SEMBEQ magazine WINTER 2016 - n°7
TRAI NED through coaching
Number 2 of 3 on the founding principles of the seminary
TABLE OF CONTENT
A Word From Our Director p.3 | News p.4 SEMBEQ’s Coaching p.6 | How to Coach p.8 Lessons From 33 Years of Coaching p.12 The Origins of Coaching p.14 Testimonies of Coaching Relationships p.16 Microprograms p.18 | Coaching for Women p.19 Quebec 101 p.20 | You Can Make a Difference! p.22
Our dream is to take part in building a province marked by solidarity through a Gospel movement that leads to personal conversions, missional communities, social justice and a renewing of culture throughout Quebec and the Frenchspeaking world.
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A WORD FROM OUR pRESIDENT God has greatly blessed me. Very early into my Christian life, he placed men of God on my path that chose to invest in me by transmitting the good deposit of faith. Some came to me, offering to coach me, whereas others responded to my requests to them. These men formed in me a true understanding of the journey with God and of ministry work. What a blessing, all those hours of listening to them, following them, observing them, questioning them, and praying with them! During my own training, I developed a strong conviction that preparation for ministry necessarily involves academic training, but that it must be complemented by a coaching relationship. This means the passing of knowledge and of experience from one ministry worker to another. At SEMBEQ, we are indeed convinced that this principle comes from Scripture and is observed by leaders in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, including the two greatest examples: Paul and his own role model, Jesus himself. We strongly believe that coaching plays a core role in the training of workers passionate for God and his flock. That is why we have devoted this edition of our magazine to the topic. You will discover, as you read along, men and women who live out coaching relationships daily. On top of being an essential tool for the preparation of an effective ministry worker, we believe that coaching is natural means by which the local church can increase its number of leaders. It is, as a matter of fact, amid the living body of Christ, his Church, that God calls his workers, and it is in that context that these will benefit from a personal and practical training that will qualify them for ministry and predispose them to multiply. This multiplication effect will be the topic of our magazine’s next edition (Spring 2017), thus completing the series on the founding principles of our seminary. I hope you enjoy reading!
François Turcotte President MAGAZINE SEMBEQ - WINTER 2016, n°7
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NEWS the best means to optimize practical and theological learning. It offers me the advantage of investing myself full-time into my studies as I simultaneously maximize my practical training in my own church, according to its needs. What are you ambitions, when it comes to ministry ?
Interview with Richard St-Pierre, new student of the Immersion program Why did you choose the Immersion program ? In my local church, Oasis Church, in Deux-Montagnes, we have chosen to move forward with the Immersion program because it seems to us like
Even if it is too early to confirm which ministry I will be invested in, I believe that God has given me a burden for disciplemaking. My heart is particularly inclined towards those who build up the next generation of workers and leaders of the Church in the province of Quebec. The Scripture that most defines this calling from God on my life is 2 Timothy 2:2. This verse has actually motivated my decision to choose the Immersion program and it keeps me focused during my training on the importance of mastering everything I learn, that I may transmit it to others.
What are your challenges in this new commitment ? For me, going from a format where I was studying five consecutive months per year, to studying full-time brings many new challenges on a family level and personal level. The financial challenge is considerable and can rapidly become discouraging. But God, who has showed His presence from the beginning of the process in 2013, has given me a deep assurance that he supports our training project and that he will keep doing it. This is why we have been going through the process of finding partners who will support us and help us make it through these four years of training, help us meet our family’s financial objectives, and help us invest continuously for the Kingdom in this mission field that is Quebec.
A growing student cohort This fall, we gladly saw nearly a dozen new cohort students added to the Delta group that was started last January. God continues to send workers into his Harvest and we are greatly blessed to see women and men coming forward to answer his call. We don’t know what our Lord has in store for them, but we already rejoice in His works of grace. It is in He who has made the heavens and earth that we place our hope!
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Origins Symposium As a theological seminary serving our churches, SEMBEQ is organizing a symposium on September 30th 2017 on the interpretation of Genesis 1-3. This academic conference will be specifically addressed to our church leaders and students. Our four guests are world-renowned experts and authors of different works on the topic of our origins. They will help defend the theological non-negotiables. We seek to gain a better understanding of the different interpretations of this passage so that each participant may journey in his or her stance concerning this subject.
Inauguration of the New President On October 14th, we had the privilege of gathering colleagues, partners, friends, and family in order to officially celebrate the inauguration of François Turcotte as President of SEMBEQ. Many testimonies demonstrated God’s grace guiding François’s path of investment for the Kingdom in many different contexts. We also honoured the faithful devotion of
Join us in prayer! We are still waiting on the Ministry of Education of Quebec to give us answers concerning our request for a formal academic accreditation through Northwest Baptist Seminary. Official recognition of our degrees would be a major gain for SEMBEQ and our students. Join us in prayer as we ask God for a favorable response from the government.
