1 - Mentoring for Kingdom Purposes:
What is it? Why mentoring?
By Bill Niconson & Josimar Salum
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a biblically based model of discipleship.
“Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” (Mark 3:13-14 NIV).
It’s a journey to transform a person.
“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." (Mark 1:15-17)
It’s a sharing of experiences in all levels that help a person transforms.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2)
It’s an exchange of conversations, thoughts, processes and prayers designed to help a person mature and move into leadership to the point that they begin mentoring others.
Jesus makes us disciples to make other disciples. It is intergenerational. It’s reproducible. Therefore to Jesus view point anyone can become a disciple to lead someone else to become a disciple. It is a conscious understanding of a true disciple of Jesus the desire to mentor others to become Jesus disciples.
It usually involves someone who has demonstrated the ability to lead with respect and has been asked by someone of lesser experience to learn from, in order to further God’s kingdom.
Why mentoring?
Mentoring is needed today on many levels.
Young married couples need to be mentored by older couples. Entrepreneurs need to be mentored by those who have been successful in business. Young men need to be mentored by older experienced men and young women need to be mentored by older spiritually mature women.
Mentoring provides accountability, stability, allows and encourages spiritual and emotional maturity.
It knits together community which increases the over health of that community.
When mentoring is properly done everyone benefits.
Mentoring is biblical. Moses mentored Aaron, Elijah mentored Elijah, David mentored Jonathan, Jesus mentored His apostles, and Paul mentored Timothy and so on.
Mentoring, apprentices, discipleship probably all overlap each other in terms of definition.
Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron so one friend sharpens another.”
To be continued...
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