EX -CCX

RESOURCES

MISSIONAL
FORMATION
COACHING
Healthy Rhythms for
Thriving Leaders

WINFIELD BEVINS
& MARK DUNWOODY
Endorsements

“I am particularly pleased to commend this strategic little book. Bevins and Dunwoody
address the key issues for missional practice: The relationship between our life in
God and our service of God. The need of a shared rhythm or rule of life, the capacity
for discernment - for reflection in a distracting culture, and the need for missional
accompaniment, wise guides along the way. As we follow the Spirit in an unpredictable
time we are heading into the wild. This gift from a previous wild time is a wise guide,
whether we be practitioner or coach or preferably both.”
Graham Cray, Former Bishop of Maidstone, and Archbishops’ Missioner and Leader of
the Fresh Expressions Team

“Missional coaching is a vital and much-needed resource for church planters because
church planting is one of the most demanding disciplines in the church today. Planters
often find themselves in unique situations facing unusual challenges and they need all
the help they can get. This important book is an essential manual for anyone wanting
to support church planters and multiply their effectiveness, longevity and health. Read
it, digest it, use it!”
Ric Thorpe, Bishop of Islington

“More than ever before, missional leaders need help to be able to navigate the changes
and challenges of the chaotic world we live in. Rooted in Scripture and the history of
the church, Bevins and Dunwoody have written a deeply spiritual and timely resource
that will help leaders thrive by promoting healthy rhythms of spiritual and missional
practices. Read it and put it into practice!”
Alan Hirsch, Author and Activist, alanhirsch.org

“Missional Formation Coaching is a wonderfully accessible and very timely resource

for those interested in growing and helping others grow in ministry. Standing on a
strong foundation of Scripture and theological reflection, Winfield and Mark draw
on the rich spirituality of St. Ignatius and St. Aiden to help us rediscover a missional
spirituality that is badly needed to address the complexities of ministry in our current
climate. You will not be disappointed!”
Kimberly D. Reisman, Executive Director, World Methodist Evangelism

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 2

“My spiritual father once taught me that all human life is conceived in community,
but develops in solitude! True disciples are formed by Christian community and
engaged in mission to the world, but equally nurtured in daily moments (often apart
and alone) abiding with their Lord . This book echoes that same integrative vision for
the Christian life - of both worship and mission, advance and retreat, working and
waiting. But it goes further, by providing a practical application process to learning it
and to share this with others. Well worth reading, but best practised.”
Revd Manik Corea, Global Executive, the New Anglican Missionary Society (NAMS)
and Regional Team Leader for South-East Asia

“Developing a missional spirituality is crucial for today’s planters so that they don’t
have to choose between losing their soul or planting a church. Using time-tested
ancient practices, Missional Formation Coaching integrates deep spiritual formation
with joining God’s mission in a seamless way. Bevins’ and Dunwoody’s book is a
valuable resource for anyone who coaches missional leaders today.”
Len Tang, Director, Fuller Church Planting Initiative

“In the noisiness of today, ‘Missional Formation Coaching’ provides a holistic, well-
grounded approach to the transformation and renewing of our minds as in Romans
12:2. It integrates worship, prayer and our relationship with God into the appropriate
context of coaching. Mark and Winfield do not just share ‘what to do’ but provides an
opportunity to apply and reflect using an interactive, social participatory experience
online. After all, coaching is not about just ‘what we know.’ It’s about ‘how we engage
and apply’ these truths to our lives.”
So-Young Kang, CEO & Founder, Gnowbe Digital Learning, Singapore

“When I think of Missional Formation Coaching, I think of Winfield Bevins and Mark
Dunwoody—two highly-experienced practitioners who bring together the ancient
wisdom of the church and a track record of raising up leaders. Over the next decade,
the church in the West needs to equip thousands of emotionally heathy leaders—
practitioners who can minister out of a deep and transformed inner life forged from
healthy rhythms that connect spiritual and missional practices. Thanks to this new
book we have a road-map to get them there.”
Revd Dr Christian Selvaratnam, Director of the St Hild Centre for Church Planting
Yorkshire, England