François Picard as he now passes the baton in order to fill the role of Coaching Director at SEMBEQ. For the occasion, a fundraising project was launched with the objective of supporting the growth that SEMBEQ is experiencing. Rejoice with us! And pray that God may inspire commitment for financial participation in God’s work throughout Quebec. (Details at page 23)
Immersion Program We are excited to announce that we are currently working on the development of a new version of the immersion program.
This current version gives the student a Master of Divinity (M.Div) degree. We are working to add another training option which will give a Bachelor’s degree (B.Th.) This will allow us to serve the Church even better, by making this program accessible to a greater number of students.
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SEMBEQ'S
« Only a Trend? Coaching is popular: sports coach, life coach… Is this a new concept? Is it biblical? » Coaching is one of the major distinctions of our seminary. But what does it look like at SEMBEQ? An Intentional Church In a mission field that urgently cries out for more workers, the task at hand is huge. In addition to discipleship, the local Church, with its burning passion to see the expansion of the Gospel, must adopt as its basic mission the training and sending of future generations of leaders (the Pauline cycle). Does the Church have a burden that God would send workers? “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:38). Each of our students comes from a Church with a vision — an intention, a plan, and a desire to train. We see in this a natural continuity of leadership among the saints, the recognition of potential. The student does not respond to an individual call, disembodied and disconnected from the local Church (the body of Christ). “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2). This speaks to the importance of the Church (especially the board of elders, or pastor) engaging with the student, believing in God’s call upon the student’s life. Ministry is not for some “holier-thanthou” believers. Each and every member of the Church is already part of the ministry and responsible to achieve the mission of making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28). Each one has indiscriminately received a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 4:10) and the grace to serve our Lord in his Kingdom (1 Corinthians 12). The body of believers recognizes some as servant-leaders and role models. These stand out as potential elders (pastors) because they rule their “household” well (1 Timothy 3:10), provide direction, are a spiritual influence, and spread the fragrance of Christ.
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For that reason, SEMBEQ students are involved in their local Churches where they are to proclaim Christ and to make disciples. Intentional Trainers SEMBEQ cares much more about the intended purpose of its trainers than about the number of its students or graduates. Coaching is essential. We want coaches filled with passion and willing to seize every opportunity to be accompanied by a protégé while doing their work. Is not Paul still one of the best models as a coach? In 2 Timothy, we see him fulfill his ministry with a team and train his protégé intentionally for the Gospel, knowing that he himself might not always be there in the future. SEMBEQ wishes to have intentional coaches, who recognize their role as trainers and know how to prompt emulation and reflection. They are able to expose their protégés to gradual challenges and assess them honestly. The purpose of coaching is to qualify a protégé so that the Church recognizes him as a leader-elder. Heart Training Jesus had a privileged, personal, and intimate relationship with the twelve apostles, whom he trained to become the pillars and foundations of his Church. He brought them together, taught them, acted as a role model, exercised his ministry with them, put them to work, and then evaluated them. Through a more and more personal relationship, he opened his heart and revealed his purpose to them: “my Father sent me…” Similarly, the Apostle Paul called Timothy his “beloved son” and explained to him that the main purpose of his training was the Gospel. The coach wants his protégé to succeed even better than him so that he might eventually replace him. Heart-level training includes prayer, confession, repentance, reconciliation, confrontation, tears, joy, firmness, gentleness, and a right amount of love.
We train men who love the cross of Jesus, who are willing to suffer and to give up everything for the Gospel. “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3). Throughout the various situations that occur in ministry, it is the cross that makes the difference between God’s servants, especially the humility and ability to die to self. The cross must be at the center of the relationship between a coach and his protégé. -------------------------------------------------SEMBEQ is equipped to assist Churches and pastors who ask for help. Our current goal is to train pastor-coaches. We offer coaching classes, both for women and for men, and tutors to supervise relationships between coaches and students. The heart/ character-building training and practical learning guides are the means used in coaching to allow students to grow and mature, both in character and in service within the local Church. These tools allow trainers and coaches to measure and facilitate practical learning of their protégés. Since we want God to send workers into the harvest, let us ask him to raise: • An urgent vision of the lost and the need for the Gospel in this world (family, relationship, work environment, city, province, country…); • A deep desire that God would save people, and a heartfelt cry: “Lord, please send more workers!” • A commitment of the Church, the body of Christ, to be a breeding ground for training workers; • Elders and leaders who are burning with passion, ready to pass the baton, and committed to making disciples of Christ
coACHING and to equipping the body to fulfill the work of the ministry, including leaders involved in coaching relationships;
The History of Coaching at SEMBEQ
• Trainers who agree to be coached, who stick with other godly men. The day of the Lord is near! It is time to act. Let the army of Christ arise!
