Your GBB Trainers at ChurchSmart
 

First-Ever Week of GBB Trainers Gathered
by John Blake

Trainer Re-Certification Group: Steve Hoke, Ron Ward, Hal Burke, Gail Davis,
Matt Zamzow (from Birkman International), Su Berkeley, Mike Johnson, Tim Roehl,
Susan Gay, Larry Gay, Paul Ford, John Blake (missing: Kathy Fouts)

The tagline for “Google Scholar” is “stand on the shoulders of giants.” We had an outstanding group of Grip-Birkman giants – some of the best practitioners and scholars from around the world – gathered together at home office of our publisher ChurchSmart Resources in St. Charles, IL last week (October 20-23). As you looked around the room, people traveled in from multiple nations representing a number of major Christian organizations to share in the inaugural two-day GBB Trainer Re-certification, immediately followed by the first-ever GBB Trainer Gathering.

History was in the making as Birkman International supported our Global Resource Team in conducting this first ever Trainer Recertification event. Why is this significant? Those recertified not only met all of the requirement pieces for the Your Leadership Grip-Birkman process, but also for the renewal of the Birkman Level 1 Consulting requirement (every three years). We were honored to have Matt Zamzow, the Director of Training for Birkman, join us, and he offered key insights and profound depth to our trainers in understanding and using the Birkman side of the Grip-Birkman process.

Dr. Hal Burke, Dr. Mike Johnson, Dr. Steve Hoke, Dr. Paul Ford and I all had the honor of bringing critical information to our GBB Trainers in areas like teambuilding and team dynamics, cross-overs from the natural to the supernatural, dotted diamond, new Gifts triangle discoveries, and greater understanding of the Birkman components. This event by itself would have been a “giant” event.

The Trainer Gathering, however, was the highlight for me. Dave Wetzler, President of ChurchSmart, hosted us and honored us in a number of ways. He involved himself throughout the two days, even to eat meals with us. Hear from one of our trainers via email since the event.

I was also deeply touched at the standard displayed by Dave Wetzler. ChurchSmart is a real blessing in the attitude and prayerful care extended into the business world. That has helped me appreciate the standards more deeply. I have always been impressed at Bob Rummel’s representation of the organization, as his courtesy and patience are amazing. But in context of Dave’s attitude that takes on more meaning, The generous and godly spirit is something rarely seen in business and so even more valuable when found.

We spent two quality days together sharing how God was using the Grip-Birkman process throughout the world in our ministries. How broad is the Grip-Birkman being used right now? Well, simply stated from those represented in the room, the trainers had worked with people using the GBB in 45 countries. Of those 45 countries, these trainers had trained GBB Coaches who were now living in twenty different nations. In that room of thirteen trainers, there were 13 different organizations represented who were actively using the Grip-Birkman. It is humbling to confess that I had not previously grasped how profoundly God was using the Grip-Birkman process throughout the world for His purposes.

Our hearts were challenged at a new level, however. Rather than simply looking back and praising, and looking at where we were and praying and praising, we wanted to intentionally look ahead. Through strategically looking at coaching, teambuilding and leader development, we discussed the future improvement and further development of serving our Lord with the Grip-Birkman as a tool. Over the next months, changes and communications that you see from the GRT and trainers around the world will be a direct result of these profoundly impacting days. A room full of giants, brought down to size once again understood our minuscule size next to the Almighty and His Purposes.

Better Late Than Never: Coaches Training
in Anaheim, CA in January/09 (Group #27)

Lead Trainer Hal Burke, new GBB Coaches Lily Chou, Wes Hughes,
Melissa Stewart, Tim McDonald, Jenny Jack, Arthur Stewart,
Rochelle Ainsworth and Co-Trainer Chet Ainsworth.

Coaches Training #29 in Myerstown, PA - Evangelical
Congregational Church/National Conference Leadership

Those in the picture from left to right are GBB Coach Rochelle Ainsworth,
GBB Trainer Chet Ainsworth, new coaches Gary Brown, Scott Carr,
Bruce Wagner (our only in-house GBB Coach before this new crew!),
Les Cool, Fred Moury, and GBB Trainer Tim Roehl.

 

Our first BIG year of GBB Re-Certification is Off and Running!

