Thank you for your interest in pursuing a credential with the International Christian Coaching Institute (ICCI). Please complete all requested information in all sections or mark "N/A" if not applicable. You may save your work and resume the process at a later time, but please note that uploads will not be saved.

ICCI will not disclose the confidential information given in this application to a third party without your express, written consent. Please allow 1-3 weeks for processing.

Demographics

This information will update your profile information.

Education/Training in Christian Life Coaching

• I Agree

Have been life coaching professionally for more than 30 years since becoming a certified DiSC analyst in 1985. See Eric Scalise for approval.

Mentoring in Christian Life Coaching

• I Agree

Field Experience in Christian Life Coaching

• I Agree

Since 1985. See Eric Scalise.

Other Professional Credentialing or Certification

Spiritual Orientation and Practice

Please define/describe your thoughts and beliefs on the following questions.

His is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. God in person. A member of the trinitarian nature of one God in three persons. Fully God, fully man, creator of all. My savior through whom I have received forgiveness and guaranteed restoration with the Father in spite of my sin.

By believing in your heart and confessing with your lips that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He is risen from the dead (Romans 10:8-9). It is through faith alone in Christ alone that one becomes a Christian.

The Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and having supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The Bible consists of 66 books, no more, no less.

The third person of the trinity, sent by the Father and the Son to dwell in the hearts and lives of every person who is born - again. The Holy Spirit is the helper who assist all believers in a life of continuous progress, progressive sanctification, to put changed life in Christ on display, and to convince the world of sin and its need for a savior.

Before
So, I was not raised in a Christian home. The only thing I knew about Jesus was that he had something to do with why we had Christmas each year. My dad died when I was only 3, leaving us without financial resources. I was the baby of the family. Mom turned away from God in anger and remarried out of financial need to a man who was an abusive alcoholic. He moved us from Ohio to Nova Scotia because of a job offer. No matter how hard I tried to please, I could do nothing right. Even a straight A report card, because of one B+ was treated as a complete failure. I can still see his finger wagging in my face with accusations of “Never amount to anything.”

I grew up in an area that was completely unchurched and never knew anything about Jesus or Christianity. Mom was a “New Age” anything but Christianity kind of person who practiced spiritualism and was hostile to Christianity. After my first year of college in Halifax NS I was very disillusioned and had no idea what I was going to do. Not wanting to lose my US Citizenship I moved back to Ohio and attended Kent State University where I met Virginia who would become my wife. My plan was to join ROTC and spend a career as an officer in the Military. But the campus environment at Kent in those days was hostile to military. I became disillusioned and lost the desire. But I fell in love with Virginia who agreed to run away with me. We dropped out of college and moved to Michigan where I had a promising job offer. We lived together but were not married.

How
Ginny and I like to say that we were the victim of “Friendship Evangelism.” We met this guy named “Billy Bricky” who reached out to befriend us. Being new in the community we did not know many people and were keen to make some friends. Billy did not judge us for our lifestyle and he invited us to meet some of his friends for dinner, people who turned out to be Christians. They were engaged in community together. Now, this was back in 1978 and long before the term “Small Group” or “Missional Community” was ever used. Billy told us that this group of friends met every week for dinner, and they would love to include us. The first time we had dinner with them we really enjoyed our time. After dinner and to our surprise, as the ladies cleared the table and brought out dessert the men opened their bibles and began to discuss scripture. They told us about Jesus and how he made a way to heaven for those who believe. Well, we did not know what to think about all that, but we did enjoy their company and wanted to make friends. So, we took them up on their offer to join them again the following week.

And so, we continued to meet with them regularly for several weeks. Billy and others would take me out for coffee and offer encouragement. They invited us to church and eventually we agreed to attend. After a few weeks of attending, Ginny and I looked at each other and agreed that we needed to believe in Jesus. And so, together, we accepted Christ for Salvation and our new friends celebrated the event and encouraged us to be baptized. Billy shared the scripture’s teaching about marriage and gently admonished us to stop living together in sin. We took it to heart. We were baptized together, Ginny and me. We were convicted about marriage, so we moved into separate rooms in the house and avoided sex until later when we could be married. And so, we like to say that we walked the aisle of that church three times! Once to be saved, once to be baptized and once to be married!