My Task as Director of Coaching Each teacher or trainer should cultivate these thoughts: “Who is my coach? To whom am I accountable? Who supervises my ministry? To whom am I trying to pass the baton?” My new task at SEMBEQ is to coordinate and supervise all of the coaching. I need your prayers! I plan to meet with the Churches who request to establish training plans, and to support elders who wish to include training in their ministry.
We started to use the term “coaching” when we introduced our cohorts groups. But prior to that, this Scriptural principle had inspired our founder, Jacques Alexanian, who still wishes so much that Quebec would see the kingdom of God expanded. This trailblazer, pastor, and visionary had implemented the servants-in-training (“SEF” - “Serviteurs en Formation”) paradigm. This Church-based training requires pastor-teacher coaching. Many of us have been part of SEF before being pastors. The principle, based on 2 Timothy 2:2, was for the pastor to give a “foretaste” of the ministry to a member committed by faith to give one year to be trained. This initiative came from a desire to put passionate men to work for the Gospel, by matching them to servant-leaders. According to this model, the pastor committed to supervising a “Timothy” using the resources offered by SEMBEQ, in order to train him for service and for winning souls to Christ. Weekly meetings were held to plan and evaluate learning. Training followed the model of Jesus, who called disciples to follow him and gave them tasks they could perform with their Master, all having a privileged and exclusive relationship.
François Picard is a field man, a shepherd taking care of souls, and someone who loves caring for people who suffer. For him, coaching has become a lifestyle. Having learned from his own coach, Richard Houle, he has shared his heart with several ‘Timothy’s, including Nicholas Cotnoir, whom he installed at his Church, and François Turcotte, who now replaces him as President of SEMBEQ.
François Picard MAGAZINE SEMBEQ - WINTER 2016, n°7
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OACH W HOW TO COACH Leadership training in the local Church is not restricted to pastoral training. It is directed to all who wish to develop their gifts and to become more efficient servants. In my experience, leaders are not trained in groups. More often, training is done through Spirit-led coaching. The Bible provides many such examples: Moses and Joshua, Jethro and Moses, Elijah and Elisha, Barnabas with Paul and John Mark, as well as Paul with Timothy and Titus. Whom should you choose as coach? Finding a coach should first be done through prayer. You should also remember that no one is perfect and that no coach will possess every intended trait. However, some markers might help you to better discern whom you should ask. First of all, your future coach will have to walk the talk and consider spiritual development as a priority. He should also possess the gifts, skills, and experience you are seeking in your own life. He should be trustworthy and respected in his circle. He should be approachable, willing to get involved in the life of a protégé, able to counsel, and capable of listening more than he talks. The coach has to be open and to teach as much through his defeats as through his successes.
(in French) that will allow for the coach to get better acquainted with his protégé 1. Together, the coach and protégé will need to determine the frequency of their meetings, their mutual expectations, as well as the different areas of ministry in which the protégé wishes to be trained. It would be unwise to impose on the protégé a training program with which he would not feel comfortable. In order to avoid frustration for both of them, the training should meet the protégé’s aspiration
It is critical that both coach and protégé be transparent. This will allow for open discussions, honesty, mutual respect, and will build trust while avoiding many conflicts. This openness will enable the protégé to voice his triumphs, fears, challenges, frustrations and disappointments, and the coach to share his victories, weaknesses, as well as past and present mistakes. The protégé should follow the coach’s guidance. Firstly, the coach should never feel threatened by questions asked for clarification purposes or by objections that might occur in the process. After all, the protégé is not to submit indiscriminately to his coach. On the other hand, constantly challenging the coach’s advice and recommendations may render his task unbearable in the training process and jeopardize the relationship.
HOW TO COACH and call. The coach and protégé need to establish an action plan to determine how this will be done and what different steps need to be undertaken in order to achieve this goal in the coming months and throughout the next few years. This plan will need to be revisited from time to time to make sure things keep moving in the chosen direction.
How to Start a Coaching Relationship?
Non-Negotiable Requirements in Coaching
In coaching, the relationship makes all the difference. You need to get to know your coach as much as he needs to know you. A few meetings might be necessary in order to make you feel comfortable with each other. To help with these first steps, SEMBEQ has developed a couple of tools
This entire process should be surrounded with prayer. Paul prayed day and night for young Timothy (2 Tim. 1:3). Jesus prayed for the Twelve and also that Peter’s faith would not falter when put to the test. Significant changes in the life of the protégé require sustained intercession.
