The Coach Approach Ministries Podcast

Coach Approach Ministries
  • 4.9 (33)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to the Coach Approach Ministries Podcast! Coaching is a skillset and a mindset that helps people find focus, discover options and take action. At CAM, we train the very best Christian coaches in the world, and over the last decade, we've trained well over a thousand. Through this podcast, we want to share insights from the Coaching Community and help you to develop a broader understanding of coaching. You can find out more about us at www.coachapproachministries.org and sign up for our proven coach training.

  1. 5d ago

    From First Conversation to Disciple-Maker: The Four Moves Every Church Needs

    Episode Overview What does it actually look like for a church to make disciples—not just attract people or teach them more information? Brian Miller talks with Jim Jansen about building a clear discipleship pathway that moves people from initial relationships to mature faith and eventually equips them to help others do the same. Jim outlines four essential movements—relational outreach, a conversion moment, faith formation, and evangelization formation—and explains how a coaching approach helps churches discover what each of those should look like in their own context. Key Ideas & Takeaways 1. Start with Relational Outreach Churches have to answer a basic question: Where and how are we connecting with people outside the church? Evangelism doesn't have to look like door-knocking or street preaching. Coaching helps individuals identify their existing relationships, interests, communities, and natural spheres of influence. Churches can ask the same question collectively: Where has God already given us relationships and influence? 2. Evangelism Should Fit the Person People often resist evangelism because they have one particular model in mind that doesn't fit who they are. A coaching approach asks how someone naturally connects with people rather than imposing a predetermined method. The early church demonstrates that relational outreach doesn't depend on buildings, budgets, institutional credibility, or cultural influence. 3. Create a Conversion Moment Relationships alone aren't the entire discipleship process. Churches need intentional opportunities for people to encounter the gospel and decide whether they will follow Jesus. Jim points to Alpha as one example, but the specific ministry isn't the point. The better question is: What would an authentic conversion opportunity look like for our church and our community? 4. Don't Copy Someone Else's Method Brian describes discovering that traditional altar calls didn't fit him particularly well, while Communion provided a meaningful, tangible opportunity to invite people to respond to Jesus. What works in one church or for one pastor may not work somewhere else. Coaching helps churches discern the right tool rather than simply importing someone else's successful program. 5. Faith Formation Is More Than Information Once someone decides to follow Jesus, they need to learn how to live as a disciple. Churches tend to be strongest in this area, but often default to classrooms, Sunday school, or other information-heavy approaches. Formation is relational and experiential as well as intellectual. A critical coaching question is: How do we want people to live differently as a result of this experience? 6. Start with the Outcome, Not the Curriculum Instead of immediately asking what should be taught or when a class should meet, Jim encourages churches to ask: What do we want people to do? How do we want them to live? Who already lives this way? What experiences helped form them? Those questions often produce a very different discipleship strategy. 7. Evangelization Formation Creates Multiplication The fourth movement may be the most frequently overlooked: helping disciples become people who make disciples. People need to recognize that sharing their faith is part of their calling. They also need to discover how their unique gifts shape the way they participate. Basic skills—sharing your story, starting spiritual conversations, facilitating groups, and explaining the gospel—can be developed. People also need community and encouragement because evangelization works best as a team sport. 8. A Discipleship Pathway Connects All Four Movements Jim shares the story of St. Francis Cabrini Parish in Omaha, which had experienced decades of decline. The church intentionally developed each stage: Building relationships in the surrounding community. Using Alpha to introduce people to Jesus. Developing home-based small groups for formation. Equipping people to understand their gifts and become disciple-makers. The result was a dramatic turnaround in attendance, giving, engagement, and the overall vitality of the church. Memorable Quotes & Ideas "Where do you naturally have influence and connection?" "We have a responsibility. We have a mission field." "What does it look like for us to preach the gospel?" "What do you want them to do? How do you want them to live?" "The person talking is the person learning." "Evangelization, at its best, is a team sport." "There is a call on my life to share my faith, but the Lord has made me to do that in a very unique way." A healthy discipleship pathway answers four questions: Where do we connect with people? Where do we introduce them to Jesus? How do we mature them as disciples? How do we send them out to make disciples?

