Worksheet: My Character Compass as a Life Coach Minister

Course Title: Coaching Ministry Foundations
Topic 12: The Life Coach Minister’s Character
Presentation Title: The Coach’s Character Compass
Reading Titles: Coaching With Permission, Not Pressure; Ministry Coaching with Friends, Families, Chaplain Parishes, Churches, and Soul Centers
Case Study Title: The Character Behind the Conversation

Worksheet Purpose

This worksheet helps students reflect on the character of a Life Coach Minister. Coaching skills matter, but character carries the ministry. A coach may know how to listen, ask questions, use coaching styles, recommend courses, and guide conversations. But without humility, compassion, integrity, courage, spiritual formation, and permission-based love, those skills can harm rather than help.

The Life Coach Minister is not the fixer, savior, controller, therapist, or Holy Spirit. The Life Coach Minister is a servant who walks beside others with truth, grace, action, prayer, permission, and love.

Part 1: Opening Scripture Reflection

Read the following passages from the World English Bible.

1 Corinthians 11:1
“Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

John 15:5
“I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

2 Corinthians 3:17
“Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Proverbs 25:11
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

1 Corinthians 16:14
“Let all that you do be done in love.”

Reflection Questions:

1. What does 1 Corinthians 11:1 teach about the coach’s example?

2. What does John 15:5 teach about dependence on Christ?

3. How does 2 Corinthians 3:17 connect to coaching with permission rather than pressure?

4. What does Proverbs 25:11 teach about timing, tone, and wisdom?

5. How does 1 Corinthians 16:14 shape every coaching conversation?

Part 2: The Character Compass

The Topic 12 presentation identifies four key points on the character compass:

Humility: I am not the fixer.
Compassion: I care without control.
Integrity: I honor truth and trust.
Courage: I speak when called.

Write each statement in your own words.

1. Humility: I am not the fixer.

2. Compassion: I care without control.

3. Integrity: I honor truth and trust.

4. Courage: I speak when called.

Reflection:

1. Which of these four character traits feels strongest in your life right now?

2. Which one needs the most growth?

3. Which one is most likely to be tested in Life Coaching Ministry?

4. How can a coach have skill but still lack character?

5. Why can skill without character harm someone?

Part 3: Spiritual Formation Before Coaching Others

The Life Coach Minister’s life is the first coaching tool. Before coaching others, the coach must be formed by Christ.

Answer the following:

1. What does your daily walk with God currently look like?

2. How are Scripture and prayer shaping your character?

3. Where do you still need repentance, healing, or growth?

4. Who knows you well enough to speak truth into your life?

5. How are you connected to a church, Soul Center, small group, or Christian community?

6. What spiritual practice would help you become a more trustworthy Life Coach Minister?

7. How can you avoid treating coaching as a technique rather than a life flowing from Christ?

Part 4: Coaching With Permission, Not Pressure

Permission-based coaching honors the person’s dignity, agency, readiness, and relationship with God. It asks, invites, waits, and respects.

Write five permission-based phrases you could use in a Ministry Coaching Conversation.

Example phrases:

“Would it be okay if I asked a deeper question?”
“Would you like me to mostly listen right now, or would guidance be helpful?”
“Can I offer a reflection?”
“Are you ready to talk about a next step?”
“Would it be alright if I shared a Scripture?”
“Would you like me to pray, or would you rather sit with this for now?”

Reflection:

1. Why does permission build trust?

2. How can pressure damage a coaching relationship?

3. What might cause a coach to push too hard?

4. How can asking permission help the person own their next step?

5. Why is permission-based coaching not passive?

Part 5: Recognizing Pressure in Yourself

A coach may pressure others because of anxiety, fear, pride, impatience, insecurity, or a desire to feel useful.

Answer honestly.