Our new pilot for GBB Re-certification group included Trainers (back row) Hal Burke, John Blake, & Steve Hoke.  Re-certified Coaches (front row) are Lisa Womble, Lois Hoogeveen, & Gary Brady. Read Lisa's and Lois' reactions to this process in the Coaches Report.
 

Grip/Birkman Re-certification as far away as Central Asia

Paul Ford (right) re-certified these three coaches 12 time zones east of here.

Welcome GBB Coaches, Group #28!!
Trained in Richmond, Virginia March 4-7

Back row L to R: Tom Barila, Chet Seapy, Wally Wildes, Bill Ross, Dennis Barton, Ron Mitchell; co-Trainer Paul Ford, Janice Allen, new Trainer Janet Williams, Penny Ross, Diana Van Meter, Janey Barton, Nancy Erhard, and co-Trainer John Blake
 

Back to Basics as a New GBB Trainer
By Janet Williams, our newest Trainer validated in Richmond

Training is an art form and I realized anew last week that I have had some excellent teachers whose understanding and skill have made teaching look much easier than it   actually is. Clear, concise communication, effective use of visual aids, knowing one's audience, repetition, practice, knowing the material, asking good questions...are all basic teaching/coaching concepts that I had the privilege of reviewing once again within the Grip Birkman Blueprint Coaches Training context under the able tutelage of John Blake and Paul Ford.

I must admit that it was a bit daunting to be training under THE author and exhorter extraordinaire, Paul Ford, and under the cool, young enough to be my son, John Blake, whom I had met by SKYPE only the week before. But at this stage of life, I have lost some inhibitions and I believe so strongly in the GBB concepts, both for personal understanding and for team building possibilities, that I forged ahead. I am so glad I did!

What better way to learn than this! John and Paul were there to give feedback almost immediately. The twelve coaches-in-training, most of whom I was meeting for the first time, were also very gracious to help me with constructive criticism that I could then put into practice the following day to see what worked and what didn't. It was also reassuring to have experienced facilitators there to answer questions that came up I wasn't prepared to answer. Teaching the content made me clarify some concepts that were fuzzy in my own mind and put them into clear, easily communicated language.

While I will always enjoy coaching individuals through their reports the most, training more coaches has the potential to multiply the good of the GBB many times over what I can do alone. And that is a very good thing to be involved in!
 

Our Newest GBB Coaches Trained
in Germany December 2008


Front row (l to r): Billie, Jan, Connie, Marilyn
Back row: David, Connie, Cevin, Kay, Derek, Tim, Andy

From Trainer Tim Roehl: "These new GBB coaches are from eight countries, using GBB in their respective ministries in some amazing ways. We¹re excited about how this region is integrating GBB into how they honor, cherish and steward their leaders!"

Our 21st Grip/Birkman Trainer
 

Tim validates and welcomes our newest GBB Trainer, David (left)

New Season for Grip/Birkman Blueprint Work:
25 Foursquare GBB Coaches!

Front row: Hal Burke, Jon Spellman, Gabriel Rubio, Tammy Dunahoo, Charlotte Eardley, Tom Wymore, Mike Masters; second row: Debbie Masters, Mary Helbig, Abigail Branch, Juan Rubio, Sue Spousta, Larry Spousta, Sam Rockwell, Melinda Scott, Teresa Koop, Jodi Rice, John Blake; last row: Ken Bringas, Devi Wilson, Art Gray, Pam Gray, Marty Jenkins, Ken Lentz, Russ Davis, Gary Dunahoo, Rod Koop

From Hal Burke, GBB Global Training Team Leader...

On April 28-May 1 in St. Louis, the Grip-Birkman Blueprint process reached a new level of influence by training 25 key leaders of the Foursquare denomination. Never before have we had the privilege of being with key leaders at the top level of a denomination....and what a way to start! Please read below the personal testimony of Gary Dunahoo who is the first Trainer in Foursquare. Gary helped lead the training as part of his validation and will be a key leader in the use of GBB as Foursquare determines how to implement it in its commitment to stewardship as a denomination. I believe God has ordained what we are doing for this time in history to accomplish His purposes through His Body. That was certainly confirmed in St. Louis!
 