    From First Conversation to Disciple-Maker: The Four Moves Every Church Needs

  2. Sep 3

    How Regional Leaders Can Become the People Pastors Want to Call

    Episode Overview Regional church leaders occupy a unique position: they carry a larger vision while serving local churches with vastly different needs, cultures, and challenges. In this conversation, Brian Miller talks with Jim Jansen, founder of Anchor Consulting, about why coaching may be one of the most valuable tools a regional leader can develop. Drawing from Jim's years of working with local churches, they explore how coaching can turn denominational leadership from something local pastors resist into a relationship they welcome. Key Ideas & Takeaways 1. Regional Leaders Have an Advantage Outsiders Don't Outside consultants can bring valuable expertise, but regional leaders already understand the denomination's culture, language, priorities, relationships, and history. They can see patterns across churches and connect leaders with resources and people they already know. Jim describes them as potential "inside coaches." 2. Organizational Authority Can Be an Asset—or a Liability A visit from a denominational leader can trigger the question: "What do they want?" Local leaders may expect another request for money, another program, or the latest organizational initiative. Coaching changes the posture from "Here's what we need from you" to "How can I help you?" 3. People Don't Necessarily Want Coaching—They Want Breakthroughs Jim's team began simply giving coaching away. As pastors experienced progress, encouragement, and helpful conversations, coaching began to "sell itself." The relationship changed because regional leaders were increasingly experienced as helpful rather than intrusive. 4. A Shared Vision Doesn't Require a Uniform Plan Regional leadership still has an important role in establishing vision and priorities. Jim's organization had a clear emphasis on evangelism and mission. Coaching allowed each local church to answer the question: What does that vision look like here? 5. Local Leaders Need to Own the Plan A regional leader can cast a compelling vision, but the local church ultimately has to make it its own. The pastor and congregation understand their particular people, community, opportunities, and limitations. Coaching helps them develop a plan that fits their context instead of merely implementing someone else's strategy. 6. Coaching Demonstrates Trust in Local Leadership Jim argues that regional leaders should trust that the Spirit of God is at work in local pastors and leaders. The regional leader doesn't have to determine exactly how the larger vision will be implemented everywhere. Coaching creates space for local leaders to discern how that vision should come alive in their particular setting. 7. Coaching Can Produce Organizational Fruit Jim describes having roughly one-third of ministry leaders engaged in some cadence of coaching. Over six or seven years, what felt ordinary day-to-day produced significant results. He credits the coach approach as an important foundation for the fruit and goodwill they experienced. 8. Coaching May Be the Missing Tool for Regional Leadership Regional leaders often have vision, relationships, and access but lack a reliable way to help local leaders translate vision into action. Equipping trusted regional staff with coaching skills can extend the ministry of senior denominational leaders across many churches. Coaching connects big-picture vision with local ownership, action, and accountability. Memorable Quotes & Ideas "People don't want coaching. They want the breakthroughs." "How else can I be of help to this local church?" "You could have a vision, but it's the local pastor, it's the local church, that has to not only make the vision their own, but they have to make the plan." "Have a little bit of respect for the Spirit of God at work in local leadership." "Coaching is probably the missing tool to help you extend your ministry to all the local churches." "We saw so much fruit and so much goodwill built when we began to approach things with a coaching mindset."

