Spiritual Leader Coach Certification Training

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This specialty spiritual leader coach training builds-on and accompanies our NLP-Integrated Life Coach Training program.

This course equips you to serve as an effective coach for those who are spiritual leaders. Their occupation places peculiar demands on their time and their well being. This program will help you identify and assist clergy members and other spiritual leaders to be more centered, effective, and balanced in their work and life.

Though spiritual leaders seek to have Sabbath time for themselves they are on call often 24/7/365 when someone in their care needs them. This places stresses on their lives.

In addition to the excellent training in NLP and Life Coaching that the iNLP Center offers, this certification program looks at unique characteristics of being a spiritual leader person. This course easily adapts to all faith traditions as many of the dynamics are the same.

A Spiritual Leader is often the CEO of a non-profit organization and has many administrative duties. They are also available for individuals who are ill or in distress, helping plan life events like baptism/dedication (initiation into the faith), marriage, burials, teaching things of faith, leading worship and offering a message of hope and direction on a weekly (or at least regular basis). They often represent their community in larger community events.
They are called upon to be visionary leaders and effective managers. These expectations can sometimes be conflicting and are often competitive for time and energy.

This course can assist an individual to discern best practices in the midst of competing demands and helping them keep their center.

Some areas of dissonance for Spiritual Leaders can be:

• Incongruence between one’s beliefs and the behavior of the people they serve
• A desire to seek to measure one’s effectiveness by pleasing everyone
• Wounds and/or trauma in one’s past that is unprocessed
• Lack of technical skills for the specific ministry you are needed for
• Being so busy doing ministry that one doesn’t take time for spiritual nourishment
• Guided or bound by rules of conduct
• Is NLP and Life Coach practices Biblically and/or Faith-based?
• How can my skills be used with individuals, teams, groups, and communities?

As you study in the Coaching program you will readily find ways to address each of these issues.

Natural places that spiritual leaders may benefit from coaching include:

• Beginning a new call or ministry — how to begin well
• Transition points in ministry — as the nature of the ministry/call changes and a deeper understanding of the tasks of ministry unfold.
• Discerning options and resources for areas of ministry.
• Working through conflict — discovering resourceful ways to utilize the dynamics that lead to conflict in a way that “glorifies God and builds up the body of Christ.”
• Balancing life and ministry — finding a healthy balance between ministry and its demands and the rest of life (family, relationships, etc.)
• Facing “burn out” Discerning the end of call and transition from there to a future place
• Ending a call well
• Transition to retirement

Metaphor and Life Metaphor

The use of imagery or story to bring out a point that does not directly involve the client. Jesus used parables; we use metaphors often in common conversation. We will learn how to use this tool effectively in our coaching. Plus, you are privileged to work through a fantastic process with Mike Bundrant in establishing a life metaphor.

Bounded or Centered Set

As you explore in the Life Coach courses motivations and orientations for individuals and how to access and enhance states of being to be resourceful and work through people in various situations, we will examine the concept of Bounded Set – Centered Set orientation.

We will look at which NLP concepts and tools and life coach tools will help people be more resourceful in either orientation. Bounded Set orientation tends to focus on either/or decisions and define their purpose by adhering to a set of rules.

Centered Set orientation tends to focus on moving to a center focus and will use any way to get there. Both orientations bring great strength and a great challenge.

Four Journey Model

The four-journey model is a metaphoric model for focus on areas that cause pastors to be stuck or even leave ministry. They involve helping awareness arise about technical knowledge and skills that may be lacking (forward); healthy relationships and balance in life (outward); processing previous wounding and trauma (inward); and losing spirituality (upward).

You will identify what Life Coach and NLP tools can assist you in coaching someone through these journeys.

Stages of Faith Formation and Psycho-Social Needs

James Fowler identified 6 stages of growth in faith that people can journey through, but as primary driver most live satisfying lives at any stage. Knowing where your client is, can assist you in resourceful coaching.

There are also some drivers at normal ages in life that we will examine as well. Not to label, but to assist you in being better prepared to assist your client.

NLP and Books of Faith

NLP has only been around for 40-50 years but the principles behind NLP have been present throughout history and you can find much of this in the Bible and other Books of Faith.

We will explore stories and other writings from our books of faith that point to various NLP Concepts. That may assist us with clients who may feel the need to prove that your coaching is based on faith or Biblical.

Group Work

Though coaching is usually a one to one relationship. You may be called upon or desire to use coaching & NLP in group settings. Most students seek to use the learning in their daily life so it should not be different for you.

We will examine how NLP and Coaching tools can be used with groups. We also will explore the differences between group coaching and team coaching.