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 3

“There are no well-worn paths for the mission of the church in these extraordinary
times. This means that we need adaptive Spirit-led church leadership. In Missional
Formation Coaching Winfield Bevins & Mark Dunwoody draw on principles from
church history and personal experience of coaching and make them accessible for
missional leaders today. It is deeply spiritual and helpfully practical. This is a gift and
a timely resource for the church as God calls us forward in mission”
Revd Canon John McGinley, New Wine Director of Church Planting Development

“Coaching that begins and ends with prayer shows the seriousness of missional
formation as Jesus prayed and spent time with God on a regular basis. This is a very
practical handbook for missional leaders. May God use you both mightily to share
your thoughts and wisdom to establish His Kingdom in this world.”
John Hira, Principal, St Andrew’s Theological College, Bangladesh

“Missional Formation Coaching is a gift for God’s church today. In this impressive
tool from Bevins and Dunwoody, they fuse ancient and contemporary spiritual
reflections and practices to fuel contemporary pilgrims on their journey in mission
with the Triune God. This is undoubtedly a resource I will return to again and again,
in prayerful conversation with others on the way.”
Rev Canon Tim Lomax, Director of Mission, Diocese of St Albans, UK

“The effective coaching of leaders is a mission critical lifeline thrown to leaders to help
them navigate through the egg and flow of ministry. In Missional Formation Coaching,
Winfield Bevins and Mark Dunwoody introduce us to a unique coaching model that
weds spiritual practices with missional practices. Their vast ministry experience serves
to provide a simple, scalable and sustainable approach, leading to the transformation
of individuals and communities. Missional Formation Coaching equips leaders by
connecting common principles and practices from the past to the present, in order to
propel leaders for the fulfillment and completion of the Great Commission.”
Will Plitt, Executive Director Christ Together

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 4

 © 2020 Winfield Bevins & Mark Dunwoody

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission,
except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 5

 ONLINE 24TH JUNE 2021

SIGN UP AT CCX.ORG.UK/CONFERENCE
MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 6
 OUTLINE

Introduction: Discover a New Beach

1. Spiritual Breathing

2. Missional Formation Coaching

3. Next Steps

A Blessing for Missional Leaders

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 7

 INTRODUCTION
Discover a New Beach

“One of the most important rhythms for a person in ministry is to establish a

constant back-and-forth motion between engagement and retreat.”
RU T H HA L EY BA RTON

We live in a strange world where things like pandemics and protests seem to
be the new norm. Since March 2020, the world has radically changed and will
continue to change in the days ahead. Andy Crouch, Kurt Keilhacker, and
Dave Blanchard describe the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic as an
economic and cultural blizzard; winter; and the beginning of a “little ice age—
a once-in-a-lifetime change that is likely to affect our lives and organizations
for years.”1 One thing is for certain; we live in a different world than we did a
few months ago, and things may never return to the way they were.

There is no doubt that this is a time of great provoking and unpredictable

change, both natural and human-made. Disruptive elements seem to be
everywhere, gathering strength like air masses that spiral over oceans or in
decisions that swirl through the halls of our institutions of power. In this
time of writing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the daily news is filled with
extreme changes, and many of us feel battered by forces we cannot control.
These feelings are exacerbated when we see many leaders still using maps for
a world that no longer exists.

We cannot hope to make sense of things by using our old maps. It won’t help
to dust them off or reprint them in bolder colors. The more we rely on them,
the more confused we will become. They will cause us to focus on the wrong
things and blind us to what’s significant. Continuing to use maps that helped
make sense of our previous world will only lead to greater confusion. In this
historic moment, we live between an old worldview that no longer works for a
Christendom formation model, and a new worldview that seems too bizarre to
contemplate. We need a new GPS to navigate the realities of the world we are in.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 8

Strangely, times of change and chaos have always intrigued and excited
me (Mark). During my time living next to the ocean in beautiful Ireland, I
marveled at the intense Atlantic Ocean storms that frequently battered the
exposed coast. Storms can dramatically change how a beach looks because
they often can cause erosion and other shoreline changes due to high winds,
increased ocean water, and wave action along the coastline.

After a storm had passed, I would walk down to the waterfront, not looking
for damage or eroded shoreline or fallen trees, but to find a new beach. Such
are the times we are living in today. The world has changed and we need to
reawaken a Christ-centered spirituality and discover “new beaches” where
God has gone before us to create beauty and wonder.