    How Regional Leaders Can Become the People Pastors Want to Call

  3. Aug 27

    Two Kinds of People

    Why do some people fixate on details that seem irrelevant to you? Why do others jump quickly to patterns and possibilities? And why can a decision that seems perfectly logical to one person feel completely wrong to someone else? In this solo episode, Brian uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to explore two particularly useful personality distinctions: Sensing vs. Intuition and Thinking vs. Feeling. These preferences describe how people tend to take in information and how they tend to make decisions. Understanding these differences can increase self-awareness, reduce frustration in relationships, and make coaches more effective by helping them recognize when they are unconsciously expecting clients to process information and decisions the same way they do. Key Ideas & Takeaways There really are different ways of processing the world. Brian opens with a conversation with his longtime friend Travis about a thorn in his thumb. Travis wanted to know exactly what kind of plant the thorn came from; Brian could not understand why that detail mattered. The exchange illustrates how differently two people can naturally gather information. Sensing and Intuition describe how we prefer to take in information. Sensing tends to focus on facts, details, experience, and concrete evidence. Intuition tends to focus on patterns, possibilities, connections, meaning, and what could be. Neither approach is better. Each notices things the other can easily miss. Our own preference can feel like common sense. Because we have spent a lifetime processing information in a particular way, it can be difficult to understand why another person doesn't see what seems obvious to us. Thinking and Feeling describe how we prefer to make decisions. Thinking tends to emphasize logic, consistency, and what makes the most sense. Feeling tends to emphasize values, people, relationships, and the human impact of a decision. Feeling is not the same thing as being emotional, and Thinking does not mean being uncaring. Different decision-making styles strengthen communities. Logic matters, but so do shared values and the impact decisions have on people. Healthy families, teams, churches, and organizations benefit from both perspectives. Coaches need awareness of their own preferences. Coaching frequently involves helping people gather information and make decisions. A coach who assumes the client should process those things the same way the coach does can unintentionally limit the conversation. The opposite preference can generate powerful coaching questions. A coach might invite a strongly Sensing client to consider patterns or possibilities, or ask a strongly Thinking client to consider how a decision fits the values of the people affected. The goal isn't to change the client's preference but to expand what they are able to consider. Assessments should create awareness, not pigeonhole people. Myers-Briggs describes preferences rather than limitations. Knowing a preference can help explain differences without turning personality type into an excuse or rigid label. Brian closes by introducing CAM 509: Coaching and Assessments, beginning September 22, 2026, an eight-week course exploring assessments and how coaches can use them effectively. Memorable Quotes & Ideas "I think the easiest recognition of this is when I'm around somebody who I don't understand." "You are really going to assume that everybody takes in information and makes decisions like you do—and that they should." "I see patterns before I see specifics." "Feeling isn't about being emotional." "I process differently would be a better way of saying that." "As I'm coaching, I want to try to set aside my own biases and preferences toward how I take in information and how I make decisions." "There are options out there that you have not considered."

    Two Kinds of People

  4. Aug 20

    Do Credential Matter with Mary Selzer

    Episode Overview Do coaches really need credentials? Since coaching isn't a regulated profession, anyone can call themselves a coach—but should they? In this conversation, Brian Miller and Master Certified Coach Mary Selzer discuss the value of coach credentialing, not as a status symbol, but as a commitment to excellence, credibility, and continual growth. They explain how credentials shape the coach as much as they assure the client, creating a solid foundation for transformational coaching. Key Ideas & Takeaways 1. Credentials Bring Credibility Coaching is an unregulated profession, making it difficult for clients to distinguish trained coaches from consultants or advisors. A recognized credential communicates that a coach has invested in learning and has been evaluated against established standards. Credentials help build trust before the coaching conversation even begins. 2. Coaching Is Different from Consulting Many people use the title "coach" while actually telling clients what to do. True coaching helps clients think, discover, and take responsibility rather than simply receiving advice. A credential reinforces the distinction between coaching and consulting. 3. Credentials Change the Coach Mary describes receiving her first credential as a significant mental shift: "I'm legit." The process develops confidence as well as competence. Credentials aren't merely external validation—they transform the coach's identity. 4. Excellence Requires Preparation Coaching people well deserves intentional training. Brian and Mary argue that serving clients with excellence means continually sharpening coaching skills rather than relying on natural ability or experience alone. Excellence honors both the client and the calling. 5. Every Coach Needs a Foundation Every coach operates from a particular coaching philosophy, whether they recognize it or not. Credentialing provides a clear framework and common language for effective coaching. Knowing where your coaching comes from strengthens both confidence and consistency. 6. Competencies Matter Brian highlights the value of the ICF Core Competencies as a practical roadmap for coaching conversations. Competencies help coaches understand how to create awareness, establish agreements, listen deeply, and facilitate action. They provide concrete areas for ongoing improvement. 7. Great Coaches Never Stop Growing One benefit of credential renewal is the expectation of continuing education. Mary shares that after earning her MCC, her first question was, "What's next?" Coaching is about growth—and coaches should model the same lifelong learning they encourage in others. 8. The Credentialing Process Shapes Character Brian reflects that earning his PCC required more than improving techniques—it changed how he thought about people, coaching, and transformation. Rigorous standards don't simply test knowledge; they develop the coach. Memorable Quotes & Ideas "There are many people who call themselves coaches—but they're really consultants." "When I received my first credential, there was a mental shift: 'I'm legit.'" "We aren't the expert on the client's problem—we're the expert on the conversation that creates transformation." "Excellence honors both the client and the calling." "Every coach is coming from somewhere. A credential tells people where you're rooted." "Coaching is about change and growth—and coaches should experience that too." "Getting my PCC didn't just change my coaching; it changed who I was."