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Availability is another essential both on the part of the coach and the protégé. The protégé will feel valued when the coach makes himself available and set time aside to show his care. However, the protégé who is scarcely available or ignores his responsibilities undermines the training process, proving his lack of interest and thoroughness, two essential qualities for this relationship’s consistency.
H W HOW TO COACH W HO The Ending of a Coaching Relationship Sometimes, coaching comes to an end. The circumstances listed below are some of the causes that might bring either coach or protégé to discontinue this kind of relationship. • The protégé’s goals have become unworkable and exceed the coach’s capacities or seem too far-fetched for the protégé to achieve. • The coach feels overwhelmed by the needs of the protégé and has to refer him to other resources. • The coach and protégé have experienced several interpersonal conflicts and the relationship slowly deteriorates. • Training and/or ministry vision differs making it impossible to carry on. • The coach’s schedule does not allow him to continue this relationship. • The protégé is no longer available or has a lack motivation. Consequently, he does not put in the efforts required to undergo this training.
SEMBEQ offers different courses on the subject and provides reading material (in French only) on its website if you wish to further examine this subject.
Gilles Lapierre
Over the course of his nursing career, Gilles has worked as nurse coordinator for ten full years, then parttime for another nine years. Consequently, he has had the opportunity to train many nurses. As director and president of Camp Patmos, he has also coached a whole work team while overseeing the camp activities. At Montreal’s Église de l’Est (Church of the East), where he was a pastor from 1993 to 2008, he has trained and coached several men, including his successor. He was SEMBEQ’s Coaching Coordinator from 2002 to 2008.
These documents (in French only) are available online at: www.sembeq.qc.ca/coin-du-coach.html. 1
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RECOMMENDED
BOOK
by Daniel HENDERSON
The Trellis and the Vine Colin Marshall AND Tony Payne $25,95
Mark Dever is a man who rarely uses superlatives, so when he does, it means something. So when I hear him say that The Trellis and the Vine was the “the best book he’s read on the nature of church ministry,” I got excited! The basic metaphor which shapes the theme of the book is that of a trellis and vine. We all know that a trellis is a support which is built to support the growth of vines. In the book, the image is used to compare administrative work within a church (the trellis) and the work of making disciples, drawing people into the kingdom through evangelism and the training and equipping of leaders. The basic work of any Christian ministry is to “preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of God’s Spirit, and to see people converted, changed, and growing in maturity in that Gospel.” But, unfortunately, many churches get so bogged down with constructing and maintaining the trellis that vine is left unattended. “Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that in many churches, maintaining and improving the trellis constantly takes over from tending the vine.” Marshall and Payne suggest that most Christian churches need to undergo a radical re-evaluation of their understanding of what Christian ministry really is. They need to go back to the very basics to understand the aims and goals of ministry, to learn how it proceeds, and to see afresh the part we play in it. The authors argue that “structures don’t grow ministry any more than trellises grow vines, and that most churches need to make a conscious shift — away from erecting and maintaining structures, and towards growing people who are disciple-making disciples of Christ.” They offer a list of eleven mindset changes that may be necessary for churches, which leaves you concluding that every Christian is called to be a vine worker. This is an important book that anyone passionate about seeing the Gospel take root and see disciples made must read!
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SEMBEQ deeply cares for the workers in Quebec and the churches they minister to. This retreat is entirely built with the purpose of serving the local church by helping stir engagement among the members and leaders that will be invited. Please pray for each person that is present for this weekend, that God may speak to their heart and show them the step he wants them to take and in which way he wants to use them ...
a step further CONFERENCE AND CHURCH RETREAT JANUARY 20-21 2017 ST-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU QUEBEC
LESSONS FROM 33 YEARS OF COACHING
I have been asked to share some of the lessons I have learned over these 33 years of mentoring businessmen and pastors. To be honest, I think I have learned more through my failures than any success God has given. So here are some of the core lessons I have discovered over the years that have helped me when I mentor others:
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contemplating God’s amazing Gospel mercies! (Rom 12:1) Two wonderful ways to do this is to daily ask oneself these two questions:
1 What do I deserve? (Eph 2:3, Rom 1:32a)
2 What have I received? (1 Tim 1:15-16a)
The Gospel drives everything. Just as we enter the Christian life through faith and repentance in Christ, we live out our Christian life through faith and repentance in Christ (see Rom 6:11-13).
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Action plans and clever strategies for change, as helpful as they are, can never replace the absolute necessity of a “renewed mind” and transformed habits (Rom 12:2) that comes from consciously
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Pastors and the church’s most faithful people are usually cared for the least. Yet they are the most essential people to mentor because they are the multipliers. Don't try to unravel & understand all the problems of the past — rather, take people from their broken past to a gracefilled future (i.e. Jesus with the woman at the well, John 4:17-18).