We know the relationship between the church and mission has always been a
complex one; ask three Christian leaders about the topic and you will get three
different answers. While it is true that the church was founded in mission,
the stronger the church grew, the more that mission became only one item
on a very long agenda. Whatever your personal beliefs, hopes, and dreams
are for the Church, we invite you to consider that we need new formational
frameworks for the missional leader to navigate this chaotic time.

We also know life is hard and that you might have been disappointed by the
Church’s response to, or feel lost in, the current state of global pandemic.
Truth be told, many leaders find themselves at a loss in times of crisis, and are
still firmly in a mode of “doing” by creating more programs and activities. The
COVID-19 pandemic has likely resulted in many church leaders duplicating
this busyness in an online format – while unwittingly neglecting their spiritual
rhythm of life by adding to the ever-constant need to feel digitally connected.

Yet, Scripture and church history prove that even in times of crisis and pain,
hope will emerge. The key to this emergence is for us to be aware of God’s
presence in every part of our lives, as it is that awareness that guides us to a
place of missional creativity. We passionately believe missional formation that
is grounded in the hope of Christ is critical for church leaders to embrace.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 9

What is Missional Formation Coaching?
The Bible tells us that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
Missional Formation Coaching is nothing new, but simply a biblical and
historical model of coaching that follows the ancient way of Jesus Christ. We
see examples of coaching relationships throughout the Bible, whether it be
Elijah and Elisha, Moses and Jethro, Paul, Lydia, Barnabas, and Timothy to
name a few. In particular, we see this in the life of Jesus and his disciples. Jesus
coached his disciples through conversations that employed thought provoking
questions. For example, Matthew records 65 questions; Mark records 45
questions; Luke records 73 questions; and John records 45 questions. From
this we see that questions were at the heart of Jesus’ discipleship methodology.
Jesus’ questions were designed to lead them toward inner transformation and
deeper into God’s mission.

In lives that have been marked by hurry and distraction, church leaders are
in desperate need of balancing themselves again if they are ever to sustain a
missional lifestyle. They must remain alert to the fact that Jesus valued silence
and reflected on his spirituality with others. In the midst of our world’s radical
changes and challenges, we need courageous leaders and churches who are
willing to reimagine and embrace the future possibilities of the Church. This
is why we believe coaching matters.

Missional Formation Coaching is a reflective approach to coaching that is

designed to help missional leaders thrive by promoting healthy rhythms that
connect spiritual and missional practices. We believe that this framework
can help missional leaders thrive in today’s globally diverse world. We
have adapted a reflective coaching framework that begins with praying for
the guidance of the Spirit, giving thanks for what is good, reviewing what is
happening, reflecting on what needs to happen, and resolving what to do next.

We have written this book for people who want to learn the basics of the
Missional Formation Coaching model, which connects spiritual and missional
practices. In particular, we have written this book with two kinds of people
in mind. Firstly, it is written for missional leaders, whether they be church
planters, pioneers, pastors, entrepreneurial business owners, or community
leaders, to be able to use as they seek to disciple and coach others. The
principles in this book can be adapted to a variety of settings, including
existing formation processes.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 10

Secondly, this book can be used by missional coaches who want to understand
and apply the dynamics of Missional Formation Coaching. We have found
this to be a helpful resource for professional coaches and network or
denominational leaders who help coach and mentor pastors, church planters,
and missionaries on a regular basis.

Regardless of who you are, our prayer is that this resource will help you go
deeper in your walk with Christ as well as equip you to be a missionary to the
world around you. Whoever you are, wherever you are, we are all called to be
missionaries of peace and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ afresh to this
generation!

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 11

 CHAPTER 1

SPIRITUAL BREATHING

“You have made us for yourself, O Lord,

and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
S T. AU G U S T I N E

We invite you to take a journey with us to rediscover the rhythms of missional

spirituality.

