The MAWL Training Cycle + Coaching Checklist

Model

First, picture a kid watching another kid ride a bicycle. It’s like when a child sees their friend Johnny riding a bike and thinks, “I want to ride like that someday.” This quick moment is important for all of us – it’s how we get the idea of riding a bike.

Assist

Next comes the assist phase, which takes a bit longer. Think of it like a parent helping a child learn to ride. The parent might hold the bike and walk alongside, saying, “Keep pedaling! You’re doing great!” Eventually, they let go, and the child might fall a few times before getting the hang of it.

Watch

Now, the watch phase is the longest. This is when we need to keep an eye on the child until they’re really good at riding safely. They need to learn lots of things, like how to start, steer, brake, and follow the rules of the road. We watch them until they can ride confidently on their own.

They have to be able to pick the bicycle up if they fall, get on it. They need to be able to start from a stop. They need to master steering so that they can handle curves. They need to master braking, controlling the speed of the bicycle. They need to know how to go up hills and down hills safely. They need to understand the rules of the road — where it’s safe to ride, where it isn’t safe to ride. There are all of these things have to be mastered before they can safely be allowed to ride when they want, where they want.

Launch

After mastering those skills, it’s time to step back. Just like how you don’t need your dad to watch you ride a bike once you know how. You’re free to ride without someone always watching. This applies to making disciples and starting new churches too – we show, help, watch, and then eventually launch.