Ongoing coaching is essential for effective disciple-making. While teaching provides foundational knowledge, ongoing coaching offers the support needed for growth and multiplication. Teaching is brief and tells us what to do, but coaching is long-term and shows us how to do it.
Coaching meetings typically shift to biweekly, monthly, and eventually to an “as needed” basis. Ideally, the coaching relationship continues indefinitely, embodying the “life-on-life for life” principle.
Coaching seeks to "fill in the gaps" (1 Thessalonians 3:10) in the disciple making journey by addressing what tools and resources have not yet been taught or understood with confidence.
Coaching is modeling. The best way to train is to show people how to do things. Nothing communicates more than modeling. Disciples understand what they see far more than what they just hear.
Coaching aims at helping a person form a Discovery Group (DG) which becomes a multiplying church. The measures of when a DG transitions to becoming a church is:
Coaching includes both coaching others and being coached yourself. Both are necessary for healthy growth in disciple-making.
Coaching meetings typically shift to biweekly, monthly, and eventually to an “as needed” basis. Ideally, the coaching relationship continues indefinitely, embodying the “life-on-life for life” principle.
Coaching seeks to "fill in the gaps" (1 Thessalonians 3:10) in the disciple making journey by addressing what tools and resources have not yet been taught or understood with confidence.
Coaching is modeling. The best way to train is to show people how to do things. Nothing communicates more than modeling. Disciples understand what they see far more than what they just hear.
Coaching aims at helping a person form a Discovery Group (DG) which becomes a multiplying church. The measures of when a DG transitions to becoming a church is:
- The group reads Acts 2:36-47 and answering the question, "What does this passage say is present in the local church?" and obeys what they come up with.
- The group self identifies as a local church, calling themselves a church instead of a Bible study.
- The group gathers to fulfill the Seven Sails instead of just doing a DBS.
- They eventually raise up Elders from within who give leadership.
Coaching includes both coaching others and being coached yourself. Both are necessary for healthy growth in disciple-making.
COACHING OTHERS
Coaching meetings generally consist of the following three parts:
Look Back: Options include:
- Reviewing the disciple-making steps: reading the word, extraordinary prayer, finding a person of peace, teaching them DBS, and coaching them towards multiplication.
- Reviewing key resources such as: Discovery Bible Study, DBS Story Sets, DBS Facilitator Notes, DBS Follow Up Questions or any of the explainer videos listed the resources.
- Asking, “How did your ‘I will’ commitments go from the previous meeting?”
- Reflecting on successes and challenges in disciple-making. Questions like, “What’s going well?” and “What challenges are you facing?” can guide this section.
Look Up: Engage with Scripture. Options include reading from the DBS Story Sets and asking, “What does this teach us about making disciples?”
Look Ahead: Ask, “What is your next step?” focusing on the four steps listed above. Encourage responses framed as “I will” statements. End the session with prayer, asking God to sustain these practices.
BEING COACHED BY OTHERS
Participating in coaching meetings is vital to your own personal growth as a coach. Continue the coaching journey by going through the DMM Training, which provides an in-depth learning experience to enhance your disciple-making journey. This multi-session training concludes with an invitation to national ongoing coaching to support your development.
Resources
- View DMM Resources
- Watch Church (6:33)
- Watch Leadership (10:29)