After
But there is much more to the story. My early Christian walk is one of failure. You see, even though I became saved, I remained focused on my goals and failed to live for Christ. The truth is that my belief in Jesus was an intellectual belief that did not produce a change of heart or way of living. My focus was not on living for Him, but rather, in living for myself and getting all the things that were my heart’s desire. And there was a deep-seated need from my childhood to prove, contrary to my stepfather, that I would indeed amount to something. I started my own business and worked to gain personal wealth as my primary focus, working very long hours that kept me away from my family. Over time, my business grew to provide a lavish lifestyle including 2 large homes, a motor home, fancy cars, a large office building, a $350,000 boat, world travel, and much prestige.

As a father, my attitude was less than loving and my children were treated more as a distraction than as a blessing from God. Given my upbringing I really did not know how to father them. I did love them but was focused on my wants more than their needs. My temper was on a short leash and my kids could hardly do anything good enough to earn my praise or encouragement. It was just like the stepfather I grew up with.

The first 15 years after my acceptance of Christ for salvation was spent living for myself while my wife prayed fervently for her husband to begin living as a man of God. She made progress, I did not. In fact, after 15 years of being a Christian I was no more mature than the day I raised my hand to believe. All that changed after attending a men’s retreat weekend that truly broke my heart for Jesus, made me into a genuine disciple, and put me on a path that led to finishing my degree, attending seminary, and becoming a pastor. Today, my relationship with my children has been completely restored. I love them so much. And they love me! There is a running joke with my kids. Since my two oldest are 43 and 41, while my youngest are 35 and 25, the older ones lovingly tease me about the dad the younger ones got! We have recently lost our youngest child and that is a tender subject right now.

Today, one of our favorite things is to gather as a family and share our lives with much laughter and love. They have forgiven me just as Christ has forgiven me. And I am so grateful to my Lord and Savior because without a relationship with Him I would be completely lost, and bitter. Had it not been for the changes that Jesus brought in my heart, I would probably have lost my family. Jesus is the hero of my story.

Today I am so passionate about ministry and have such love in sharing Christ in tangible ways. God has confirmed the call to a wonderful Chaplain ministry. I have become a Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor and my work is a constant blessing. Most of my time is spent teaching and equipping mature believers to serve others as Chaplains, in community with people of faith, on mission with Jesus to the people they are called to. And our motto is “Make a friend, be a friend, draw your friend to Christ.”

Perhaps, because of the experience I had with old Billy Bricky and the friends who led us to Christ, you can understand why friendship evangelism and building relationships with others, in community, is so important to my ministry for Christ. I am consumed with the desire to live in my gospel identity, to make disciples who make disciples, and help believers become leaders who produce leaders. It is my fondest desire to help people keep from making the mistakes that I made in my early Christian walk and to make progress at living for Christ.

Despite my being such a knucklehead, Jesus has been faithful to me and by His grace have I been forgiven and set free from slavery to the life I used to live. It is only because of Jesus that I am able to share this with you today and I am desperate to help people draw nearer to Christ and avoid the mistakes I made in my early walk by learning to focus on Him, live for Him, instead of themselves. And this freedom found in Christ helps me understand and believe in reformed theology. Before Christ did His work in me, I was incapable of choosing to live for Him. Certainly, I had some ability to choose, but it is only like a person in prison can choose. My choices were limited. Thanks to God, He set me free.

And what about the people who have helped me along the path of belief? You cannot have discipleship without relationships. So, this too is worth a mention.

People
Along the way I have been so fortunate to have mature believers speak into my life. My wife Virginia has been with me through thick and thin. We have been together for 43 years and not only is she my best friend, but she is my partner and chief disciple maker in my life! Billy Bricky and friends occupy a fond place in my memory. But there have been other mature believers, pastors, and Christian brothers who have taught me God’s word and helped me to be changed into a different person. Doing life in various small groups and missional communities have helped me to make progress as well. Perhaps the most compelling discipleship experience for me, occurred in seminary where great men of God challenged my arrogance and attitude and set me on a straighter path for Jesus, instilling in me a great love for the word of God.

