To research the field of coaching and encounter the “big picture” of the profession, look at the website of the International Coach Federation. ICF is the coaching professional association that has been around the longest. The organization provides structure to the profession – awards credentialing to coach training and certification to individual coaches.
At the beginning of my research, it was quickly easy (exciting) to see that basic coaching concepts and principles were very compatible within a Christian context. It was also quickly easy to see that many applications of those concepts and principles did not align with a Christian worldview.
I began to wonder if there were any other coaches out there – Christians – who had “gone before me.” Hopefully, you know the answer is a resounding “yes.” This was four years ago and it wasn’t as easy then as I hope it has been for you to find other Christians in the field.
So one Sunday at church, I went forward for prayer – asking God to connect me with an established Christian coach. That week, I was in the local Christian bookstore – and much to my surprise – (I was not looking for it) – I saw the book, Christian Coaching: Helping Others Turn Potential into Reality by Gary R Collins. This book is an excellent overview of the coaching profession. It discusses the integration of Christian faith with the practice of coaching. There is no other book like it. It is an excellent resource!
As a result of this book, not only did I connect with one coach – but I met a whole community of Christian coaches. (Did I mention I prayed…why am I always surprised by the answers?) Let me tell you about the community tomorrow.