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MENTORING

We are not only presenting Gospel to others. Also knowingly or unknowingly taking steps to help them to grow in the Lord. The days to come they will be growing in the Lord and involving in the ministry gradually.

Mentors mean “A trusted advisor” or “wise and trusted advisor and helper” (Oxford English Dictionary)

Before we study about mentoring do you have mentor? If not think about it seriously.

I hope many of us are involving in this mentoring work, if we study properly, about mentoring and do it systematically. We may do it effectively.

Some examples from the Bible:

1. Moses - Joshua.

2. Elijah - Elisah.

3. Jesus - 12 Disciples. (Especially three of them Peter, James and John).

4. Barnabas - Paul

5. Paul- Timothy.

Gal:2:2.

But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders; for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain".

we fed up and say that nowadays Timothys are not coming out. But before that we have to think, how many of us are dare to do mentoring like Jesus, Barnabas or Paul to produce leaders for our future? “Success without successor is failure”

Reasons for mentoring:

1. Mentoring instills values in your mentees.

2. It develops their leadership skills.

3. It creates opportunities to share our faith.

4. Your willingness to invest time improves mentees self image.

5. Mentoring includes counseling about life's critical issues.

6. It allows you to model service and a giving mentality.

7. It decreases self-centeredness.

8. It opens mentees minds to great possibilities.

9. Mentoring helps mentees obey scriptural commands.

10. It allows you to increase the values of your life by leaving a legacy.                 

Qualities of a mentor (GOALS)

God-Centered

must demonstrate Christ-like character and conduct that is worth limiting. They should strive to remain others of Jesus.

 

Objective

must be able to see strengths and weakness clearly and must be willing to communicate them honestly.

 

Authentic

Mentors must be real. Others must be able to see their humanity. They should be genuine, transparent, and open with others.

 

Loyal

Mentors must be loyal to others. When friendships (or mentoring relationships) are formed, mentors should be committed to them.

 

Servant

must be committed to giving their lives away and making investments in the lives of their mentees.

The Mentoring Commitment:

1. Commitment to the Person:

You can impress a lot of people in one shot, but sharing life experience, application, and accountability requires a  deeper approach. Are you satisfied with relationship that is a mile wide and an inch deep? Probably not. For relationship you need to be committed to a person.

2. Commitment to the Process:

It may take several days, weeks, months or even years. Why should we expect our mentees to get these overnight? Mentors must develop a “process mentality”.

3. Commitment to the Purpose:

"We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.”- Col 1:28.

John C. Crosby  the author of “The uncommon individual foundation, a mentor is “a brain to pick, a shoulder to cry on and a kick in the pants.”

Gifts Mentors Give

"Elmore, in his book The Greatest Mentors in the Bible, describes seven gifts a mentor gives. These gifts are all things you could give to another person right now. Keep these in mind as you begin a mentoring relationship.

Affirmation - Speak words of encouragement, acceptance, and support to affirm their strengths and their positive choices. Great mentors affirm their mentees regularly.

Assessment - Objectively evaluate their present state, and give them assessments of what you see. Assessments enable them to gain perspective from an outside viewpoint.

Accountability - Hold your mentees to their commitments. This may involve asking tough questions that relate to commitments they've made. You don't need new skills to do that.

Find out right time encourage him/her, and also correct him/her constructively. When mentors present this gift in a loving and thoughtful way, they truly can start a life-changing process in a young person.

Advice-Speak words of counsel, and help mentees think through options for their decisions. You may not think of yourself as a Solomon, but you have more experience and bible knowledge than your mentees. Be careful, though, not go to overboard in giving advice Sometimes all a person needs is the gift of a listening ear or a word of acceptance.

Admonition: Speak words of caution and warning. Enable your mentees to avoid pitfalls they might not see as clearly as you can. At times, they may need correction to keep them on the right, healthy path. 

Assets -Give or loan tangible help in the form of books, tapes, ministry tools and other resources, personal contacts, gifts, and bright ideas. Great mentors provide assets.

Application -Help mentees find a laboratory where tthey can practice what they're learning. Good mentors suggest places where truth can be applied. And that's where the truth you help your mentees discover will become a life-changing lesson.

Some practical tips for success:

1. We have to start.

2. In our ministry you can discern the people those who are in need, and to help them meaningfully.

3. We are not expert in everything. So, decide what you have learnt and which you wish to pass on to others.

4. Pray and ask. God for people in whom you can invest. We see that Jesus spent a whole night in prayer to the Father, the day before He chose the twelve as His disciples. We need to take this as God given responsibility.

5. Invest in their lives not just casually helping, rather involved in their lives and be a blessing to them. Meet them and keep in touch with them. (At least once in a week meeting or writing them).

6. Love and discipline should go together in mentoring,- In Eph. 5: 14, we read, "speak the truth in love". The followers will eventually be thankful that the mentor has had the guts to talk about difficult things with them instead of untruthfully patting them on the back. Some   mentors hate to be in a situation of confrontation.

7. Care and risks in mentoring. Mentors must care for the followers in all possible ways. This does not mean to protect them when they are clearly wrong. In the name  of care the mentors must make sure that there are enough challenges for the followers to grow. Be ready for disappointment from the followers! It is possible they fail, though you have given all your  help.

8. Don't be possessive. Though you are the mentor, your follower may get the help of others in their lives. Allow this to happen, without any ill feeling.

9. Open home, open heart is very much needed.

10. Mentoring let it be our life style of Staff, graduates and Student, leaders of EU/EGF.

11. Opposite sex can be avoided in mentoring.

12. Pray for the person to be found out.

Finishing the race together:

In the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Derrick Redman, a runner from England had qualified for the 440 meter race. He has undergone 22 surgeries on his Achilles tendon. No one gave a chance to win. But he lined up. He was about to stop due to his pain. He was limping to reach the finishing spot. His mentor Jim Redman jumped into the ground and took the arm of the mentee and put it around his own shoulder and the two of them finished the race together.

Derrick didn’t win that race, but he finished it, and he finished it well. That's what mentoring is all about.

“I believe every person has a heart, and, if you can reach it, you can make a Difference"- Uli Derickson

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