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We discover people’s true commitment to big change by testing them with small assignments (Luke 16:10). Mini-assignments discover time-wasters very quickly.
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We can only give away what we have. If the fire has not lit my own little stick of wood, my stick will never be used to light others (I must live what I teach, for it to be effective).
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Jesus had perfect wisdom and taught with perfect accuracy with the fullest measure of the Holy Spirit and yet people still rejected his words. Mentoring failures are not always because we lacked enough wisdom or insight.
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Learn to address sin “incidents” (one time occasional failures) and sin “patterns” (habituated sins) in different ways because they act on the soul very differently.
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Humbly make “observations” about what you are seeing. Guard against the pride of making premature “conclusions “ (i.e. judgements). Always ask many questions (Prov 18:13). A key truth for marriages!
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It’s much easier to steer a ship with wind in its sails than simply to row a boat under our own power. So also the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential in mentoring!
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It is essential that people learn wisdom if they are to ever be mature in the faith. Life is not simply a code of black & white options. There are multiple grey areas of life that need case-by-case wisdom (and prayer) to solve. This is especially true in relationships with others.
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Change may be powerfully begun by one-to-one encounters (1 Thess 2:12) but in the end it must be lived out in community with others. We all have a spiritual back that we never see when we look in the mirror of the Word. We need others to show us what is hidden from us (both hidden sins and hidden grace). Without the local church, mentoring will fail.
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Being practical and specific is vital, but if we neglect the theology that propels all true application, we will end up with anorexic spiritual lives focused on high output (application) with minimal input (truth-feedings). Theology is just another word for truth and truth is what takes us to Christ (John 5:39)! To focus exclusively on practice and to neglect the theology that propels it amounts to neglecting Christ and only emphasizing our responsibility for change.
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We need the 3 elements of truth, love, and power combined or we will fail. Mentoring with truth alone gives good direction but it can be impersonal (the program rather than the true needs sets the agenda). Mentoring by relationship alone conveys care but eventually stalls for lack of direction. Mentoring by power alone gives experiences that cannot be tested by Scripture and leads to deception and disillusionment. But all three together are life-transforming! (Eph 4:15 & Matt 22:29 & 1 Cor 4:20).
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What people think is their main problem is rarely the true problem. Scripture, prayer and wise questions help get to the root! (Jer 17:9).
Tim Kerr
Tim Kerr has spent over half his life in Asia. He was raised in India and spent 12 years church planting in Japan. He has spent 33 years mentoring pastors and businessmen with a special focus on personal spiritual renewal. He has worked as a church planter and as a pastor for 24 years. Tim and Joanne have 4 children aged 22-28.
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THE ORIGINS OF COACHING Is coaching only a product of our time, or was it there in a different form in the past?
While it has been informally present from the beginning of SEMBEQ’s history, coaching took a much more organized and sustained form these past 15 years. In our society, this discipline has really taken off in the 1980s, but its origins go back much further. Some have seen Socrates as the ancestor of coaching 1. The philosopher invites his discussion partner to think in order to better act 2. Similarly, in Greek mythology, Mentor is the preceptor of Telemachus, son of Ulysses. Ulysses entrusts his friend Mentor with the education of his son through a coach/protégé relationship. Etymologically, the word “coach” is derived from the Hungarian word “kocsi” 3 which means “vehicle carrying travelers”, or carriage. The word “kocsi” actually comes from the name of the village of Hungary where it was built. The “coach” was designed during the reign of King Matthias Corvinus (1458-90) to carry the king and key members of his government 4. The coachman accompanies travelers
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from point A to point B 5. Denis Bridoux also believes that the influence of this transportation concept of the discipline of contemporary coaching comes from a fable by Jean de La Fontaine in which a fly makes a horse struggling to pull his carriage to the top of a hill reflect on what it is doing. Bridoux also writes that “in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the term cox applies to the person who directs and gives the rhythm to a rowing team.” Its sound is very close to “coach” 6. You will then understand why the dictionary defines the verb to coax as “to gently persuade, to carefully move into a certain position” thus similar to today’s coaching. The term instructor/trainer has first been defined in 1830 by Oxford University as a private tutor in charge of accompanying a student to an exam 7. The title “coach” is clearly used for the first time in its contemporary meaning by the 1880s and it is then associated with the coach of a sports team. The American Football Coaching Association was founded
in 1922 8. At that time, the use of this word was restricted almost exclusively to the field of sports. The contemporary idea of the coach really appeared during the Industrial Revolution, a period during which several scientific and technological upheavals occurred. Research in psychology multiplied at that time. Then, in the 1960s, with the development of workers’ rights, the employer/employee relationship underwent significant changes. Thus, it became more important to take care of the relations with one’s staff and to see to its training. Although this discipline is new to a certain extent, the concept is probably as old as the world itself — especially if we define coaching as a relationship in which an individual listens to another in order to help this person 9. Mutual assistance between men has taken many forms, from that of a teacher and his disciple, to the
simple fact of having an ear to share our thoughts or our burdens. Vikky Brock, in her excellent research on the history of coaching, says that it has developed slowly and is like a child with multiple parents 10. This discipline has been influenced by several others, eventually becoming a more distinct one many centuries later 11. According to Brock, coaching is both a multidisciplinary approach and a social phenomenon. The author identifies nine primary roots that have influenced the emergence of coaching: education, psychotherapy, studies in communication, the self-help movement, the social system
theory, sports motivation, theories on adult development, the holistic movement, as well as management and leadership theories 12.