1. When someone is stuck, do I feel anxious to make something happen?

2. Do I feel responsible for another person’s outcome?

3. Do I become frustrated when someone does not take my advice?

4. Do I rush to Scripture before listening well?

5. Do I use my experience to control rather than serve?

6. Do I confuse compassion with rescuing?

7. Do I avoid hard truth because I want to be liked?

8. Do I speak hard truth too quickly because I want control?

Write one prayer of surrender:

Lord,

Part 6: Case Study Reflection

Review the case study, The Character Behind the Conversation.

Monica has three ministry coaching conversations:

Aaron, her younger brother, is struggling in his marriage.
Hannah, a church volunteer, is tired and ashamed of feeling irritated in ministry.
Mr. Ellis, a widower in a hospital room, is grieving and carrying regret.

Answer the following:

1. Why did Monica need humility with Aaron?

2. What could have gone wrong if Monica had acted like a bossy older sister?

3. How did Monica ask permission before entering a coaching role with Aaron?

4. Why did Monica encourage Aaron to consider pastoral care or marriage counseling?

5. How did Monica show compassion to Hannah without pressuring her to keep serving?

6. Why was Matthew 11:28 helpful for Hannah?

7. What formative belief was affecting Hannah’s view of service?

8. How did Monica honor Mr. Ellis’ grief?

9. Why did Monica avoid giving a quick sermon in the hospital room?

10. What faithful next step did Mr. Ellis identify?

11. Where do you see humility, compassion, integrity, and courage in Monica’s actions?

12. Which of the three conversations would be hardest for you? Why?

Part 7: Ministry Context Discernment

Life Coaching Ministry can happen in many settings. Each setting requires wisdom.

Answer the questions for each context.

Family or close friendship:

1. What makes coaching family or friends meaningful?

2. What makes coaching family or friends risky?

3. How can you clarify your role before coaching someone close to you?

Church or congregation:

1. What kinds of coaching opportunities may arise in a church setting?

2. Why is it important to clarify whether you are coaching, advising, mentoring, teaching, or pastoring?

3. How can a Life Coach Minister avoid pressuring volunteers?

Chaplain parish:

1. Why does chaplaincy require extra sensitivity?

2. How can a chaplain-coach offer presence more than prescriptions?

3. When should the coach avoid using too many words?

Soul Center or house church:

1. How can coaching become part of regular discipleship in a Soul Center?

2. Why are permission, prayer, presence, and peace especially important in smaller ministry communities?

3. How can a Soul Center develop a culture of Spirit-led coaching without making one coach the center?

Part 8: Ministry Sciences Reflection

Ministry Sciences helps the Life Coach Minister see the whole person and the whole ministry context.

Choose one person from the case study: Aaron, Hannah, or Mr. Ellis.

Name selected person:

Answer the following:

1. What spiritual concerns are present?

2. What emotional concerns are present?

3. What relational concerns are present?

4. What practical concerns are present?

5. What formative or family-history concerns are present?

6. What ethical or integrity concerns are present?

7. What calling, service, or purpose concerns are present?

8. What boundaries should the Life Coach Minister remember?

9. How does seeing the whole person prevent shallow advice?

10. How does Ministry Sciences help the coach serve with wisdom and humility?

Part 9: Truth, Grace, and Action

Choose one person from the case study.

Name selected person:

Truth: What reality needs to be named honestly before God?

Grace: What mercy, hope, rest, forgiveness, or encouragement needs to be offered?

Action: What faithful next step could be encouraged?

Boundary: What should the Life Coach Minister not try to fix, force, or carry?

Prayer: How could the Life Coach Minister pray with permission?

Part 10: Humility Practice

Humility says, “I am not the fixer.”

Answer the following:

1. What does humility look like in a coaching conversation?

2. How can a Life Coach Minister point people to God rather than to themselves?

3. Why is it dangerous when the coach wants credit for another person’s transformation?

4. How can humility help a coach admit when referral is needed?

5. What phrase could you use to remind yourself that God is the source of transformation?

Write a humility statement:

“As a Life Coach Minister, I will remember that…”

Part 11: Compassion Practice

Compassion says, “I care without control.”

