Video 2A: What Is Soul Growth?
Video 2A: What Is Soul Growth?
Professor Abigail Dominiak: “All right, it's Abby and Abbie here, and we're continuing in this Soul Coach class. We're going to talk about what soul growth is. How do you, as a coach, help the people you're talking to grow?”
Professor Abigail Munroe: “That's right. A living soul grows before God. It's not merely toward self-improvement, but toward Christ-formed renewal.
I think the key point in this presentation is to really listen beneath the goals. Here's kind of a hypothetical situation: Eric wants change, but his soul needs grace.
If someone comes to you and says, ‘I want to stop being angry,’ or ‘I want to stop being anxious,’ as a Soul Coach, we hear that goal—they want to stop being angry—but we're also listening for how Christ, grace, repentance, renewal, and Spirit-formed change may be underlying those situations.”
Professor Abigail Dominiak: “So what might you ask somebody who's saying that?
Here are some questions as a Soul Coach to help you go beyond the surface. What pattern keeps showing up?
Let's say Eric says, ‘I want to stop being angry.’ You might ask, ‘Okay. What do you think is the pattern that keeps showing up that creates your anger?’ Then, as a coach, you sit back and let them think and talk through those questions. Maybe the answer is more about beliefs. What are you believing that's making you angry in this situation?”
Professor Abigail Munroe: “If you believe you're an angry person, maybe that's why you get angry.
What is one practical step you can take this week? Rather than trying to tackle, ‘Let's just get you to stop being angry,’ we look at it, as we mentioned before, as more of a bite-sized problem.”
Professor Abigail Dominiak: “Let's say Eric says, ‘I'm getting angry because I get very overwhelmed by all the noise that's going on in my life.’
I'm a mom of three right now, so I understand that. I wouldn't describe myself as having anger issues, but I do find myself getting very overwhelmed and just shutting down because of all the noise.
If he says that's the case, then it's, ‘Okay, what's one practical way this week that you could help with that?’
Again, you let them list those ideas. As a coach, you might have great ideas in your own mind, but one of the things we're trying to do is help the person identify what would actually help them.
One person might feel relaxed by taking a bath. Another person might hate baths. The point is, you're asking the person you're coaching, ‘What are the things that would help me calm down? What are the things that would help me?’ Then you're helping them commit to that one practical step for the week.”
I love the question, too, about 'Who can support you in this area of growth?'. Again, I think we really need others to come alongside us, and God designed us for community and relationship.
Then asking, ‘How has your relationship with Christ influenced this goal?’”
Professor Abigail Munroe: “Notice that these questions invite reflection rather than simply giving advice.
I think it's much less about what the answer is and more about the questions themselves—getting people to think inward, getting them unstuck, helping them move forward, and getting beneath the surface.
Coaching is not about providing answers. It's about helping people discover what is happening beneath the surface and taking ownership of their growth.”
Professor Abigail Dominiak: “Ownership is one of the most important parts. People have to commit to being willing to do the things that bring change.
But not by works of righteousness which we ourselves have done, but according to His mercy. Soul growth begins with the salvation of what Christ has done. It was not our works, but His mercy. He is the One who gave us regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
Professor Abigail Munroe: “Going back to the example of, ‘I want to stop being angry,’ the foundation isn't simply asking, ‘How can you stop being angry?’
It's turning toward identity and understanding that it is through mercy, regeneration, and the renewing work of the Holy Spirit that the pathway forward becomes clear.
Salvation leads into sanctification. This includes repentance, renewed thinking, restored desires, and the fruit of the Spirit. Mercy does not leave us unchanged.”
Professor Abigail Dominiak: “The two truths are held together. Growth is grace, but growth also involves responsibility.
Again, this is a tough thing. How do you help somebody fully experience the grace and love they have through Jesus Christ while also inviting them to take responsibility in their life?”
Professor Abigail Munroe: “Yeah. So I think the errors on the right side of the screen are important. Coaches may not say these things explicitly, but these concepts can sometimes be underlying in how we ask questions and interact with clients.
Avoid the error of saying, ‘Try harder,’ or ‘God loves you, so nothing changes.’
Grace forgives, and grace trains.”
Professor Abigail Dominiak: “Growth is not always instant. We talked about this in the previous session.
Growth can begin when a person finally tells the truth, confesses a sin, asks for help, starts to pray, apologizes, or simply takes one step in the right direction.
Going back to Eric's situation, maybe Eric is getting angry because there's something he's doing that's creating that anger. Sometimes, when we choose sin, it creates anger, guilt, shame, and other negative feelings because of the actions we've taken. Sometimes great growth begins simply by someone confessing a sin or taking that first faithful step.”
Professor Abigail Munroe: “Romans 12:2 says, ‘Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’
Again, this is not just positive thinking. It's the reshaping of the soul for Christ.
This renewal touches every area of life—our identity, our mind, our heart, our body, our relationships, our calling, and our worship.”
Professor Abigail Dominiak: “The Gospel helps us go even deeper.
Helpful observations can sharpen our questions, but in this Christian Soul Coaching course, we want you to go deeper than that.
Christ is Lord. The Spirit is active. Scripture is speaking. Grace is real.
Lasting change involves identity, repeated practices, relationships, meaning, goals, and accountability.”
Professor Abigail Munroe: “Questions a Soul Coach might ask include:
‘How is this goal connected to your life with Christ?’
‘Where might God be inviting repentance, trust, or renewed thinking in this situation?’
‘What is one faithful step you can take this week?’
Sometimes I think the phrase ‘action step’ can actually be limiting. It doesn't always have to be something outward that someone else can see. It may be an inward or faithful step of the soul.
Again, all of these things are not to earn God's love, but because you are responding to the love of Christ.”
Professor Abigail Dominiak: “So, what helps and what harms?
What helps? Understanding grace, being in Scripture and prayer, constant repentance, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.
What harms? Shame-based pressure, shallow self-help, and treating growth as personal achievement while removing your connection to Christ from it.”
Professor Abigail Munroe: “Our closing takeaway is this: Soul growth is Spirit-formed change under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
From salvation, to sanctification, to renewal, to faithful next steps—this is a wonderful framework for soul growth as a Soul Coach.”