All around the world, many Christians are running on empty, are on the verge
of burnout, and suffer from “SADD” – spiritual attention deficit disorder. One
of the reasons for this is that many of us are trying to serve God in our own
power and strength. Mission without prayer and worship is dangerous and
disembodied. Oftentimes, we falsely divorce missional practices from spiritual
practices, as if mission was something non-spiritual and merely pragmatic,
dependent upon us – not God. Could anything be further from the truth? If
mission is anything, shouldn’t it be spiritual and influenced by the Spirit of the
living God, rather than something that is attempted in our own strength and
power? No wonder so many Christians are departing from the faith.

Perhaps you are at the point of burnout or know a close friend or associate
who is. Henri Nouwen describes his own experience that some of you might
identify with. Listen closely to his words:

After twenty-five years of priesthood, I found myself praying poorly,

living somewhat isolated from other people, and very much preoccupied
with burning issues. Everyone was saying that I was doing really well, but
something inside was telling me that my success was putting my own soul
in danger. I began to ask whether my lack of contemplative prayer, my
loneliness, and my constantly changing involvement in what seemed most
urgent were signs that the Spirit was gradually being suppressed. It was
very hard for me to see clearly, and though I never spoke or only jokingly

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 12

 so, I woke up one day with the realization that I was living in a very
dark place and that the term “burnout” was a convenient psychological
translation for a spiritual death.2

I (Winfield) remember the first time I read these words because they hit a
little too close to home. For too many leaders today, these words are daily
realities. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

More than ever before, Christians need to rediscover holistic practices for
spiritual formation that will sustain them for mission in today’s world.
Christianity is not just a set of doctrines to be affirmed but a way of life that
is meant to be lived. The earliest Christians were known simply as “the Way”
(Acts 9:2; 18:25; 22:4; 24:14). They were known as “the Way” because they
followed the way of Jesus. We need to rediscover an ancient way of being a
Christian that brings together worship, formation, and mission. We call this
“missional spirituality” because it connects spiritual practices with missional
practices.

Just as breathing is essential to the physical body, so the Christian life requires
a spiritual breathing. Breathing is a beautiful analogy of the Christian life
that reminds us that our mission is directly connected to our spirituality.
Mission isn’t just doing something for God, but begins and ends with being
with God. In their book, Worship and Mission After Christendom, Alan and
Eleanor Kreider say the Church needs to both inhale in worship and exhale by
going into the world and sharing the Good News; making peace; and caring
for creation, reconciliation, and the marginalized of society.3 In missional
spirituality, “inhaling” and “exhaling” are two essential and interconnected
movements of living the way of Jesus in the world.

This balance of worship and mission is especially important for missional

leaders today. Even doing good things like ministry and mission can be a
distraction if we don’t allow time for rest. After the disciples returned from a
busy missionary journey, Jesus told them to “Come aside by yourselves to a
deserted place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). They had been busy and Jesus
knew that they needed rest for their weary souls. Spiritual burnout occurs
when we don’t give ourselves time to rest from our daily routine. We believe
that the secret of Jesus’ ministry can be found in this balance of worship,
prayer and mission. Henri Nouwen offers the following meditation on the
balance of the spiritual life and ministry of Jesus.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 13

 “In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went
off to a lonely place and prayed there.” In the middle of sentences loaded
with action – healing suffering people, casting out devils, responding to
impatient disciples, traveling from town to town and preaching from
synagogue to synagogue – we find these quiet words: “In the morning,
long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely
place and prayed there.” In the center of breathless activities we hear a
restful breathing. Surrounded by hours of moving we find a moment
of quiet stillness. In the heart of much involvement there are words of
withdrawal. In the midst of action there is contemplation. And after
much togetherness there is solitude. The more I read this nearly silent
sentence locked in between the loud words of action, the more I have
the sense that the secret of Jesus‘s ministry is hidden in that lonely place
where he went to pray, early in the morning, long before dawn.4

We also see this illustrated in the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42.
Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and heard his word, but Martha was distracted
with much serving. Jesus said that Mary had chosen the best thing because
she sat at his feet and was not distracted. Resting in the Lord is the only way
that we can continue to have an effective Christian life because our being must
come before our doing. Times of rest and retreat enable us to listen to the still,
small voice of God.

