Keystone Coaching
The Keystone Coaching Program exists for the purpose of providing support to the ministers and congregations of the Keystone Conference to help ensure that no one needs to minister alone. It is personalized, confidential, and exists outside Keystone’s judicatory. All for the benefit of those seeking to engage in the hard, yet incredibly rewarding, work of ministry.
Like so many parts of the newly formed Keystone Conference, Keystone’s Coaching Program is in its infancy with grand visions for the ways coaching will become a dynamic resource to clergy, laity, and congregations over the next couple years. During 2026, the primary focus of Keystone’s Coaching program is providing coaching for authorized ministers in the first 24 months of a new call.
What is Coaching?
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as: partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
In essence, coaching is an intentional partner who provides personalized, confidential support (that exists completely outside the judicatory structure) that ensures you don’t need to do ministry alone, you have a trained partner to work with you through the hard parts of ministry and life, while enhancing your ability to vision, implement, and achieve the needed goals for your ministry setting and yourself.
The Core Components of Coaching
Client driven – The client, in collaboration with the coach, defines the goals to be achieved and the topics to be explored, creating the dynamic and flexible nature to the coach approach which empowers the client, and holds them accountable to identifying and addressing their most salient issues.
Holistic Minded – Coaching addresses the whole client, from values to limiting beliefs, from head to heart, from action oriented to reflective thought, so that through greater personal and environmental awareness the client is enabled to access their best wisdom and resources.
Growth Oriented – Through a discovery mindset, the coaching process creates a rich environment for new insights, dynamic perspective taking, and action steps that move the client towards the achievement of their goals.
Strategic Accountability – Coaching facilitates the development of SMART (strategic, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) action steps and the follow-up to those action steps in ways that supports greater growth, insight, maturity, and effectiveness.
Types of Coaching
Individual Coaching
Personal one-on-one coaching designed to draw out your strengths, passions, and expertise so you can harness your best thinking, resources, and efforts toward achieving your goals and addressing your areas of challenge.
Team Coaching
Coaching for teams, committees, boards, and other entities who are working together to achieve a shared goal or address a shared challenge. This coaching enhances team engagement, clarity, effectiveness, and development by drawing out the giftedness of individual members, providing accountability for SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goals, and attentiveness to team dynamics.
Group Coaching
Coaching cohorts who share a common focus, goal, or challenge, but who are working in different ministry settings. This coaching provides opportunities for focused and intentional conversations that bring diversity of thought, perspective, and wisdom for the sake of enhancing one’s own decision making, leadership, and creativity in problem solving. More than a great conversation, group coaching facilitates goal-oriented outcomes and forward movement from each conversation.
Coaching Credential Levels
ICF Trained
Minimum of 60+ hours of ICF training, providing at least ACC level coaching
Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
ICF Trained, 100+ hours of professional coaching, 10 hours of mentor coaching, passed ACC exam
Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
125+ hours of ICF training, 10 hours of mentor coaching, 500 hours of professional coaching, passed PCC exam
Master Certified Coach (MCC)
200+ hours of ICF training, 10 hours of mentor coaching, 2500 hours of professional coaching, passed MCC exam
Want to Learn More?
Contact your Regional Conference Minister or Regional Coaching Coordinator
Region 1
- Coaching Coordinator: Rev Joseph Motz
- Conference Minister: Rev Kevin McLemore
Region 2
- Coaching Coordinator: Rev Jim Latimer
- Conference Minister: Rev Nora Foust
Region 3
- Coaching Coordinator: Rev Ken Evitts
- Conference Minister: Rev David Ackerman