field of coaching for executives, business people, and leaders is an ideal environment for the NABC (National Association of Business Coaches) 13.
Though coaching has often been associated with sports, it has quickly proven its worth in other fields as well: business, academic, arts, personal development, and the Church. The Worldwide Association of Business Coaches says that professional coaching in the business world has become one of the most rapidly expanding services in United States and Canada. In many countries, the proliferation of similar training and accreditation programs in the
You will not find the word “coaching” in a Bible concordance. However, we do find concepts and examples of relationships that demonstrate similar principles, such as disciple training. Man did not invent this discipline: it has been practiced under many names. Whether through history or the Bible, God is using coaching as an essential tool for growth and for leadership training.
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Brock, Vikki G. Sourcebook of Coaching History. United States: 2012, Kindle edition, 855. Hevin, Bernard and Jane Turner. Tout savoir sur le coaching. Paris: Bréal, 2010, 12. 3 [Http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/122816/coach]. 4 Bridoux, Denis. “Talents-Coach” in L’histoire du coaching, Part 1. Accessed November 16, 2013, [http://www.talents-coach.com/coaching/l-histoire-du-coaching-premiere-partie.html]. 5 “Coaching : Origine, Définition, Étapes, Modalités”. Accessed November 16, 2013, [http://www.coach-pnl.fr/definition-coaching.html]. 6 Bridoux, Denis. “Talents-Coach” in L’histoire du coaching, Part 1. 7 Morrison, Mike, “History of Coaching: A True Insight into Coaching”. RAPIDBI, accessed November 16, 2013 [http://rapidbi.com/history-of-coaching-a-true-insight-into-coaching/. 8 AFCA HISTORY. Accessed November 16, 2013, [http://www.afca.com/article/article.php?id=3]. 9 Ibid. 10 BROCK, Sourcebook of Coaching History, Kindle edition, 765. 11 Ibid. Kindle edition, 794. 12 Ibid. Kindle edition, 895. 13 [http://www.wabccoaches.com/about/history.htm]. 2
Louis Bourque
Louis Bourque has been practicing coaching in an intuitive manner for over twenty years. During this time, he has coached up to ten ministry workers. In 2012, he undertook a PhD in Ministry and Leadership and his doctoral thesis focuses on coaching experienced coaches.
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TESTIMONY of Dominick King Dominick, 28 years old, is the pastor-in-training in charge of the youth and young adult ministry at Le Sentier Church, in Gatineau. He and his wife Kim have been married for seven years and have three children: Mathis, Aurélie and Xavier. He is a theology student at SEMBEQ..
I had been a Christian for about two years when I first heard about coaching. I was then about 15 years old. Thus, coaching came early in my spiritual journey and it has taken many forms over the years. It all started when I mentioned to the man who would become my coach until the age of 23 that I wanted to be a model for my friends in the youth group who were not yet Christians. I started being coached shortly after, and I am still today. There are many reasons why coaching is essential in my life. First of all, I really need to make myself accountable in order to help me grow in the most difficult areas of my life. I need someone to whom I give permission to ask hard questions, someone who can hold me accountable at all times. Since coaching is almost always aimed at training me for leadership in the Church, these
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relationships have enabled me to learn from more experienced individuals who have helped me grow in different areas of the ministry. Several men have coached me in pastoral visits, helped me to prepare sermons, perform wedding ceremonies, lead the Lord’s Supper, and more. It is a blessing to know that there is always someone to whom I can go whenever I need some advice, reach a dead end, or need to validate my thoughts or ministry decisions. Coaching is also very important because someone is reproducing himself in my life. Since I was young, I have been looking up to those who have been my coaches as role models. I want to be like my coach, I want to watch how he acts with his wife, how he raises his children, how he communes with God, and how he treats the people around him. I need to learn and grow. The Christian life is certainly not to be lived alone. My
coach is one who is always there. He is one of the people in my life who help me become more and more like Jesus. Soon enough, I really wanted to give back to younger men what I had received. The benefits of coaching in my life were so obvious, it was only logical to do the same thing for a younger generation. I really like to coach young men on their journey. I like to help them be like Christ and answer their call to live as men of God. I dream of seeing each one of them flourish where God wants them. By God’s grace, I want my turn to be an example in all aspects of my life, and to offer them the opportunity to be accountable and accompany these young men so that they grow up in the ministry.
