I recently engaged with Jesus Cares Canada at a deeper level as an online coach. Outreach Canada sponsors Jesus Cares Canada, in partnership with Groundwire in the US, to provide online help for younger generation chatters who are interested in finding more information about Jesus and Christianity. It is all done by typing on a chat line. It is anonymous for both parties.

Becoming an Online Coach

My role as a spiritual coach is to offer authentic conversation in a safe environment with the intent of establishing and developing a relationship between the chatter and Jesus Christ. I find it an awesome opportunity in evangelism to young Canadians.

We are looking for coaches in Canada. I have committed to be online between 2-4 hours a week, which is doable as I am online often throughout the day. There is a minimal application process plus sufficient online training with Dan, who has been doing this for over 12 years.

For more information on what is involved with coaching,  you can visit Become a Coach with Groundwire. 

My First Coaching Conversation

My first time as a coach was initially intimidating, however I immediately found help from the other coaches who were online with me.

My initial conversation was with a person who identified as a Jewish Christian but was struggling with guilt from past sexual sin in a relationship. Over the next two hours, we exchanged thoughts about guilt, forgiveness, mercy, and reconciliation. This person was telling me they could not talk with their parents or Christian leaders because of the shame they felt. At the end of the chat, this person asked me to pray for them, which I did online as well as in my mind. They expressed lots of gratitude and said they will seek more counsel from a local Christian rabbi.

While online, the coaches all have access to a large online library with resources on all kinds of topics, and there are go-to coaches who can monitor the chat and offer suggestions as the chat progresses. It is hugely supportive.

I had apprehension that my texting skills were too slow to do this. My sense of intimidation vanished within minutes of starting my first chat. I was also given a specific coach who can read the texts of my chat and offer wisdom and advice for me to consider for the future.

Looking to the Future

As I think about how difficult life during the pandemic has been for all of us, and especially for young people, I count it a privilege to have this opportunity to chat about spiritual issues with these precious young people.

In the first three months that OC has been hosting Jesus Cares Canada, over 750 people have shared that they have decided to believe and follow Jesus Christ as their Savior. Dan, our trainer, said in his previous 20 years as a pastor he had only led a handful of people to salvation in Jesus; In the past 12 years, as an online coach, he has led well over 400 people to faith in Jesus.

I look forward my sessions in the future. I find this a way to make significant impact in the lives of people looking and asking for help.

Though I have been a pastor and in ministry for many years, this is certainly no prerequisite for serving as a coach. Knowing Jesus as your Savior, caring about other people and being able to message or chat with others is about all it takes.

Will you consider that God may want you to consider becoming an online coach and commit this to prayer? It may be out of your comfort zone – but isn’t that where God wants us anyway?

Visit Jesus Cares Canada to find out more about this outreach to Millenials & Gen Z in Canada.

When Rick Burdett was a kid, he dreamed of being a professional football player. Now, he’s the Chief Operations Officer at Outreach Canada. Before joining OC in 2019, Rick served as an executive pastor in two churches over 22 years. If Rick had a free afternoon, you might find him fishing, kayaking, bike riding or napping. Rick is passionate about working with and supporting people who are sacrificially loving lost people into the kingdom of God. He loves listening to the stories of how God is using team members to bless our culture & world.