New position to enhance support, development for local pastors
Mission USA news story
Jeff Nikkel of Denver, Colo., has agreed to serve as the head coach of LEAD Coaching, the USMB national coaching initiative, beginning May 20, announced Don Morris, Mission USA director, earlier in May.
“This position, a part of the LEAD Coaching initiative offered to USMB churches, pastors and key leaders, is essential for our national MB coaching network,” says Morris.
As the head coach, Nikkel will oversee the continued development of eight USMB leaders currently being trained as coaches and coach trainers through Ministry Coaching International (MCI), a non-profit established in 2000 that is dedicated to serving ministry leaders in their personal and professional lives. Nikkel will also oversee the development of additional trained coaches and will provide overall leadership for the LEAD Coaching initiative.
“Jeff’s supervision will ensure quality of coaching, provision of training venues, establishment of coaching guidelines and dealing with individual coach concerns,” says Morris. “The head coach will also champion LEAD Coaching among our USMB constituency.”
The MCI personalized coaching method utilizes a sequence of four disciplines: developing a life plan, creating a ministry vision, outlining a ministry plan and prioritizing personal and professional goals.
Morris says LEAD Coaching will incorporate a pastoral element as a means of strengthening the MCI coaching system.
“This will mean spending more time each session with a pastor/leader, providing additional listening and a higher level of personal care in the interest of spiritual health and emotional well-being,” says Morris.
“LEAD Coaching and the head coach position will be in alignment with the USMB agenda of providing value for our USMB pastors and key leaders,” says Morris. “We consider continuing leadership development as critically important.”
Nikkel says, “I can’t think of anything more valuable to the health of our churches and future of our conference than making available to our pastors personal, one-on-one, life-on-life coaching. I envision coaches with a high level of character and competence, who deeply love Jesus and whose lives bear witness to a vibrant, intimate and growing relationship with the Trinity.”
In consultation with the Trailhead Church leadership board, Nikkel will devote one day a week to these responsibilities and his remuneration will be derived from his own normative coaching fees. Nikkel will have an official relationship with an MCI coach, says Morris, and will partner with MCI for some onsite coaching.
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