Coaching pastors towards embracing the principles of a learning organization: International Christian Center, Nairobi, Kenya

Several realities describe the current status of International Christian Centre (ICC) in Nairobi, Kenya. First, the church has experienced accelerated numerical growth in recent years. Second, incongruity exists between the five-year vision and strategic plans. Third, clarification of the kind of church ICC needs to be in the future demands attention. Each of these issues stresses the need for learning.; This project attempted to move the pastoral team of ICC towards clearly understanding and proactively embracing the principles of a learning organization. Coaching strategies were adopted to help the team members see present realities and to create need for learning and growth among the team's members and, ultimately, throughout ICC.; After reviewing relevant literature, assessing the present environment of ICC, and administering assessment inventories to the pastoral team, a two-day Coach's Clinic was designed and conducted. Goals focused on three areas: (1) individual participants----increased passion for learning; (2) pastoral team---move toward understanding and embracing a learning culture; (3) ICC collectively---move toward being a learning community. The clinic verified the need for growth as a team and further development of a true learning community.; The project revealed that to move ICC towards being a learning community, three movements were necessary: (1) expand individual and team capacity for learning; (2) adopt principles of a learning organization; and (3) deal with cultural underlying assumptions. Quantitative measurements and qualitative evaluation of the coaching dynamic indicate that during the process of the project positive movement occurred in the hearts (desire) and minds (knowledge) of each of the members of the pastoral team.