerful questions, and helping others identify and take ownership of the next steps they need do to move forward in life. How does this line up with Biblical principles?

• God often chooses to ask questions to draw out principles and help people learn. (Gen 3:9, 1 Kings 19:9, Matt 6:27, Matt 8:26, Matt 16:15)
• God does not control our decision-making, but releases us to choose our path. Our leadership should reflect God's heart for us. (Gen 1:26-29, Gal 5:13)
• Coaching encourages people to grow up and carry their own load, growing spiritual muscles in the process. (Gal 6:5)
• The opposite approach of telling others what to do isn’t necessarily Biblical, and if we're honest it can be manipulative and controlling. This doesn't remove the need for teaching in other contexts, but coaching promotes personal conversations that bring transformational change.
• Hearing from God for another person is a bad model because it is a lose-lose proposition:
  • If you're right in your direction, you've taught them to come to you when they need to hear from God; this can lead to manipulation or domination, or at least stunt their growth.
  • If you're wrong, it can be even worse if they become disillusioned with God or the church, or use this situation as an excuse to walk away from God.
• Helping people learn to hear from God for themselves, even if they mess up, is the God-model for growth that coaching promotes!

It’s effective (It works)

• When a person comes to an “Aha” moment on their own, that is when real learning and transformation begins.
  • Ex: "Aren't you going to wear a coat?" doesn’t usually work as well as allowing someone to get cold and remember on their own in the future.
• Nagging, preaching, harping - whatever you want to call it - doesn’t work.
  • The person may comply but likely only in your presence.
  • People become numb or deaf to hearing advice when they aren’t asking for it.
• People grow from success they've had hearing from God and taking action out of their own free will. Experience, whether from success or failure, helps people learn and do better next time.
• Individuals need to carry their own load.
  • Sometimes caregivers, spouses, parents, or friends are more concerned about a person's problems than the person themselves. People need to feel their own need for change. They will often not have the personal fuel for change if someone else is solving their problems or continually pushing them beyond where they want to grow.
  • When everyone carries their own load, we realize we can't blame others for our own choices.

How do we learn coaching?

Coach Training will give you specific skills and tools to tap into these principles listed above. You'll learn:

• Active Listening - have you ever realized you were well into a conversation, but not really hearing what the other person was saying? It's common for all of us to focus on our great solution to someone's problem, or even just other random ideas in our head. Learn to honor those we care about with the skill of Active Listening. 
• Asking Powerful Questions - Jesus was a master question-asker, in part because questions dug to the heart of his audience's motivations in a way nothing else could. We help others have breakthrough moments when we ask incisive questions and allow them to identify their own path forward.
• The Coaching ROAD - an easy-to-remember model for how to approach every conversation. This is the all-important "how" behind applying these principles.
• The Always Circle - a central truth in life that, when we embrace it, changes our outlook when challenges comes.
• The Wheel of Life - learn how to evaluate life holistically, and identify areas to celebrate and those that need attention.
• Coaching meeting outlines and assessments - ready-to-use tools that help you make the most of your meetings.
• The Freedom Prayer - identifying lies and limiting beliefs in our lives and submitting them to God.
• Goal-setting that works - how to create goals that stick and that people are motivated to follow-through on.
• And many other tools, tips, and practices to make your personal interactions more effective and life-giving.

What is Building a Coaching Culture?

Building a Coaching Culture is coach training that equips you to help others move forward in their lives. Through a unique blend of live content and in-depth video curriculum, you'll learn the tools of active listening, asking powerful questions, helping people recognize the season they're in, and much more.

How is Bridges' Coach Training different from other courses?

Some courses want you to pay $2,500+ (plus travel expenses!) for days of in-person teaching, while other distance training omits personal, small group interaction. Building a Coaching Culture strikes a uniquely effective balance of video teaching, personal reading, live discussion and application, and observed practice with live feedback from your trained facilitator.

Is Coach Training for me?

If you work with people, you need coach training. Seriously! Whether you're a pastor, counselor, volunteer coordinator, or even a parent dedicated to developing young leaders in your family, coaching is a fundamental skill that helps others move toward their preferred future.

How is Coach Training delivered?

Over twelve weeks you'll watch and interact with eleven 90-minute online videos, read two books, receive personal coaching, practice coaching and hear feedback from your facilitator, and participate in weekly internet group calls to discuss what you're learning. A reliable high-speed internet connection is required, as is a webcam or similar online camera so we can see your smiling face during live online meetings. We'll also have regular conversations in a private Facebook group, so you'll need a Facebook account as well.

How much time does the course take?

Building a Coaching Culture is a serious committment over the 12 weeks of the course. We recommend you plan to spend at least 4-6 hours per week between reading, watching videos, processing what you're learning, and doing live calls.

Is there support as I go through the course?

Absolutely! You'll talk weekly with your trained facilitator, and they'll walk with you as you learn and apply each lesson. You'll also post every week to your all-cohort Facebook group and grow together with your fellow classmates.

Is there a signup deadline? Why?

Yes, registration closes at 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, May 22nd. Because the class has defined starting and ending classes, and we go through each week's content at the same time, we can't have registration open indefinitely. After May 22nd, all our attention turns toward serving Bridges' current coach trainees.

Are there payment options?

The $1,497 one-time investment is our most popular option, but if you prefer monthly payments, you can pay three installments of $547/month over the next three months.

How does the guarantee work?

Anytime within 30 days after you sign up, reach out to [email protected] with a scan or picture of your workbook up to that point. We don't get many refund requests, so we'd love to know why you're not satisfied, but either way, we'll refund your full payment right away to the original source of payment.

I have another question - who can I ask?

Shoot us an email at [email protected] - we'd love to help!