I arrived late Monday night in Ontario, California, to attend a Coachnet coaching seminar with Bob Logan. Coachnet is the top group for Christian coaching.

What is coaching? Well, the term itself actually is a bit problematic, since it evokes for many a very directive relationship--telling a person what to do. In fact, coaching as it is defined by Coachnet is coming alongside a person and helping him or her realize his or her God given goals and dreams.

In the coaching relationship, the person being "coached" sets the agenda, determines what needs to be worked on, etc. The coach asks a lot of questions to help the person help clarify the issues that need to be worked on, and put together an action plan to help with these issues.

This actually fits very well with the Strengths and Spiritual gfits discovery process, in which we ask a person how they can apply their Strengths and Spiritual gifts in their lives. The assumption is that because the Spirit of God lives in this person, he or she is the one who bests knows how to make these applications. Only after a person exhausts his or her resources or ideas does the assessor give ideas of his or her own. People are much more likely to follow their own ideas than the ideas of others.

I'm staying in a Best Western hotel. I got a good deal on it through Orbitz. I didn't expect a lot, but actually it is a great room right by the pool with a friendly, helpful staff. Too bad I don't have much time to enjoy it!

Last night I ate dinner with a guy from the seminar named Damien. He is from St. Petersburg, Florida. We went and ate at the Rain Forest Cafe. Gina and Emily would have really liked it, with the rain forest scenery and the elephant figures. Damian and I had an interesting discussion on what spiritual formation is and how it happens.

I just now finished today's seminar sessions. We did a lot of coaching in triads. Hands on training for this is essential. I'm catching a bit of political news before going to get something to eat. Catch you guys tomorrow!