Several years ago, I (Winfield) went through a difficult season wherein I felt
spiritually exhausted and close to burning out in ministry. Like Bilbo Baggins
in The Fellowship of the Ring, I felt “thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped
over too much bread.”5 My faith had not adequately prepared me for this
experience. During this season of life, God helped me slow down and recover
my faith by embracing spiritual rest and retreat. Jesus invites each one of us to
come and find our rest in him. Think on the following words from Matthew’s
Gospel:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away
with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real
rest. Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the
unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on
you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
(Matthew11:28-30, The Message)

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 14

Never before has there been such a need to rediscover missional spirituality.
It is essential that we allow time during each day for spiritual rest and solitude
from all of the busy distractions of our complex world. If we are not careful,
the multitude of distractions of this world will keep us from finding rest for
our souls. Our souls need to have scriptural rest in the same way that our
physical bodies need rest; otherwise, we will experience spiritual burnout.
God promises rest to his people. The biblical word for rest literally means a
resting place, a quiet place, peace, trust, and reliance. Rest is the reason why
God commanded us to keep the Sabbath. Jesus said that the Sabbath was
created so that man may have rest. As we shall see, rest and mission are not
antithetical to one another, but instead are essentially symbiotic.

The Missional Spirituality of Lindisfarne

Sometimes, we have to go a long way to find what we are looking for. One of
the best examples of missional spirituality comes to us from a tiny island in
northern England. Lindisfarne Island is the site of one of the most important
centers of early Christianity in England. Over the ages, it has been home
to saints and scholars, including St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert, and famously
produced the medieval illuminated texts known as the Lindisfarne Gospel, an
artistic masterpiece. From its shores, missionary monks spread the gospel like
wildfire across northern England. This island also witnessed the first recorded
Viking invasion in 793 A.D. Today, the island’s history, beauty, and wonder
continue to inspire a new generation for mission. So, what can a body of land
that only measures three miles from east to west teach us about doing mission
today? We believe that the missional spirituality of Lindisfarne Island still has
many lessons to teach us.

In 633 A.D., King Oswald of Northumbria desired to bring Christianity to

his kingdom and requested the monks of Iona in Scotland to come and bring
Christianity to his people. The first monk who was sent, Corman, met with
little success. He returned to Iona and reported he was unable to minister to
the people because they “were ungovernable and of an obstinate and barbarous
temperament.”6 Not willing to give up, the monks of Iona had a conference to
discuss what they should do next. Aidan, who was at the conference, issued
these comments to the failed missionary monk: “Brother, it seems to me that
you were too severe on your ignorant hearers. You should have followed
the practice of the Apostles, and begun by giving them the milk of simpler
teaching, and gradually nourished them with the word of God until they were

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 15

capable of greater perfection and able to follow the loftier precepts of Christ.”7
This observation by St. Aidan convinced all in attendance that he was the man
to continue the failed missionary work in Northumbria. It was unanimously
decided that Aidan would be sent out from Iona to establish Christianity in
northern England.

Aidan was consecrated a bishop and arrived in Northumbria around 635

A.D. accompanied by twelve other monks. King Oswald gave him the small
island of Lindisfarne (also known as Holy Island) as a home base for his
monastic work. Aidan established the monastery on the Island of Lindisfarne
that eventually became an epicenter for spirituality and mission for northern
England; a “thin place.”

The landscape of Lindisfarne Island is littered with monuments, markings,

and ruins that once boldly stated, “This is a thin place. This is holy ground.”
During our last visit, Winfield and I (Mark) looked at each other and asked
if we both sensed that the very ground itself seemed to be calling out, “Come
here and be transformed.” In moments such as these, visitors to the island
today can feel the connection with the people whose spirits first marked these
spots and all the pilgrims who have visited since.

Lindisfarne provided both solitude and a base for missionary work, being
cut off from the mainland except for twice a day during the periods of low
tide. When the tide was in, the island was completely surrounded by water
and became a solitary place. When the tide went out, it again was connected
to the mainland. This rhythm of the tides coming in and going out formed
the spiritual rhythms of the missionary monks on Lindisfarne. The monks
would retreat on the island for worship, prayer, and rest, and then carry God’s
presence back out into mission. Lindisfarne became a center of learning to
train missionary monks for Northumbria and eventually helped found other
monasteries throughout the region.8 The monastic missionaries who trained
on Lindisfarne went out from there and helped bring the gospel to much of
Anglo-Saxon England, especially in northern England.

