Grow Coaching is an interactive process that helps individuals, ministry teams and congregations to practise vibrant faith in a changing world. Through GROW Coaching, Grow Ministries works intentionally with your congregation as you re-think child, youth and family ministry in the 21st century. We promote and advocate for the Grow Ministries 10 Guiding Principles for Effective Child, Youth and Family Ministry.
Congregations who join in our coaching become learning communities that foster helpful faith formation practices, particularly in the area of child, youth and family ministry. Three congregations are invited to come together to make a cluster and embark on a two-year journey of discovery, growth and supported learning.
Your part
The congregations making up the cluster need to be within one hour’s drive of each other. Proximity to each other allows for joint training sessions and ongoing support and encouragement during the two-year process and hopefully beyond. For this process to work well, your congregation needs to:
- Ensure the support of your pastor and congregational leaders throughout the process.
- Commit to the long-term process of implementing a sustainable and integrated approach to ministry with children, young people and their families. (Short-term approaches that are built around personalities or resources rather than sound strategies often have short life spans.)
- Appoint a team of about five to eight people to provide the point of contact in your congregation. This group undertakes to steer the process within your congregation. Each member will be well-respected in your congregation and will have a heart for cross-generational ministry. Ideally a member of your Church Council will be on the team.
- Be intentional in prayer for this process of change. Sometimes this may be placed into the hands of a small group or become a regular feature of congregational prayer.
- Enter a two-year agreement with Grow Ministries; this includes a coaching fee of $1850 per year totalling $3700
Our commitment
Our Grow Ministries coaches are experienced pastors and lay workers who have a strong Lutheran theological understanding and experience in leading and implementing effective child, youth and family ministry practice in their congregation.
Your coach will become an integral staff member of your congregation throughout the two-year journey. Your coach will offer your congregation an economical way of supporting your pastor without funding a part-time or full-time employee. Your congregation will benefit from having your coach look at its gifts and opportunities for child, youth and family ministry from a fresh perspective.
We aim to provide your congregation and cluster with the same coach who will journey with you for the full two years, and occasionally call on the knowledge and care of others for training events.