A knucklehead still, but one who has made progress, I press on with desire to become the person God created me to be.

Let me close with this:

I have only one memory of my father. I was only 3 when he died. My memory is of getting out of bed at night to use the potty. Being groggy, I turned right instead of left and walked along the dark hallway toward the back steps that went down to the living room. Stepping into nothing I remember tumbling over and over to the bottom of the steps and landing on my back with the wind knocked out of me. After catching my breath, I let out a wale and a crying scream. It was my dad who came and picked me up. It is my only memory of him. Every time I smell “Old Spice After Shave” I am reminded of him holding me close to his face and patting me on the back and telling me “It’s okay Jimmy, I’ve got you, you will be okay.”

My memory is conflicted between my real father and the finger wagging stepfather. The two extremes become great examples in my mind of the heavenly verses the worldly. And more importantly, how for those who love God, all things work together for good. God has used the circumstances in my life to bring me to where I am.

Somehow, I believe a day is coming when my life ends on this earth and my Lord and Savior will greet me in heaven in a manner very similar to that memory my father. Holding me close, patting me on the back, and saying, “It’s okay Jim, I’ve got you, you’re okay, welcome home.” And so, let us press on together toward that hope and make progress on this earth at doing life together for Jesus until that day comes.

Having been a life coach for more than 30 years, with a vision of restoring chaplaincy, pastoral care, and life coaching to Biblical Christianity I created a thorough 160 hour program for our Chaplains to become a Certified Christian Life Coach. Perhaps the best way to see the Biblical incorporation into my coaching practice is to review the course. You can see the course descriptions here: https://christianchaplains.org/the-academy/christian-life-coach-certification

See Eric Scalise for approval.

ICCI Applicant Attestation

Note: The following statements require your attestation (affirming each one to be true to the best of your knowledge). Please be sure to respond to each and every section regarding yourself and your Life Coaching practice or ministry.

The foundation to all work and identity as a Christian Life Coach is a living, vibrant, and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The following statements require your attestation (affirming each one to be true to the best of your knowledge). Please be sure to review each and every section that directly pertains to you and your professional life coaching, and/or ministerial work. The information it contains is important and will be referenced in the Application Form. Depending on your responses, additional information may be required in order to process your Application. 

SECTION A: Christian Personal Testimony

SECTION B: Christian Coaching Testimony (Required)

The practice of Christian Life Coaching genuinely incorporates scriptural truths, biblical principles and guidance, and a Christian value system into one’s coaching/ministerial practice, theoretical orientation, and professional life. ICCI is dedicated to credentialing Christian Life Coaches, not simply people and lay helpers who happen to be Christian, but do not incorporate their faith into practice. Please respond to the following items by checking the appropriate box: (Required)

SECTION C: Ethical Integrity (Required)

Each applicant must demonstrate and maintain ethical integrity in all Life Coaching, ministerial, and professionally related activities. Please note that a Yes answer to any of the following questions will not necessarily disqualify you for the credential you are seeking. If the case has been properly remedied and/or disposed of, and you are under no current ethical complaint or investigation, then the application process can proceed. Please respond to the following items by checking the appropriate box:

• I Agree

ICCI Applicant Agreement

CERTIFICATION

Applicants certify all information in the Application Packet is true and complete, and understand they have the burden of producing all information necessary for ICCI to fairly and fully evaluate their qualifications, background, ethics, and Christian character in order to be considered for one of the ICCI credentials. They agree to inform ICCI of any changes in this information. Misstatements or omissions from the Application may be cause for denial of appointment or reappointment of the credential. Applicants further agree that any subsequent adverse information about them and/or their practice may be cause for disciplinary action – including the possibility of having the credential suspended or revoked.

AUTHORIZATION

Applicants authorize and give the ICCI consent to contact and, without restriction, discuss any issues pertaining to their character and qualifications with individuals submitting recommendation forms or providing mentoring services. Consent is given for the release of all information, records, and documents, by whatever means the ICCI chooses to collect this data, and to assist them in the good-faith evaluation of their Application. If a question arises in the future about their character and qualifications to the credential, they agree to assist the ICCI in its efforts to resolve any questions it may have.

