I am a big believer in coaching and mentoring. Coaching is essential for Christian life. However, it is often absent or underappreciated in churches. Even when there is mentoring, it seems mentoring is for the "few" and not the "many."

I've been privileged to be mentored by several Christian leaders since I was a teenager. These mentors have provoked me, taught me, and challenged me.

I still remember Steve M., a volunteer youth leader, challenging me as a teenager. He asked if we could read Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship together. We did, and it helped change my life. I did not have a license, so he chauffeured my girlfriend (now wife) and I out on our first car date. At 40, he looked a little funny as a groomsman in my wedding filled with 20-year-old friends, but I was glad he was there.

Mark B. was my youth pastor. He met with me and helped me memorize scripture and share my faith. I remember that he taught me not to be satisfied with lukewarm faith.

Steve C. met with me regularly in college. He taught me how to treat my fiancé, challenged me to deal with some areas of sin in my life, and pressed me to pursue a deeper relationship with Christ. Many times, I did not want to listen, but it did not deter him. He invested in me, and it helped transform my life.

Mark T. mentored me as a young professor. He was patient but unwavering-- helping me to grow as a scholar, writer, and teacher. I dedicated my first book to him writing, "I knew the 'hows' of church planting but you taught me the 'whys' of missions."

I have a couple of mentors today-- typically one or two at any one time. I meet them occasionally, talk to them regularly, and they have permission and invitation to speak into my life at any point.

I also mentor a couple of people on an ongoing basis-- mostly movement leaders who work with networks, churches, or denominations.

I assumed that most people had mentors-- we sure talked about it often in the 90's. However, I have since learned that mentoring relationships like these are all too uncommon. I have assumed it was normal to have men who would invest themselves in one's life and ministry. It seems that it is more unusual than I thought.

Steve Ogne's and Tim Roehl's new book on coaching has been released. TransforMissional Coaching: Empowering Leaders in a Changing Ministry is a valuable read for those of you leading others in the church. I was privileged to write the foreword, and thought I would share it with you here.

Mark B., Steve M., Steve C., Mark T.

These are probably random names to you-- and they are probably not names that are important to you. But, they are to me. They are mentors who invested in my life.

Steve Ogne and Tim Roehl understand such relationships-- their essential importance and the way they best function. And, this is not a new phenomenon for them. Steve wrote his first coaching resource 13 years ago and set the pace for coaching in Christian ministry. Tim has been coaching and training coaches with Church Resource Ministries for 8 years and has previously authored two devotional books.

You will see their experience and passion for TransforMissional coaching as they describe a holistic approach to coaching that is especially empowering to young and emerging leaders. Rather than telling leaders what to do or how to do it they strongly advocate the art of listening and asking great questions as an effective vehicle to engage and empower the leader.

TransforMissional coaching is a holistic approach. Unlike business coaching models that are only concerned with productivity or results, TransforMissional coaching engages the whole leader in transformation. Steve and Tim suggest that coaches transform leaders by helping leaders clarify calling, cultivate character, create community and connect with culture.

Coaching may be the primary vehicle that makes the transition from modern to missional paradigms. Young and emerging leaders are looking for relationship, proximity and affinity with those they allow to empower them. They will receive coaching and mentoring from those they trust, those who will be there for them. TransforMissional Coaching is an effective process for empowering emerging leaders to engage in missional expressions of church.

The authors suggest the art of listening and the use of effective questions as the keys to empowerment. Emerging leaders are looking for empowerment that is consistent with their world view and life experience more than that of their parents. Listening and good questions effectively anchor the coaching conversation in the life and experience of the leader more than that of the coach. The resulting trust allows the coach or mentor to speak timeless truths in a timely way without imposing his views or preferences or models on the leader. As you will see TransforMissonal Coaching includes several lists of great coaching questions.

As you can see TransforMissional Coaching goes well beyond simple coaching formulas and will be very useful to those who are serious about transforming leaders and empowering mission.

There are few men that I consider both experts and friends. Steve and Tim fit that bill and they are worth heeding. I was blessed with good mentor--but TransforMissional Coaching will help me (and you) be intentional, biblical, and strategic in our coaching relationships.

You can download the Introduction, Chapter One and the Intro to Chapter Two at the publisher's website.