    Do Credential Matter with Mary Selzer

  5. Aug 13

    Speaking the Truth Even When It's Difficult with Mary Selzer

    *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-69efcff9-c8c4-8325-9b98-b10b2242ece8-9" data-turn-id-container= "request-69efcff9-c8c4-8325-9b98-b10b2242ece8-9" data-testid= "conversation-turn-18" data-turn="assistant"> Episode Overview Coaching isn't just about asking great questions—it's also about having the courage to speak the truth with grace. In this conversation, Brian Miller and Mary Selzer explore the role of boldness in coaching, from establishing healthy coaching agreements to making difficult observations that create lasting awareness. They also discuss why silence is often the coach's greatest ally and how giving clients space to process can be more transformational than saying one more thing. Key Ideas & Takeaways 1. Truth Must Be Spoken with Grace Coaching requires honesty, but equally important is how truth is communicated. Difficult observations should be offered with care, humility, and genuine love for the client. Boldness isn't about confrontation—it's about serving the client's growth. 2. Coaches Teach People How to Be Coached Healthy coaching begins with a clear coaching agreement. Sometimes clients need guidance on what creates an effective coaching conversation. Setting boundaries early creates stronger coaching relationships later. 3. Boldness Begins with the Coaching Agreement Mary shares the story of coaching a distracted pastor who repeatedly tried to coach while camping and working. A simple but courageous conversation about expectations transformed the coaching relationship for years. Sometimes the most important coaching happens before the coaching even begins. 4. Great Observations Require Courage Coaches must be willing to say what they genuinely observe. A well-timed observation can create awareness that no question alone could produce. Truth spoken with love often becomes the turning point in a conversation. 5. Silence Is Part of the Coaching After a significant insight, resist the urge to fill the silence. Clients often need time to process what they've discovered. Silence is not awkward—it's where transformation often begins. 6. Marinating vs. Stewing Mary compares productive silence to marinating, allowing insight to soak in naturally. Coaches often mistake silence for stewing, assuming discomfort means they should jump back in. Giving clients room to "marinate" allows awareness to become lasting change. 7. Say Less to Say More Powerful coaches use fewer words. A concise observation followed by silence is often more impactful than a lengthy explanation. The goal isn't to explain the insight—it's to give the client ownership of it. Memorable Quotes & Ideas "It's not just telling the truth—it's how you tell the truth." "We teach people how to be coached." "Speak the truth in love." "Silence should be a time of marinating, not stewing." "I won't speak again until they do." "The fewer words we use, the more powerful our observations become." "Let silence do the heavy lifting." _:empty]:hidden">