INDEMNIFICATION

Applicants release from any and all liability ICCI, Hope Together Network, LLC, Hope for the Heart, JAWS, LLC, and any individual officers, directors, employees, or agents of these organizations for any and all acts done in good faith and without malice or intent to harm in connection with the evaluation of their Application for an ICCI credential.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

If a dispute arises between the applicant and ICCI regarding the application or any future matter, applicants agree to engage in dispute resolution that (1) first attempts direct negotiation; (2) then attempts mediation with a mediator acceptable to both parties; (3) then uses arbitration and binding arbitration to resolve the matter, which mediation/arbitration shall take place in Dallas, Texas.

CREDENTIAL RESOLUTION

Applicants resolve to support the mission and goals of the ICCI and further agree to abide by and fully adhere to the ICCI Doctrinal Statement. They have not hidden, nor omitted any necessary information related to receiving the credential. If they qualify, they will hold their ICCI credential in the highest regard, honor the calling of God in Christian Life Coaching, and maintain both excellence and an ethical stance as a servant-leader in the field. Furthermore, they will strive to avoid all behavior that compromises the name of Christ, the cause of Christian Life Coaching, and the purposes of the ICCI.

Applicants acknowledge they have read, discussed as needed, and fully understand this Agreement. They acknowledge that by signing the formal Application Form, they do hereby agree with all consent and authorization statements that are described herein.

• I Agree

Credential Requirements

Basic Requirements

Continuing Education Requirements

All ICCI credential holders are required to obtain 15 CONTACT HOURS of Continuing Education on an annual basis and these hours must incorporate biblical principles and coaching skills with theory, knowledge, and practice.

Continuing Education is a term that applies to obtaining contact hours across a broad range of post-secondary (beyond high school) learning activities and programs. Some examples include degree credit courses, non-degree career training, self-directed learning, experiential learning, seminars, symposiums, workshops, conference presentations, and classroom lectures. The method and format of delivery may be face-to-face, distance/online learning, printed texts/workbooks, the use of videotaped materials, etc.

ICCI approved Continuing Education and competency activities can occur in the following categories:

Category #1: Continuing Education activities that the credential holder ENGAGES in as a RECIPIENT

NOTE: A minimum of ten (10) contact hours of the required total number of hours must be from Category #1

• Formally organized learning (college/university courses, workshops, seminars, professional or ministerial conferences, presentations, home study, etc.). The delivery of content may be either face-to-face or electronic (e.g., CD, DVD, computer, Web-based, etc.)
• Training experiences at churches or other Christian organizations that resulted in a certificate of completion or other verifiable documentation of participation
• Publications (e.g., journals, magazines, etc.) that have a CE component and a process providing verification of completion
• Coaching supervision and/or consultation that is received and documented

Category #2: Continuing Education activities that the credential holder PROVIDES as a FACILITATOR

• Facilitating, training or presenting at an organized conference/seminar/class that incorporates biblical principles and life coaching skills with theory, knowledge, and practice (the same presentation may only be used once in a renewal period)
• Teaching a post-secondary class that incorporates biblical principles and life coaching skills with theory, knowledge, and practice (the same course may only be used once in a renewal period)
• Producing new training materials and/or curriculum that incorporates biblical principles and coaching skills with theory, knowledge, and practice
• Publishing (a book, book chapter, journal/magazine article, etc.)

Acceptable Forms of Documentation for Continuing Education activities:

• Certificates of Completion
• CE letters or other forms documenting participation
• Official transcripts and/or diplomas
• Reprints of published articles, book chapters, training materials, etc.
• Proof of presentations that were given and/or courses that were taught
• Formal letters from supervisors and/or consultants

• I Agree

References

Processing your application begins when all references are received. Please alert your references to watch for emails from ICCI requesting their reference for your credential approval. White-listing our email address ([email protected]) will ensure emails arrive in inboxes rather than spam/junk folders

Sign and Send

• I Agree

I affirm and attest by my electronic signature below that I have answered all questions in this Application truthfully and have done so to the best of my knowledge and with full disclosure. I further authorize ICCI to verify this information and understand that in the process of verification, these facts might become known to third parties. I expressively waive any claim to confidentiality of the material enclosed in this Application except where otherwise noted.