What made Lindisfarne such a successful missionary hub? We believe that it

was due to the missional spirituality of its leader, St. Aidan, who was a humble
man of God with a deep spirituality that included a life of prayer, reading
the scriptures, and proclaiming Christ in word and deed. Aidan, whose name
means “little flame,” lit a fire that burned brightly across northern England.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 16

Bede described him as a “man of outstanding gentleness, holiness, and
moderation” who was endowed with the “grace of discretion.”9 In addition to
living a holy life, he gave his clergy “an inspiring example of self-discipline and
continence,” never caring about worldly possessions, and loved to give to the
poor.10 Aidan refused to use the king’s horse for his missionary journeys, but
instead chose to travel on foot, reading the scriptures and talking to everyone
he met about God. He preached widely throughout Northumbria, working
together with the king to evangelize the people. Since Aidan could not speak
the language of the people, the king even translated for him until he became
proficient in English. Bede summarized Aidan’s life in the following words:

He cultivated peace and love, purity and humility; he was above anger
and greed, and desired pride and conceit; he set himself to keep as well
as to teach the laws of God, and was diligent in study and prayer. He
used his priestly authority to check the proud and powerful; he tenderly
comforted the sick; he relieved and protected the poor. To sum up in brief
what I have learned from those who knew him, he took pains never to
neglect anything that he had learned from the writings of the evangelists,
apostles, and prophets, and he set himself to carry them out with all his
powers.”11

Such was the spiritual life of the monks who lived on Lindisfarne. Ray Simpson
reminds us, “The pattern of outreach and withdrawal, advance and retreat, was
another feature of Aidan’s, as of Christ’s, way of life.”12 The monks of Lindisfarne
carried God with them far and wide out of a deep place of rest and delight in
God’s presence. Just like breathing, missional spirituality is marked by the ebb
and flow of the Christian life. So it should be with us; our mission to the world
should flow from a deep well within us, from the very presence of the living
God. These practices form the heart of missional spirituality.

The ultimate fruit of spiritual formation is not retreat from the world, but
missional engagement with the world. Robert Mulholland reminds us that ,
“Spiritual formation is a process of being conformed to the image of Christ
for the sake of others.”13 This definition of spiritual formation reminds us that
the telos or goal of our own formation as missional leaders is for the sake of
others. To be a Christian leader is to be a part of a missionary movement that
has a long and rich heritage of holistic mission. This heritage reminds us that
God’s love inspires us to be missionaries to the world around us.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 17

In conclusion, God’s love inspires us all to be missionaries to the world around
us. As N. T. Wright says, “The link between worship and mission is so close
that many prefer to speak of them in terms of each other. Glad, rich worship of
God revealed in Jesus invites outsiders to come in, welcomes them, nourishes
them, and challenges them....Thus, though I continue to speak of worship
and mission as separate activities, I also insist on integrating them.”14 As the
body of Christ, we come together to worship God in order to be sent back out
into the world through mission. Let’s end with a prayer that is attributed to St.
Aidan that embodies the rhythms of missional spirituality.

Essential Thought
Missional spirituality is a way of Christian living that connects spiritual
practices with missional practices and reminds us that our mission to the
world should flow from the very presence of the living God.

Reflection Questions
1. What questions have arisen for you regarding missional spirituality?

2. What insights have you gained about the idea of connecting spiritual and
missional practices?

3. What observations can you make about your own missional spirituality?

Action
Take at least half day for personal spiritual retreat to reflect on developing a
more robust missional spirituality in your life. Bring with you a Bible and a
journal to reflect on how you can develop a deeper missional spirituality that
includes the balance of your spiritual breathing: worship and mission.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 18

 CHAPTER 2

MISSIONAL FORMATION
COACHING MODEL

“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

AFRICAN PROVERB

By now, you probably realize that we believe that ongoing coaching is essential
for the health of pastors, pioneers, and church planters and for the long-term
health and success their ministry and the churches that they lead. We believe
that there is a significant value for leaders who have coaches and mentors
in their life. Therefore, the need for coaching and mentoring in Christian
ministry is essential to the life of being a leader in the twenty-first century.

