Good Reports

In addition to reading the weekly reports from other nations, this past month for a couple weeks we read the ones from across the U.S. once again. We just want to let you know what a blessing those reports are! The very heartbeat of God resides in those groups! The salvations, the baptisms in the Holy Spirit, the healings-each one reminded us of why the Lord called forth the ministry of 2=1 and why He has called you for such a time as this. Sure there were challenges and disappointments, but don't let those things sidetrack you. Lives are being changed because of your obedience to your call! For your ease in reporting the blessings and challenges of your groups, we would also like to make a few clarifications regarding reports. One of the chief purposes of the reports is to help you as a Coaching couple, develop your observational and reporting skills. As your leaders read those reports, they are looking for ways to help you as Coaching couples and Coaches in Training to more effectively carry out the call of God on your lives. Their job is to encourage you, to help you change course when necessary, and to make sure ministry is the most positive experience it can be.

Therefore, when you are writing your reports, it is important that you write evaluations not just observations. Anyone can observe what is happening but one of the most important jobs of a leader is to evaluate the short-term and long-term effects of what they observe. For instance, comments such as ‘good week' or ‘liked this lesson' are observations. "lost job this week," "broke foot", and "did not participate in discussion" are all just observations. We want to know what is happening in couples' lives as a result of their participation in Married for Life. As you begin to evaluate from this perspective, you will be able to gauge your own progress as a leader and will grow in confidence.

What effect did losing a job have on this couple? Is this a life pattern? Were they able to draw closer and face this as a one-flesh team? Did this event bring unforgiveness to the surface? What can you do as leaders to help them deal with the things that are surfacing? Why does a couple or an individual not participate in the discussion? Does their spouse not honor what they say? Do they come from a background of shame or fear that the Lord is seeking to heal? What can you do as leaders to help them get healed and strengthened? If Mary broke her arm, what effect is that going to have on their marriage and family? Is her husband supportive? How is their interaction affected by this sudden change? What can you do as leaders to help them draw on the principles of God's Word through this difficult time?

Coaching entails helping couples integrate the principles taught in Married for Life in every aspect of their relationship. Each new event, the surfacing of each old pattern offers you an opportunity to reinforce the Word of God in a new and different way in their marriage. What the Lord shows you is what you need to include in your reports. They are just useless busy work for you if they only report the facts of what is happening in couples' lives. Listen to your couples, observe them, and then ask God what He is doing in their lives at that moment. Jesus said He only did what He saw the Father do. When we as leaders can co-operate with the work of the Lord in someone's life to that extent, they will be changed by the power of God.

Don't just report what you see or hear people doing or saying. Report also what God showed you is happening and what He told you to do about it. Evaluate the situation in light of the scriptures and the principles you are teaching. You have only thirteen weeks in most couples' lives to help them integrate those thirteen scriptural principles. Use every opportunity and every event to drive one or more of them home. Yes, this is more work than just writing down what you observe but that is the call of a coach. As a coach, you aren't called to report history, you're called to make it!... More>>

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