Answer the following:

1. What is the difference between compassion and control?

2. How can compassion remain close to pain without trying to take over?

3. How did Jesus show compassion without manipulating people?

4. What kind of body language communicates compassion?

5. How can compassion help a person feel safe enough to speak honestly?

Write three compassionate coaching responses.

Part 12: Integrity Practice

Integrity says, “I honor truth and trust.”

Answer the following:

1. Why is confidentiality important in Life Coaching Ministry?

2. When might confidentiality need to be limited because of safety, abuse, danger, or legal responsibility?

3. Why should a coach speak truthfully rather than flatter the person?

4. What does consistency reveal about the coach’s character?

5. How can private spiritual formation strengthen public ministry integrity?

Write one integrity boundary you will practice:

Part 13: Courage Practice

Courage says, “I speak when called.”

Answer the following:

1. Why does courage matter in Life Coaching Ministry?

2. What is the difference between courageous truth and harsh control?

3. When might silence become unfaithful?

4. When might speaking too soon become harmful?

5. How can prayer help a coach discern when to speak?

Write three courageous but loving coaching statements.

Example phrases:

“I want to speak carefully because I care about you.”
“Would you be open to hearing something direct?”
“This pattern seems to be harming you and others.”
“I do not want to shame you, but I do want to help you face the truth.”
“This may be a moment to bring the issue into the light with wise support.”

Part 14: Boundary and Referral Discernment

A Life Coach Minister is not the therapist, marriage counselor, crisis worker, medical professional, legal authority, or Holy Spirit.

Answer the following:

1. When should a Life Coach Minister refer someone to a pastor?

2. When should a Life Coach Minister refer someone to a counselor?

3. When should a Life Coach Minister involve appropriate authorities or crisis support?

4. When should a Life Coach Minister step back from coaching a family member?

5. When could coaching a close friend become unhealthy?

6. What signs might show emotional dependency is developing?

7. What signs might show the coach is becoming too personally invested?

8. How can role clarity protect both the coach and the person being coached?

Part 15: Permission-Based Role Clarification

Write how you would clarify your role in each situation.

1. A sibling asks you to tell them what to do.

Your response:

2. A church volunteer wants advice but seems exhausted and ashamed.

Your response:

3. A hospital patient says, “I do not need a sermon.”

Your response:

4. A Soul Center member shares something vulnerable after a gathering.

Your response:

5. A friend keeps texting you late at night for emotional support.

Your response:

Part 16: Coaching Character Self-Assessment

Rate yourself from 1 to 5.

1 = Needs much growth
2 = Needs attention
3 = Growing
4 = Fairly strong
5 = Consistent strength

Humility: I remember that I am not the fixer.
Rating:

Compassion: I care without control.
Rating:

Integrity: I honor truth and trust.
Rating:

Courage: I speak when called.
Rating:

Permission: I ask before going deeper.
Rating:

Patience: I trust God’s timing.
Rating:

Confidentiality: I protect trust wisely.
Rating:

Spiritual Formation: I walk with God before coaching others.
Rating:

Reflection:

1. Which area is strongest?

2. Which area needs growth?

3. What is one practical step you can take this week?

Part 17: My Character Growth Plan

Complete the following statements.

1. I need to grow in humility by:

2. I need to grow in compassion by:

3. I need to grow in integrity by:

4. I need to grow in courage by:

5. I need to grow in permission-based coaching by:

6. I need to strengthen my daily walk with God by:

7. I need accountability from:

8. One boundary I will practice is:

9. One Scripture I will remember is:

10. One faithful next step I will take this week is:

Part 18: Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, form my character before I try to coach others. Teach me humility so I remember that I am not the fixer. Give me compassion so I care without control. Build integrity in me so I honor truth and trust. Give me courage to speak when called, with love and wisdom. Help me coach with permission, not pressure. Keep me rooted in Scripture, prayer, community, and dependence on You. Let my life become a faithful coaching tool for Your glory. Amen.