Heading into the fall ministry season, we’re spotlighting two USMB initiatives—LEAD Coaching and LEAD Cohorts.
For the past three years, USMB has provided LEAD cohorts. LEAD Cohorts are online meeting places, via Zoom, for small groups of MB pastors and leaders or anyone interested in learning more about a specific topic, gathering together with like-minded people for up to 12 participants plus the leader. Another round of cohorts begins the first week of September.
“LEAD Cohorts are awesome,” says Christian Kohs, church planting pastor of Redemption Church in Owatonna, Minn. “They provide a place for people in our MB family to lean into each other—whether for prayer, encouragement or even practical ministry advice. Cohorts truly provide a place for our local churches to be strengthened so that the gospel can move forward in our cities.”
LEAD Cohorts are free to all participants. The only cost is for books or materials, if recommended by the cohort leader. LEAD Cohorts typically last three months and meet online every two weeks for 60 to 90 minutes. Sign-ups, through USMB administrative assistant, Janae Rempel at admin@usmb.org, are still possible through the first two weeks of September.
One cohort leader says, “I enjoy the camaraderie of relationships in the cohorts I lead, especially as we dive into greater awareness in a number of areas. I offer a contemplative approach as a pause on our busy lives; where we can explore a number of topics and grow forward together with resources and encouragement.”
A list of cohorts to choose from and information about them can be found at usmb.org/lead-cohorts/.
Another key LEAD initiative is LEAD Coaching. Coaching is an intentional, ongoing life-on-life relationship that empowers the person being coached to realize their full potential, purpose, confidence, courage, joy and vocational accomplishment.
There are few things more helpful for pastors and leaders than having a coach who accepts you unconditionally, believes in your potential, actively listens to you, keeps you accountable and works diligently for your success.
Ed Boschman, previous USMB executive director, now serves as the LEAD Coaching head coach. In a recent email he wrote, “Powerful questions as part of the right relationship will get you unstuck and out of malaise. And faithfulness to our kingdom missional opportunities is after all what’s required of us.”
The coaching process involves exploring where a leader currently finds themselves in life and ministry and then creating a map to getting where they want to be. A major component of the coaching process is one’s own personal insight. Coaches are skilled at intuitively listening, asking powerful questions, defining goals, helping develop relevant action plans and providing the accountability/support for leaders to succeed.
“Experiencing coaching is a life asset,” says Chandelle Claassen, a LEAD Coaching coach. “What a gift to have accountability and encouragement while pursuing dreams and working toward wholeness of self. Coaching can help identify your growing edge and stretch your growth in those areas aligning your identity to your call in God’s kingdom.”
Don Morris, USMB national director, would like to see many more MB leaders take advantage of this extremely helpful coaching relationship. “I believe coaching helps pastors serve their church at a higher level, so I also wish more churches would help provide this opportunity for their pastors and ministry leaders,” he says.
For more information about LEAD Coaching contact Ed Boschman: evboschman@gmail.com.
