Here is a list of basic resources for the missions coach.  If you have suggestions for our resources list, please share them!

Organizations: 

Mission Coaches Network (MCN) – MCN provides a network of encouragement and shared information and resources for like-minded Christian coaches who:  “profess the Lordship of Christ, share Biblical beliefs and values, and desire to coach missionaries/missions leaders”  MCN provides four resource calls a year for missionary coaches as well as an email forum, and occasionally, mastermind/follow up calls.  Membership is free but requires agreement with a covenant of participation which helps ensure confidentiality for coaches working in closed countries.  To join, contact facilitators Tina Stoltzfus Horst or Tim Olson (tina@coachingmission.com, or mitolson@comcast.net ).

Books: 

Cross cultural coaching:  “Coaching Across Cultures” by Phillipe Rosinski is the one book to have on cross cultural coaching.  Though written from a secular perspective, Rosinski’s overview of the topic is thorough and helpful. 

Cross cultural issues: 

“Cross Cultural Servanthood”, Cross Cultural Connections”, and “Cross Cultural Conflict” by Duane Elmer.  Written from a Christian perspective and directly applicable to Christian missions, Elmer provides an overview of cross cultural issues and relationships.  The book on conflict is especially helpful.

“The Geography of Thought:  How Asians and Westerners think differently…and why” by Richard E. Nisbett.  This is a fascinating book for coaches who are westerners working with Asians or vice versa. 

“When Cultures Collide:  Leading across Cultures”  by Richard D. Lewis.  Here is a  book written for the business community that gives brief profiles by country of communication patterns, manners, motivations, and concepts such as time and leadership.  A great book when you have a new client from a new culture.

“Ministering Cross-Culturally: an incarnational model for personal relationships” by Sherwood G. Lingenfelter and Marvin K. Mayers.   This book promotes self-awareness and understanding of differing values in different cultures.  Each chapter focusing on a concept also includes a section on biblical perspective and implications.   The book also includes an excellent values assessment.

“Coming Home:  the re-entry transition” by Ron and Bonnie Koteskey.  This booklet includes workbook style questions for clients returning from the field and is a free download on their website, www.missionarycare.com . 

Debriefing coaching:  “Debriefing Aid Workers and Missionaries:  A comprehensive Manual” by Dr. Debbie Lovell-Hawker.  An excellent and practical manual of debriefing skills.  Available from www.peopleinaid.org

“Third Culture Kids” by Dave Pollock and Ruth Van Reken.  This book brings understanding of the unique experience of MK’s.  An excellent book and must reading for coaches working with missionary families. 

Articles:

“Coaching for on-field Development” by Keith Webb, Evangelical Missions Quarterly, Summer 2008. The best overall article available giving an excellent overview of the rationale for missions coaching from an authoritative voice in the field.  An online subscription to EMQ is available for $14 and includes archived articles.

“Empowering Missions:  Getting Started in Missionary Coaching” by Tina Stoltzfus Horst, Journal of Christian Coaching, Winter 2008. A short how-to article for the coach who wants to start doing missions coaching. 

General articles on missionary care:   Missionarycare.com provides a huge database of approximately 800 articles on a variety of member care topics such as anxiety, re-entry, forgiveness, team development, etc.  The articles are accessible by topic.  An excellent resource.  

Events/Trainings: 

Mission Coach Training 2009: This program sponsored by CMI trains and equips missionaries: who have left or are soon leaving their field of service; who have at least some base of financial support; who want to continue serving those left behind; and, who want to serve them through coaching. This is a two-year, high quality distance-learning process including: 150+ hours involving Teleclass Instruction, Onsite Workshops, Personal Coaching, One-on-One and Group Coach Training, and Individual Study; plus, as much as 240+ hours of actual, supervised coaching experience, scheduled to start June 2009.  For more information, go to: www.coachingmission.com/services.htm

Life & Leadership Coach Training 2009: This training is provided by Coaching Mission International and occurs in tandem with and consists of the same 5-modules that make up the first 6 months of the Missions Coach Training 2009 described above. These modules constitute about 115 total training hours and cover the basic coaching skills, the conversational model, life purpose discovery and much more. The program uses 24 tele-classes, peer coaching, one-on-one coaching sessions (optional), hands-on coaching experience and a four-day in-person workshop in Colorado Springs. CMI has opened limited number of places to those who do not expect to use coaching as a primary expression of ministry to missionaries, but who would like to receive the same high-quality training, at half the normal costs and have their tuition help subsidize the training and coaching of missionaries. For more information, go to: www.coachingmission.com/services.htm

The Core Coaching Skills Certificate Program: Cross-cultural coaching training taught by ICF credentialed coaches. The Core Coaching Skills program is 60-hours of professional-grade, biblically integrated coaching training created by and for missional leaders, particularly those working cross-culturally. Join this excellent and affordable program to sharpen your ability to develop and empower others.  2009 trainings will be held in France, Australia, Singapore and Maryland.  For more information, go to:  www.creativeresultsmanagement.com

Marriage Coach Training:  Missions couples face many stressors; language, culture, finances, spiritual pressure, etc.  All of this takes a toll on marriage and family.  Marriage Coaching I has been tested with missions couples from several fields. Participants report that concepts and skills learned are simple, powerful, replicable and transferable to their culture. They report benefitting personally, and that they have been able to translate and use ideas, exercises and tools to build their own marriage, their ministry teams and churches. Do something good for your marriage AND become equipped with effective skills to help other married couples on the field.  Dates are flexible.  For more information, go to:  www.graceandtruthrelationship.com/

Newsletters: 

Keith Webb:  Keith puts out an excellent newsletter focused on coaching cross-culturally in nonprofit organizations.  Sign up on his website,  www.creativeresultsmanagement.com/    

Coaching Mission International: CMI’s newsletter provides organizational updates along with Missions Coaching stories and tips. Sign up on their website, www.CoachingMission.com .

Websites: 

www.creativeresultsmanagement.com/:  Creative Results Management focuses on coaching cross culturally in the nonprofit arena.  This great website is a find for coaches and clients in closed countries. Archived aritcles are available and include one on follow up coaching (“300% more Training Impact”), and on “Coaching and Culture”.  Keith includes book reviews, upcoming trainings, 2 free assessments and two free download booklets on coaching.

www.coachingmission.com/ :  Coaching Mission International (CMI) is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering missionaries through coaching and coach training.  The website provides a rationale for coaching and for using coaching in missions and a listing of programs and trainings offered.                  

www.missionarycare.com :  Ron and Bonnie Koteskey’s website provides a wealth of information potentially helpful to missions coaches on member care issues for missionaries.  Their site includes a database of articles, free downloadable booklets and brochures and a list of free retreat venues for missionaries.  An amazing and generous website.

www.coachnet.org :  The focus of the CoachNet website is coaching leaders on church planting, leadership development and church health. Any coach working with missionaries on these topics will find hundreds of resources that you can download free (after becoming a member) and use in your personal coaching ministry. This includes coaching guides on how to raise up leaders from the harvest, how to plant churches in cross-cultural situations, and how to engage in strategic planning to make a difference. There are also worksheets on all these topics from 8 published resources available to all members for your use including Coaching 101 which has some great basics for coaching. A monthly e-newsletter is also available.