TESTIMONY of alexandre marquis Alexandre is married to Cynthia and is a father to four young kids. He is a pastor at Église de l’Espoir in Longueuil and works with SEMBEQ to train workers for the work of the Gospel in Quebec. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in biblical spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
Why was personal coaching essential in my training for the pastoral ministry? There are several reasons why coaching has been essential to my training as a pastor. The main one is that I am convinced that it is the training model presented in Scriptures. And I know firsthand that it is the ultimate model. In his letters to Timothy, the Apostle Paul presents the kind of relationship he had with his protégé. He said: “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings” (2 Tim 3.10-11). Through this description, we can see that Timothy was not a remote witness to the Apostle’s ministry, but rather a student in the front row seat. In following him, he had access to his coach’s personal life and ministry. Today, with much gratitude to the Lord, I can say that I did not learn what it means
to be a good pastor or a good ministry worker only by reading books, articles, or blogs. I was also trained in a biblical way by someone who opened up to me with much transparency. I had a model I could watch and imitate. Personally, I have had the privilege to be coached by my local Church’s pastor, Yanick Ethier. Although I can say that several other workers in the ministry of the Gospel have been (and continue to be) models and even mentors to me, no one has contributed to my training as much as my coach, with whom I served daily, a fellow worker who had learned before me what it means to serve the Lord as a pastor.
to God and his Word, who grows as a husband and father, who passionately loves the Lord’s Church and cares deeply about its people. I had a model of wisdom that inspired me in some of my life and ministry decisions and directions. It is impossible to find such training in the classroom alone! Just as Timothy had learned from Paul by having followed him closely in the course of his ministry, I too was able to experience this biblical model and to learn by following Yanick closely in pastoral ministry. Even if this relationship with my coach has somewhat changed now, by the grace of God I still have the privilege to serve in the same pastoral team and I am still learning from him.
By following my coach in board meetings, pastoral visits, evangelism and service to the community, and by observing him through his teachings and during our long conversations, I was able to learn from him in a practical way. I had someone to learn from, an example of a man committed
MAGAZINE SEMBEQ - WINTER 2016, n°7
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QUATRE COURS
SANS TRAVAUX
SANS LECTURES
QUATRE COURS
SANS TRAVAUX
SANS LECTURES
TARIF RÉDUIT
QUATRE COURS
SANS TRAVAUX
SANS LECTURES
MICROPROGRAMS ICROPROGRAMME
ICROPROGRAMME
POUR FEMMES
LEADERSHIP
É VA N G I L E 3 6 0
Microprogram for women
Leadership Microprogram
Gospel 360 Microprogram
CHRISTIAN TEACHING ABOUT WOMEN
Intro. TO THE CHURCH AND ITS MISSION
THE GOSPEL AND ITS MISSION
February 3-4 and April 31 - May 1
February - June
Monique Saulnier
François Turcotte
Bécancour
Québec
A WOMAN IN HER LIVING CONTEXT
A leader AND HIS influence
February 24-25 and March 17-18
January - June
Monique Saulnier
Louis Bourque
Montreal
Terrebonne
A WOMAN IN HER LIVING CONTEXT
A LEADER AND HIS TEAM
March 24-25 and May 5-6
January - June
Monique Saulnier
Jean-Marie Fahmy
St-Georges-de-Beauce
Montreal
ICROPROGRAMME
February 10-11 and March 24-25 Steve Cloutier Montreal
As these courses take place, through a variety of microprograms, in a variety of cities accross the province, bringing a variety of men and women to a greater maturity, would you consider interceding with us? May we pray for these teachers, on these dates, and for the churches represented, that all may be blessed in their ministry!
COACHING for women Monique Saulnier
Seven years ago, Coaching for Women was taught as the first intensive course as part of the Priscille training. For me, I was hearing about this subject for the first time. Throughout the training given by Gilles Lapierre, I realized that without knowing it, several women had experienced some coaching principles in the past, although not in an intentional manner. At some point, we have all received advice from a friend or a relative regarding marriage, family, etc., and we have all been given some support. This has been my case. It is only in the last 10 years that coaching has become a well-known topic. First used by sports leaders and businesses to optimize work and efficiency among employees and team members, it was later expanded to several areas in society. The Christian world needs this type of approach to meet the training requirements of its leaders. Coaching is the art of strategic
guidance. In the last seven years, this course has been given to women who wish to go a step further to grow and succeed in areas where they had often given up in the past. It is not uncommon to hear women say: “I took this course because I knew that I needed some change in my life, but all alone, I was discouraged.” Since 2009, over 80 women attended the training which is given regularly at the end of August. It is now part of the Woman of Influence microprogram. Coaching addresses two areas: a practical sphere with its practical learning guide, and the inner sphere, which aims at building character by the transformation of habits and attitudes. Let me tell you about a student in the first Priscille group. Initially, seven years ago, she started making changes in terms of practical actions. Several changes have emerged and continue to date.