There are numerous so-called “Christian” coaching models. The problem

with many of the coaching models is that they are influenced by psychology
and business practices and do not actually have a Christian foundation. Most
ministry coaching focuses specifically on pragmatic church growth techniques
rather than the health of the minister, and ignores the various dimensions of
the leader’s life. More than ever before, Christian leaders serving churches
and non-profits need to rediscover practices for spiritual formation that will
sustain them for mission in today’s world.

So what is coaching? In The Coach Model for Christian Leaders, Keith E.

Webb reminds us, “How you define coaching reveals much about the values,
mindset, and approach you bring to working with other people. You will
act in accordance with your beliefs.” He defines coaching as “an ongoing
intentional conversation that empowers a person or group to fully live out
God’s calling.”15 Webb gives us a helpful reminder of the importance of the
definition of coaching. According to Gary Collins, “Coaching is the art and
practice of enabling individuals and groups to move from where they are to
where they want to be. Christian coaching is the art and practice of enabling

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 19

individuals and groups to move from where they are to where God wants them
to be.”16 In Christian coaching, God is the one who makes all the difference!

At this point, you may be asking yourself, “What exactly is Missional Formation
Coaching?” Missional Formation Coaching (MFC) is a reflective approach to
coaching that uniquely connects spiritual practices with missional practices
to promote healthy rhythms that will help you flourish wherever God has
planted you, and draws on the past to nurture the Christian leaders of today.
Here is an overview of the process that includes sample questions that can
be used as a reflective practice in preparation for your monthly coaching
sessions.

1. PRAY
Open each coaching session by welcoming the Holy Spirit to come and guide
the time together. Pray “Come, Holy Spirit!”

2. CELEBRATE
Share some things you are thankful for in your life, family, and the church.
Identify signs of God’s grace.

3. REVIEW
Review what is going on in the church. Reflect on what has happened since
the last meeting.

4. REFLECT
Reflect on the challenges, shortcomings, or areas that your coachee needs to
focus on during this session.

5. RESOLVE
Resolve what action your coachee needs to take before your next session.

Coaching Ecosystem
Finally, Missional Formation Coaching provides coaches with a framework or
ecosystem for the coaching relationship whether it be one-on-one or group
coaching. We like the language of an ecosystem because it reminds us that
coaching is a dynamic, organic, and living relationship between the coach
and the person being coached. An ecosystem is a community of living things
that interact with each other, requiring continual change and adaptation. The
coaching relationship is no different. In the same way, Missional Formation

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 20

Coaching provides an ecosystem that allows the coach to help those who are
being coached to grow and develop as a result of the coaching relationship.
The MFC ecosystem can be adapted and used in various contexts, regardless
of whether it is one-on-one or group coaching.

Essential Thought
Missional Formation Coaching is a unique model of coaching that connects
spiritual practices with missional practices to promote healthy rhythms that
will help you flourish wherever God has planted you.

Reflection Questions
What questions have arisen for you with regard to the Missional Formation
Coaching model?

What insights have you gained about the Missional Formation Coaching
model from this chapter?

What observations can you make about how you can use the Missional
Formation Coaching model in your own coaching practice?

Action
Practise the MFC model firstly on yourself, and then with a close friend,
family member, or colleague. As with anything, we learn by doing. Coaching
is meant to be put into practice. Remember the only way to perfect a new
skill is to practise, so open your heart and mind to what God might teach you
through your new found skill-set of coaching.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 21

 CHAPTER 3

NEXT STEPS

“The Road goes ever on and on / Down from the door where it began / Now far
ahead the Road has gone, / And I must follow, if I can...”
J. R . R . T O L K I E N

We have come to the end of the book, but we hope that it is not the end of
our journey together. Rather, we hope it is only the beginning of an exciting
adventure of faith of missional partnerships for the Kingdom. Throughout the
book, we have introduced you to elements of Missional Formation Coaching.
For coaches, we hope that this book has also given you an adaptable framework
that you can utilize with the people that you will be coaching. As we close
this book, we want to offer a few next steps that will help you wherever you
are on your missional journey. We have developed resources to help promote
spiritual and emotional health for Christian leaders for today’s world.