Another new & major milestone in April:
GBB Coach Re-Certification #1 takes place!

Paul Ford, Steve Hoke, Kathy Fouts, Hal Burke,
Steve Potter , Tim Roehl, & Gail Davis

By Hal Burke (who had to get re-certified himself!)
Having children was great; having a grandchild is WONDERFUL! Seeing the "birth" of the Grip/Birkman Blueprint Re-certification process was something like that, well not quite as exciting but....what a joy to see the fulfillment of a dream. One of the early stated values for this process has been to continue to grow in our understanding and the use of the tool. This first time was certainly that.

Tim Roehl did a marvelous job of presenting basic coaching principles and skills in an interesting and applicable way. I learned much that I have been and will be able to apply, especially in how to ask good questions. Paul Ford’s choice of involving the group in developing ways to apply the content for the One Day Grip/Birkman Taste and See was a brilliant idea. We learned by sharing and creating options for presenting the material in different time limits.

I came away from this experience grateful to be a part of such a quality group and process. We are on the move...
 

From Gary Dunahoo,
Newest GBB Trainer and Lead GBB conduit for Foursquare

Twenty-five leaders of the Foursquare Church gathered in St. Louis to be trained as Grip/Birkman Coaches. Dr Paul Ford and Dr. Hal Burke along with John Blake provided a learning community for us to grasp the heart and skills of coaching our constituents in who God has designed them to be. Existing relationships were deepened which was evidenced by two these two examples. Two of our men have been working together for over five years. Art and Howard sat with one another during a Coaching breakout session and discovered things about one another they didn’t know. Sam and Ken have known one another for over twenty-two years and also came to a deeper understanding of why they have worked together so well and discovered future steps based upon the Grip/Birkman. We will use this tool as a way to assist leaders in the personal stewardship of their lives, as a team building tool, a way of evaluating for succession in leadership as well as potential staff hiring. The G/B is also a wonderful communication tool for marriages to deepen and strengthen their relationships.

Gary Dunahoo
National Director of Foursquare Men

OMS headquarters near Indianapolis:
Three more new GBB Coaches Trained from two Mission Agencies

GBB Trainers Gail Davis and Tim Roehl with new coaches Paul Bentley,
OMS-Great Britain, and Doug Zellweger, OMS-U.S. and who is based in Russia

At left is new GBB Coach Bob Gibson, from Team Expansion in Kentucky

New Coaches Trained in Southern California
by Global Training Team Leader Hal Burke

California is known for diversity. That was proven June 10-13 as we trained seven new GBB coaches. A couple who run a boy's home, a couple who are Southern Baptist missionaries, two pastors, a pastor's wife (not married to either!) comprised our diverse and delightful group. We were hosted by the Oasis Foursquare Church in Twenty-nine Palms, California and experienced the catering of one of the church members. I am continually amazed at the quality of people God brings to us to expand the ministry of Grip-Birkman Blueprint and these folks were no exception. We look forward to those who will be blessed to be coached by our 24th group.

We were also blessed to experience the validation of Chet Ainsworth as our newest Trainer. Chet did a great job of setting up the event and co-training. He even volunteered to do the Birkman Components! We were the recipients of the delightful news that Chet is getting married in September. We congratulate Chet on his validation as a GBB Trainer and also as an ex-eligible bachelor!

Back row: Ron Steslow, Ralph Mickley
Middle row: Kris and Jen Kapur, Sharon Baele, Sharon and Mike Zarres
Front row: Trainers Chet Ainsworth, Hal Burke

At ChurchSmart in November (near Chicago),
our 20th set of GBB Coaches!

Front row (l to r):  Trainer Paul Ford, Julie Ford, Karen Kilbourne-Young, Debi Cabe, Sue Spousta, Tammy Dunahoo, Trainer Hal Burke, Trainer John Blake, Johnny Wilson, Sue Wilson.  Back row:  Bruce Wagner, Chet Ainsworth, Trainer Steve Hoke, Lee Beorgadine, Gary Dunahoo, Tom Hillman.

Welcome our new coaches from Brno, Czech Republic in February:

Greg Rast, Phil Boardman, Ken Blake, Matt Blake (behind), Marilyn Blake,
Trainer John Blake, Phil Nettleton

New Coaches in October: Wichita, KS -Training #18

Welcome Dennis and Holly Hair, whose take on the "Dotted Diamond"
will make some waves!

