How to make the most of a short, weekly connection with a Reliant missionary raising support .

What Does it Mean to Be an MTD Coach?

                Through research and experience, Reliant has found that the best coaching for MTD is done with regular and frequent connections with the support raiser.   As an extension of this, we have found that a weekly coaching connection is usually far more effective for the missionary raising support than a meeting with an expert coach just once or twice. 

                The process of raising support is as heavily spiritual and emotional as it is mental or physical.  It is quite common for God to use this period of time to reveal character issues or misplaced beliefs, show his heart and calling, or build the foundations of his future plans for the person.  The role of the MTD coach is to come alongside the missionary as they work through fears and obstacles and offer their experience, encouragement, and wisdom.

How Should Coaching Be Structured?

                The basic set-up for MTD coaching is to have a scheduled, weekly meeting or phone call.  This is typically 30 – 45 min.  Though, when meeting in person, it often extends to an hour.   When possible, the coach and missionary should meet in person, but if distance prohibits it, a phone call can be very effective.  The relationship will not likely be restricted only to this weekly meeting, but it provides a regular check-in that the missionary can plan around.  It is suggested that a coach should allocate an hour of time each week to each person they coach.  This allows for a weekly meeting and other short connections throughout the week.

The 30 Minute MTD Coaching Appointment

 What Does this Weekly Meeting Look Like?

                Because MTD in the initial phase is a process, coaching in this phase should be approached likewise.  The average Reliant missionary takes 8 – 12 months to raise their initial support.  So a coach should feel the freedom to tackle the issues of MTD as they come, a piece at a time.  There will likely be meetings that are entirely spent talking about a difficult relational issue the missionary is having, which has affected their MTD performance.  Other times, the conversation may revolve around the number of times they picked up the phone or the way they are using their presentation album.  It is unlikely that most meetings will follow a strict schedule.  With that said, below is a breakdown of a simple meeting structure to give an idea of what this might look like:

30 Min Meeting

• 5 min: Catching up and connecting.  “Hi.  How was your weekend?”
• 10 min: Review and discuss metrics from MTD timecard and PMR. 
• 10 min: Address questions about situations the missionary has encountered; discuss strategy for upcoming opportunities; Give feedback, encouragement, and/or exhortation
• 5 min:  Pray with/for the missionary

How Should I Use the MTD Timecard, MTD Goal Worksheet, and PMR?

           See Tools to Use During MTD

What if I Don’t Know All of the Answers?

                As a Reliant MTD Coach, you have some experience in raising a support team and should offer advice based on that experience and the training you have.  But it is unlikely that you will have “all the answers” to questions posed by those you coach.   There are several resources for you to access and utilize:

• Other Reliant Missionaries.  You should be quick to connect with others you know that have different experiences in MTD. Consider other staff in your local area or those you went through New Staff Training with.
• Reliant MTD Training Manual. You can find this at Ministry Team Development.
• Experienced Reliant Coaches. Reliant’s Coaching Administrator is available to answer questions about MTD or coaching issues.  And in most cases, they may direct you to another experienced coach that can help.