Little by little, she allowed God to search her heart and to identify what needed to be changed in her life. Various events in her journey gave her clues for transformation of her character. Coaching enabled her to gather information, to receive comfort during the storms of life as well as support to deal with adversity. It was then possible for her to meditate and memorize Scripture passages, read books to find answers to her needs and sometimes cry on a shoulder in order to be encouraged. Coaching is both intentional and relational. The coach is the person who opens the way to victory by accompanying her protégé to succeed in her goal of being more and more like Christ. Coaching that brings change and builds character is impossible without the presence of God, the quintessential Coach.
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QUEBEC 101 20
TRAINED THROUGH COACHING
False God The Quebecois are one of the most unique people groups in the world. Quebecers are French, but modest; English, but playful; and Americans but pacifist. They exist in a world of paradox, and because of this find it difficult to belong. At the same time they cry out that they are not French! They are Quebecois! They are not American, even though they are absorbed in their culture —and they are definitely not English, period. Of course, this all makes sense historically... Settled by the French over 400 years ago, Quebec became distant from its cousins in France. As language and culture developed in France, it did as well in Quebec, but withbattles for self-preservation. Eventually, the French gave Quebec up, leaving them orphaned. The Americans tried to invade, and English Canada did everything they could to get them to speak English rather than French. Even the Catholic Church was oppressing the Quebecois. They were powerless in their own house. Then, Jean Lesage shared the dream that the Quebecois could becomes masters in their own house. Quebec bought into this vision, and everyone put their hopes and aspiration in the power of politics to liberate them from their misery. They no longer needed the Catholic Church; they had a new savior. Many more things could be said. But like any false god, politics was not able to deliver on the promises it made. The Gospel is the only hope for Quebec. Thus, the importance of training men and women to do the work of the ministry in the context of the local church. Please pray that we would be faithful in the task of reaching our neighbours for Christ.
Saint‑Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is a real town located south east of Riviere de Loup. The Commission de toponymie du Québec asserts that the parish's name refers to nearby Lake Témiscouata, and haha is an archaic French word for an unexpected obstacle or abruptly ending path. Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is the only town in the world with two exclamation points in its name.
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You can make a difference in our leaders’ development and for the advancement of the Gospel in Quebec! Jesus is building his church in Quebec, and the gates of hell will not prevail. This promise is found in the Bible and assures us that the work that SEMBEQ is doing will be fruitful. However, this work does not happen apart from his faithful servants. God has chosen to equip men and women with the skills and resources to accomplish His promise.
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TRAINED THROUGH COACHING
The work of rescuing sinners, making disciples, and planting the church can be likened to rescuing a man from a pit. At the bottom of the pit are men and women needing rescue. SEMBEQ has found faithful men willing to go down and rescue them, but they cannot do it alone. They need someone to come alongside, tie a rope around their waist, and lower them into the pit. That rope must be held steadily and faithfully to ensure a successful mission.
Would you consider holding the ropes of this important task in Quebec? SEMBEQ works with men and women who are willing to invest themselves in the task of rescuing men and women through the Gospel, making disciples and planting churches. But, they need your help. They cannot do it alone.
As this year comes to an end and as the Christmas season approaches, we ask for your support. You who believe in the importance of training workers to reach out to Quebec with the Gospel, we ask for your help. With François Turcotte’s transition to his new role as president, and as the seminary experiences continued growth, the financial needs of SEMBEQ have increased. The president’s support currently comes partly from funds specifically designated to the position, and partly from our General Fund. Our objective is to free up the General Fund to better meet the needs of SEMBEQ’s growth, while making sure that François’ financial support is fully provided for. Along these lines, we ask God in His grace to prompt at least
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• new financial partners who will pledge to support SEMBEQ on a monthly basis • partners who will increase their current support • new Churches who will commit to supporting SEMBEQ • Churches who will increase their current support
Thank you for your commitment to supporting SEMBEQ: • Out of appreciation for François Turcotte, a man God has chosen, the “Timothy” who has taken over; • Out of thanksgiving to God for the work in Québec, and for SEMBEQ’s contribution to this work; • Out of a willingness to participate in the training of Kingdom workers. MAGAZINE SEMBEQ - WINTER 2016, n°7
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