 
Denver's GBB Coaches Training #19

Front Row: co-trainer Mike Johnson, David Tippett, Larry Meyer,
Lois Hoogeveen, Gwen Ebbers; 2nd Row: Cal Van Huekelem, Barb Van Giessen,co-trainer Hal Burke, Jim Hoogeveen; 3rd Row: Don Watt, Norma Holleman, Martin Contant; Back Row: Kevin Schuete, Ben VandeZande, Tom Draayer and Jerry Holleman

“It is with great joy that I welcome you as a new Grip-Birkman Blueprint Coach.  You have joined a group of people committed to bringing healing, multiplication, and more effective stewardship to the Body of Christ - one  leader/team at a time, yet with a world-wide vision.   Although a part of this great movement, you bring a uniqueness that will be a "live demonstration" of what we are training!

This web site is a marvelous resource for you,  providing the information and tools you need to continually improve your service to God's Kingdom.”  

“He has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity."  2 Timothy 1:9 (NASB).

Hal
Dr. Hal Burke, Team Leader
Global Training Team
Grip-Birkman Blueprint

New Coaches Trained in Sarasota, Florida — August 2007

New coaches are (standing l to r): Jose Canes, David Mantalbano, Stella Dennis;
Seated: John Blake, our new Grip/Birkman intern for 2007-2008, now a GBB Coach!

Western Europe Grip/Birkman Blueprint Coaches – June 2007

Seated (left to right):  Cy Farmer, Dillon Does, Amanda Krug,
Janet Williams, Charity Burke, and Charlie Worthy Standing (l to r):  David Moench,  Keith Grimaud, Theresa Thompson (above), Laura Moench (below), Deborah Grimaud, Sheila Flowers, Jim Merrill, Bob Headrick, co-Trainer Hal Burke, Lance Borden, Co-Trainer Tim Roehl and Thomas Zindel.

First Presbyterian Church, Minot, ND Coaches!  March 2007
Our first local church mobilizing model is developing....

New coaches in March, all from this one church.  Jean and Mark Frueh
and Lindy and Bob Saunders are establishing a lay mobilization model.

From Jean Frueh, new coach and psychotherapist...

No matter what words I use to try to describe the experience of going through Coaches training for the Grip/Birkman, the effort will be paltry in comparison to the impact of the week both then and since then! As you know, I approached this experience with some trepidation, and a healthy dose of skepticism about what I initially perceived the profile result was saying about me. I prepared for this training by researching information about Dr. Birkman and the instrument he designed so that I could defend my position of ‘healthy skepticism’, as well as defend my person, because I felt anxious in facing the magnitude of printed information waiting to be exposed in the evaluative process of learning about this instrument and its’ lengthy, detailed, and revealing description of me.

As the week progressed, my fear changed to AWE at how truly magnificent is God’s creation of the human being. As a psychotherapist, I have always been intrigued by the person beneath the facade that most of us reveal to the world, in that this typically provides only a small part of the story about the individual and have found that the experience of listening is more than rewarding in revealing ‘the rest of the story’. However, I was inspired beyond what I could imagine when going through this training process, in being confronted with God’s creative design in fashioning the person just as He intended. My fear was now exposed and unnecessary in that I had acknowledged my weaknesses and learned that He had created me this way so that I would need others to come along side me and fill in the empty spots.

He makes us stronger in acknowledging our limitations, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities! Only God could think this up!! We are now preparing to present this information to the first group. I am so excited to share this experience with others and watch as God heals the wounds of self-rejection as only He can...through our sober estimation, He reveals His unconditional love and wisdom in making us to be just who He intended us to be...WE ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH IN HIM!!!

New Grip/Birkman Blueprint Coaches, Sarasota, FL - February 2007
Greater Orlando Baptist Association sponsored:
 

Front Row (l to r):  co-Trainer John Vandervort, Mark Weible,
Bill Faulkner, Linda Goans, Kim Johnson,
Back Row  (l to r):  Bob Green, Tim Key, Mark Williams, Michael Kimbrough, Philip Fong.  Not pictured:  Frank Smith.