    Speaking the Truth Even When It's Difficult with Mary Selzer

  6. Aug 6

    Coaching Restored My Love for Ministry and Saved My Family with Mary Selzer

    *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-69efcff9-c8c4-8325-9b98-b10b2242ece8-8" data-turn-id-container= "request-69efcff9-c8c4-8325-9b98-b10b2242ece8-8" data-testid= "conversation-turn-16" data-turn="assistant"> Episode Overview After serving nearly 30 years in pastoral ministry, Mary Selzer found herself emotionally drained from carrying responsibility for everyone's problems. Everything changed when she discovered coaching. In this conversation, Mary shares how coaching gave her permission to stop rescuing people who weren't ready to change and instead invest in those who were. Along the way, she and Brian discuss why coaching creates healthier ministry, stronger relationships, and more responsible disciples. Based on the transcript you shared. Key Ideas & Takeaways 1. Ministry Burnout Often Comes from Carrying Too Much Mary felt responsible for solving everyone's problems. She often became more passionate about people's change than they were. That mindset led to exhaustion and diminished her joy in ministry. 2. Coaching Restored the Joy of Ministry Learning the distinction between counseling and coaching was a turning point. Coaching focuses on helping relatively healthy people move forward. Mary realized she had been investing most of her energy in people who weren't ready to change while overlooking those who were. 3. Not Everyone Wants to Change Coaching gave Mary permission to stop feeling obligated to help everyone. Ministry became healthier when she focused on people who were willing to grow. She and her husband discovered a complementary partnership: he naturally served as shepherd and spiritual director while she coached those ready for forward movement. 4. Coaching Teaches People to Think for Themselves Mary intentionally taught people how to be coached. People who had become dependent on others gradually developed confidence and ownership. Coaching produced greater responsibility and independence instead of unhealthy dependence. 5. Maybe "Uncoachable" Isn't the Right Word Mary questions whether people are truly uncoachable. Perhaps many are simply not ready for coaching yet. Readiness often begins when someone recognizes that something in life needs to change. 6. Coaching Requires Psychological Safety Brian suggests people become coachable when they believe they will be heard. Growth happens when people trust that their ideas and decisions will be respected rather than overridden. Coaching flourishes in environments where people feel safe to think out loud. 7. Building Up Rather Than Holding On Reflecting on Ephesians 4, Brian contrasts two approaches to ministry: Constantly rescuing people who are hanging on. Intentionally building people up into maturity. Coaching aligns with the biblical vision of helping people grow rather than simply survive. Memorable Quotes & Ideas "I became more passionate for people's change than they were." "Coaching restored my love for ministry." "Not everybody wants to be helped. Not everybody wants to change." "You teach people how to be coached." "People became more responsible because they realized, 'I can do this myself.'" "Maybe people aren't uncoachable—they're simply not ready for coaching yet." "Coaching creates an environment where people know they'll be heard and their thinking will be respected."   _:empty]:hidden">

    Coaching Restored My Love for Ministry and Saved My Family with Mary Selzer

  7. Jul 30

    Why Great Trainers Coach Instead of Lecture (Rebroadcast)

    Note Episode Overview What makes training transformational instead of merely informational? In this rebroadcast, Brian Miller and Chad Hall explore how coaching principles can dramatically improve training and facilitation. They argue that adult learners don't simply need more information—they need opportunities to process, discuss, apply, and own what they're learning. A coach approach to training shifts the instructor from being the expert in front of the room to the facilitator of meaningful learning. Key Ideas & Takeaways 1. The Person Talking Is the Person Learning Learning deepens when participants explain, discuss, and process ideas. Trainers should create opportunities for learners to speak—not simply listen. The goal is active engagement rather than passive reception. 2. Move from Lecturer to Learning Partner Traditional training assumes one teacher and many learners. A coach approach views everyone as contributors to the learning process. The trainer brings expertise, but participants bring valuable experience and insight. 3. Don't Respond After Every Comment Trainers often feel compelled to summarize or improve every participant's contribution. Instead, allow ideas to circulate among the group. Real discussion emerges when participants begin responding to one another instead of always through the trainer. 4. Start with Participants' Desired Outcomes Before introducing content, ask: What do you hope to learn? What questions do you want answered? What would make this training worthwhile? This creates ownership and aligns expectations. 5. Adult Learning Requires Processing An effective learning cycle includes: Present a key idea. Give learners time to discuss and wrestle with it. Help them identify practical application. People don't learn best by hearing—they learn by processing. 6. Content Should Evoke Awareness The purpose of teaching isn't simply transferring information. The purpose is to provoke thinking. Even disagreement can be productive if it causes participants to reflect more deeply and engage with the material. 7. Coaching Helps Learners Apply What They Learn Instead of ending with "Any questions?" A coach approach asks: What are you going to do differently? What action will you take? How will you apply this? Application creates transformation. 8. Great Training Creates Ownership The ultimate goal isn't that participants remember what the trainer said. It's that they make the ideas their own. Transformation happens when learners move from receiving information to owning it. Memorable Quotes & Ideas "The person talking is the person learning." "The purpose of the content is to make people think." "I'm not here to convince you. I'm here to help you engage with the ideas." "The trainer becomes less of a lecturer and more of a facilitator of learning." Practical Framework for Coach-Like Training A simple structure for designing adult learning: Teach — Present one key concept (about 10 minutes). Process — Let participants discuss, question, and reflect. Apply — Coach them toward concrete action and implementation. s