Missional Formation Coaching

Are you looking for space to reflect with a seasoned practitioner? Our
Missional Formation coaching is a reflective approach to coaching t designed
to help leaders thrive by promoting healthy rhythms that connect spiritual
and missional practices. Although founded on an ancient model, we believe
that this framework can help missional leaders thrive in today’s globally
diverse world. We offer one-to-one, group coaching, learning communities,
and consulting.

Missional Formation Course

In the Missional Formation course you will learn to thrive by integrating
healthy rhythms that connect your spiritual and missional practices. This is an
online training that is designed for Christian leaders, whether they be pastors,
planters, or community leaders.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 22

Missional Formation Coaching Course
We offer Missional Formation coach training that is geared both to an
individual, or a large-scale church/organization like a diocese that seeks
to integrate a culture of coaching. This online course will assess your
understanding of MFC coaching. It is on a unique mobile-ready platform
which means you can complete it on your cell phone or desktop. Further, this
certification training suits your lifestyle as it can be taken all at once or in bite-
size pieces of learning.

Missional Formation Podcast

The Missional Formation Podcast is designed to help leaders thrive by
promoting healthy rhythms that connect spiritual and missional practices.
Hosted by two friends, An Irishman and an American. The Missional
Formation Podcast is about sharing stories of hope and resilience. Grab a cup
of coffee and join us for the conversation!

Finally, we would love you to keep in touch and join our conversations on the
Missional Formation Podcast. Let us know how this book has impacted your
life. Please stay in touch. God speed to you as you continue on the journey!

www .missionalformationcoaching.com

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 23

 A Blessing for Missional Leaders

May you know that history is not just in the past,

it is also in the present, and that you carry history within you.

May your heart be imbued with a longing for beauty,

meaning, order, creativity, kindness, and love.

May you find the precious treasures of your soul in the challenges you face.

May you have a sense of adventure as you bring something new to the world.

May the flow of spiritual creativity, imagination,

and innovation wash over the intimacy of your soul this day.

May the parched deserts of your heart be refreshed by the waters of your
baptism in Christ.

May you find a new beach in your heart after the storms in your life.

May your kindness cast a different light over the darkness and confusion
of life – an evening light –

with a depth of color and patience to illuminate what is complex

and rich in diversity.

M A R K DU N WO ODY

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 24

Endnotes

1 Crouch, Andy, Kurt Keilhacker, and Dave Blanchard. “Leading Beyond the Blizzard: Why Every
Organization Is Now a Startup.” The Praxis Journal, 20 Mar. 2020, https://journal.praxislabs.org/
leading-beyond-the-blizzard-why-every-organization-is-now-a-startup-b7f32fb278ff.

2 Nouwen, Henri. In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. New York: Crossroad
Publishing Company, 1989, p. 20.

3 See Alan and Eleanor Kreider, Worship and Mission After Christendom.

4 Henri J. Nouwen, Out of Solitude. Three Meditations on the Christian Life. Notre Dame, IN: Ave
Maria Press, 2004. 17.

5 Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. The Lord of the Rings. United States: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. 32.

6 The earliest and most accurate account of the life and ministry of St. Aidan comes from the
British historian Bede (672-735 A.D.) who lived shortly after Aidan’s time. Bede, A History of
the English Church and People. London: Penguin Classics, 1968, p. 149.

7 Ibid.

8 Simpson, Ray, and Brent Lyons-Lee. St. Aidan Way of Mission. Celtic Insights for a Post-Christian
World. Oxford: The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2016 and Smither, Edward L. Missionary Monks:
An Introduction to the History and Theology of Missionary Monasticism. Eugene, OR: Cascade
Books, 2016, pp. 64-81.

9 Ibid, 144 and 149.

10 Ibid, 148.

11 Ibid, 169.

12 Simpson and Lyons-Lee, St. Aidan Way of Mission, 98.

13 M. Robert Mulholland, Invitation to a Journey. A Road Map For Spiritual Formation. Downers
Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1993, 12.

14 Borg, Marcus, and N. T. Wright. The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions. San Francisco: Harper
Collins, 1999, p. 207.

15 Webb, Keith E. The Coach Model for Christian Leaders. Nashville: Morgan James Publishing,
2019, p. 13.

16 Gary Collins, Christian Coaching, 23.

MIS SIONAL FORMATION COACHING 25