BP Spiritual Care Giving

Effective spiritual care giving has a redemptive attitude and a gracious atmosphere. The Basic Progress group dynamic serves to create positive cooperative spiritual momentum. While it can be intimidating and uncomfortable, the mutual experience of the practiced presence of God enhances and affirms each person's effort and investment. From the beginning, mutually agreed upon boundaries set the stage for a dramatic renewal in personal focus wherein people blossom. As the BP experience expands to a wider demographic, coaching teams will become the norm. Herein are some elements to the proper perspective and attitude for the BP care giver.

In truth, BP is a process inviting God's Presence. Coaches are merely facilitators of God's healing, love and grace. To be effective, one should be acutely aware of one's own brokenness in God's presence. A humble heart saturated in gratitude and empathy is vital. Because of sacred potential as well as the life stabilizing possibilities, coaches need be watchful for personal toxic faith elements or religious misinformation. Interaction and discourse must embrace a nonjudgmental atmosphere of grace. Coaches are not judges. Skepticism, fear and negative feedback are exactly what we are imploring. Never forget that it is about God mentoring and healing in this context.

Although the coaching role is assumed, the BP care giver has to earn the group's trust. All parties involved in the transaction are equals in the journey. There is a keen sense of mutuality and adaptability within the context of problem solving and goal setting. If a question arises between process and participant as to which party should be submissive, it is always the spiritual counselor. Every participant is a child of God who has sought help. It is critical to be grateful for the opportunity to help. We do have authority, but people normally do know the dynamics of their struggles, if even subconsciously, and usually have an idea concerning appropriate solutions. Spiritual coaches need be attuned to the reality that God has been working in lives and continues to do so through Basic Progress. The spiritual coach is not the focus, nor are we called on to create moments of divine awe or sacred intimacy. At times, our only task may be to point out the obvious, or better, provide a loving atmosphere for disclosure and confession. Keep it simple.

Basic Progress is narrative in nature. To be sure, spiritual formation does not happen in a vacuum. Each spiritual care giver should be intimately aware of God's activity in their life. Being confessional means that sometimes uncomfortable memories and unpleasant aspects of one's own history must be told. The entirety of one's life is the smorgasbord from which healthy care giving feeds -it is the appropriate use of one's own story. This degree of self awareness and personal confidence informs the process. Individuals new to the process cannot be expected to be that honest, but the BP coach is the appropriate model. With due deference to established boundaries, the participants have sole responsibility for disclosing anything to the group. Any unreasonable pressure otherwise is counterproductive. Our goal is to guide people spiritually. Coercion by arm twisting or brow beating will result in the loss of one's capacity to coach. Spiritual maturity cannot be facilitated in a combative atmosphere!

While the group's interest and participation is necessary, Basic Progress is not entertainment. Long term tools are given which allow the participant to maintain and sustain his or her own spiritual well-being long after the BP experience. It is paramount to the process that each individual has full privilege to focus where he or she may, and to deal with as broad or restrictive an agenda as they deem appropriate. The church has functioned just fine for a long time without Basic Progress. It is only one Christian path of discovery. As the family of God, we are concerned, but each participant must determine the practicality and the application of their own involvement and reflections. We are each responsible and accountable for our own life. The experience in BP will create mutual responsibility and accountability as co-travelers on the Christian spiritual path.

What did the ultimate mentor look for in 'spiritual mentors'? Jesus picked a wide variety of people to expand his mission and ministry. He was obliged to be content with obscure, simple, devoted people, who did not 'belong' in the mainstream. His prerequisite, it seems, for usefulness as witnesses of God's grace, has more to do with what we cannot claim for ourselves as opposed to personal achievement, social status or cultural refinement. The high minded religious folk, who considered themselves perfect for the task, were disqualified because of superficial routine, inflexible dogma and a patronizing attitude. Learning, rank, wealth and refinement freely given, is praised, but it is clear that Christ preferred devotion over influence, need over greed, and faith over appearance. Mentoring others is an inside job -a matter of the heart.

Finally, God has determined that He works best with humans in a community of fellow believers. Basic Progress provides a constant, reliable forum and format for God's healing. While BP is a ministry dedicated to service for the church, to the church and within the church, it is not the church. It is not theory. It works. Alterations to said routine are to be consistent with the needs of the group, but spiritual coaches are to be faithful to the Basic Progress workbook and group process. Bottom line? We help others in the name of Jesus and all results are to the Glory of God.

BP Partners

BP Spiritual Care Giving