    Why Great Trainers Coach Instead of Lecture (Rebroadcast)

  8. Jul 23

    When Not to Coach

    Episode Overview Coaching is a powerful leadership tool—but it isn't the right tool for every situation. In this solo episode, Brian Miller explores when coaching is appropriate and when other leadership approaches, particularly giving direction, are more effective. Using the Situational Leadership model developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, he explains how leaders can match their approach to a person's level of development and avoid the common mistake of using the wrong tool at the wrong time. Key Ideas & Takeaways 1. Coaching Isn't Always the Right Answer Coaching is one of several leadership skills—not the only one. There are situations where people need clear direction more than thoughtful questions. The key is knowing which approach fits the moment. 2. Leadership Is Situational Leadership isn't limited to people with formal authority. Anyone who seeks to influence or help another person is exercising leadership. Effective leaders adapt their style to the situation rather than relying on a single preferred approach. 3. The Two Leadership Levers Situational Leadership revolves around two variables: Direction – telling people what to do. Support – encouraging, listening, partnering, and building confidence. Every leadership interaction adjusts these two "levers." 4. Four Leadership Approaches Depending on a person's development level, leaders should provide: High Direction / Low Support High Direction / High Support Low Direction / High Support (coaching) Low Direction / Low Support (delegation) 5. Coaching Fits Development Level Three Coaching is most valuable when someone: Knows how to do the work. Needs encouragement more than instruction. Is ready to develop ownership rather than receive answers. This is where asking questions becomes more powerful than giving advice. 6. Coaching Creates Ownership The greatest return on coaching is not simply better performance—it's ownership. People begin to see themselves as the expert. They develop confidence in their own judgment. Leaders can gradually release responsibility instead of maintaining control. 7. People Don't Stay at One Level Forever Development isn't linear. Stress Burnout New responsibilities Changing circumstances may require leaders to temporarily become more directive again. Great leadership continually reassesses the situation. 8. Great Leaders Build Multiple Skills Every leader should learn coaching, but every leader should also know when to: Tell Explain Encourage Coach Delegate The best leaders don't overuse their favorite style—they choose the one the situation requires. Memorable Quotes & Ideas "Half the time you shouldn't coach. The important thing is that at least half the time you should." "If you're coaching when they don't need coached, you're annoying. If you're telling when they need coached, you're annoying." "The greatest return on investment of coaching is ownership." "You can only accomplish what you can keep your eye on—coaching helps you expand beyond that." Mentioned in This Episode Situational Leadership by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard CAM 501 – Foundations of Christian Coaching, an eight-week introduction to coaching skills including listening, asking questions, making observations, and partnering with the Holy Spirit.

    When Not to Coach
See All (529)

4.9
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Coach Approach Ministries Podcast! Coaching is a skillset and a mindset that helps people find focus, discover options and take action. At CAM, we train the very best Christian coaches in the world, and over the last decade, we've trained well over a thousand. Through this podcast, we want to share insights from the Coaching Community and help you to develop a broader understanding of coaching. You can find out more about us at www.coachapproachministries.org and sign up for our proven coach training.

Information

You Might Also Like