Video 1B: Image of God, Organic Humanity, and Purpose

Video 1B: Image of God, Organic Humanity, and Purpose

Professor Abigail Dominiak: “All right, we're continuing here in this course on Soul Coaching, and we're going to go a little further on what we talked about last session, which is the image of God and our humanity and purpose—how we are created and called.

This session is about when purpose feels lost. I think, as a coach, you're going to encounter people who are at a spot where they feel very defeated by the lies that the enemy tries to tell us. They might feel like their life doesn't matter, or they don't feel like they're fitting in within their life or their circle, and they don't know what their purpose is."

Professor Abigail Munroe: “I think, a lot of people may not say those things explicitly, but they're really the underlying matter in many of the problems people experience today in our society.

Looking at Genesis 1:27–28, it says, ‘God created man in His own image. In God's image He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them.’

So, this verse touches on image, blessing, being male and female, fruitfulness, and stewardship. It's important that the coach sees this as a starting point for human life and approaches it with reverence.”

Professor Abigail Dominiak: “Absolutely. We are created to reflect and represent God, and to help the people you're coaching see this is a very empowering and wonderful thing. We were created to reflect God, represent Him, relate to Him, worship Him, be stewards under His creation, and live responsibly.

Knowing that the people we're coaching are created in the image of God gives every person a dignified calling before whatever achievement or failure they might be going through.”

Professor Abigail Munroe: “Human dignity truly does not depend on success, intelligence, beauty, income, marital status, education, productivity, or reputation.

Again, this is why we don't coach with these things as the ultimate outcome, because oftentimes those things will truly leave people feeling empty. A person has dignity because God created human beings in His image.”

Professor Abigail Dominiak: “Yes, absolutely. Our embodied life matters. We're not just these abstract souls. We are made in His image, as that verse said, male and female. That's a part of His creational design.

We're connected. He designed us for relationships, for being fruitful, for family, and for stewardship. Again, we all have a unique calling from God.”

Professor Abigail Munroe: “As a coach, it's important to say these things carefully. Not every person marries. Not every person has biological children. And definitely not every family story is painless.

Many of these ideas can be tied to a client's identity. People carry deep wounds connected to the body, sexuality, singleness, marriage, parents, family, and children.

Approach these things with biblical truth, as well as gentleness and reverence for real people. It's important to know your client's situation and let them explain these things to you, so you're with them on the journey, not simply coming in from a prescriptive way.”

Professor Abigail Dominiak: “Yeah, that's a really great point. You want to get to know them in that full way. You never want someone to feel that because they're not married, they don't have kids, or because of some other circumstance, they this or that, that they feel at all uncomfortable or at odds.

Faithful fruitfulness includes being a disciple of Christ and being a disciple-maker. It's seen through service, creativity, whatever work they're doing, hospitality, mentoring, prayer, generosity, leadership, and faithful contribution.

There are so many ways someone can be fruitful, and to encourage people and help them see that is a beautiful thing a Soul Coach can do.”

Professor Abigail Munroe: “Ephesians 2:10 says, ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them.’

Purpose is not only a creation theme that we see in Genesis. It's also a redemption theme.”

Professor Abigail Dominiak: “Absolutely. Help the person discern: Where has God entrusted something to me? What are my relationships right now? What responsibilities? What has God gifted me with? What opportunities and calling are before me now?

As a coach, you're really coming alongside people and supporting them on this journey. Someone might come to you feeling like they don't have purpose or feeling defeated. Like Abby said, they might not say it directly, but help ask these questions as a coach. Come alongside them and help them see how amazing they are in that they are an image-bearer of Jesus.”

Professor Abigail Munroe: “Those questions listed on that slide are so good for getting into that space of curiosity—getting people unstuck from those ruts of, ‘I'm not enough,’ or ‘I feel this certain type of way,’ or ‘This is something I'm lacking in my life.’

We talked so much in our training about intentionality in our questions, and those questions on the last slide are really important.

Meaning matters, but pressure harms. Ministry sciences often identify meaning, belonging, identity, and contribution as important for well-being, but Soul Coaching must avoid turning purpose into pressure.

You already matter before God, and from that dignity you are invited into faithful fruitfulness.

Again, when somebody already feels insecure, down, or like they don't matter, you don't want to add pressure by making them feel like they have to immediately figure out their purpose."

Professor Abigail Dominiak: We're talking a lot about how everyone has purpose and is called to fruitfulness, but as a coach, you are first telling them that they matter to God, no matter where they're at right now in life.

Many times they're coming to be coached because they want to be invited into more faithful fruitfulness. They have goals and things they want to talk through, but you want them to know, as soon as they walk through that door, that they have dignity and that they matter to God.”

Professor Abigail Munroe: “Seeing the image-bearer asks about fruitfulness.

Again, this chart asks: What helps and what harms?

What helps? Calling out dignity, purpose, stewardship, and hope.

What harms? Defining someone by productivity, family failure, past sin, or worldly success.

What faithful fruitfulness is God inviting in this living soul?”

Professor Abigail Dominiak: “Yeah. The person you're talking to is a living soul who has opportunities that God has placed in their life.

I love that. Help them see the beauty of who they are and the giftings God has given them. Some people are going to show up feeling defined by their productivity, stuck in sin, or carrying some really awful things. That's part of why they've come to you as a coach.

Helping them be restored so they can see the beauty of who God created them to be, and the purpose He has for their life, is such a beautiful opportunity we have when we're coaching someone. Again, that's a huge reason why we're using the term Soul Coach."

Professor Abigail Munroe: "We'll see you in the next session.”