1 Thessalonians 2:8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
Perhaps you are a mature Christian who is burdened to help other women. Or maybe you have been recently saved and have reached a point in your walk with Christ in which you feel ready to speak into the lives of others who are younger in the faith. How do you go about finding someone to mentor? Or for those of you looking for someone to speak into your life, how do you find someone to mentor you? And what do you do when you find that person?
First, let’s note that the term “mentor” is not a biblical term. It actually originated in Greek mythology. Mentor was Odysseus’s trusted counselor, and over the years, the term came to mean any wise and trusted counselor or teacher. The term has gained popularity during the last few decades as a secular business idea for growing leaders in a company. From the business world, the term then infiltrated the church.
When people want to “mentor” or be “mentored”, it is important to let Scripture and not current psychological or corporate models dictate the plan of action. What believers who desire mentorship are really longing for is discipleship. By discipleship, I mean training in righteousness in all aspects of our lives through life on life contact. We long for relationship. Ultimately, we have this deep inner need to sit at the feet of Christ, as did His disciples. We want and need the ultimate wise and trusted counselor, Jesus Christ, to speak into our lives. Christ has willingly chosen to use imperfect believers to do this in His name. Discipleship is the goal.
Christ is our model for discipleship. He was the Master Discipler, which leads to the primary principle in discipleship.
Be like Christ.
Matthew 10:25 (KJV) It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Our obligation is no more and no less than to be like Christ. Paul teaches us in Romans 8:29 that God’s purpose for His children from before time began was that we would be conformed to the image of Christ. If we’re to be conformed to Christ’s example, exactly what did he model for us?
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20 25Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The first characteristic of a Christlike Discipler/Teacher/Mentor is servanthood. Christ did not come to be served. He came to give His very life a ransom for many. Those of us who want to “mentor,” both in corporate settings as well as the church, must guard ourselves from the attitude of pride that often comes with it. “I am mature and ready to dispense my wisdom to the lesser beings who surround me, and once church leadership recognizes my wisdom, they too will want me to tell immature Christians to be like me.” This is an attitude that must be stamped down at every turn. In truth, Christ-like discipleship is a humble, selfless job that requires true sacrifice. Christ washed his disciples’ feet as a specific indicator of this reality. Though He was the Master Teacher, He sat at the dirty feet of His pupils and washed them, teaching them through this very act of service that the true spiritual teacher leads through service.
Christ is also an example to us in the methods He used to teach His disciples. Christ modeled His teaching through His life. Matthew 8 is a good example of this in the life of the disciples. In this chapter, Christ moves from ministry opportunity to ministry opportunity with His disciples in tow. He has just finished the Sermon on the Mount in which He gives clear teaching to his disciples and the crowds with them. Afterwards, he heals a leper, a centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law, and many others of their various sicknesses. He also spends time casting out demons among a large number of demonized people that friends and family brought to Him. He then gives a few more verbal instructions to individual disciples before He and His disciples get on a boat. On the boat, a terrible storm comes upon them and Christ uses it as an important object lesson to the disciples about their faith in Him. Throughout the chapter, Christ uses a variety of teaching methods. Christ taught through His words in sermons to large crowds, but the most intense lessons He taught His disciples came from dealing with life situations that arose naturally as they walked along the way together. Christ taught through His words, but perhaps more importantly, Christ taught through His actions.
Our lives speak much more clearly and effectively than our words. It is the LIFE WE LIVE far more than the ADVICE WE GIVE that impacts others towards Christ likeness. Paul reflects this in his words to the church in Acts 20. It was Paul’s example over the years that taught these young believers how to respond in their current hard situation.
Acts 20 18When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22″And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
25″Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. … 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32″Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
Paul’s LIFE was the lesson here. For three years, he had lived his faith openly before these believers. Finally, as he left them for good, it was the teaching he lived as much as the words he said that remained with them. Paul learned his discipleship methods from Christ. Throughout His public ministry, Christ took teachable moments that arose out of a familiar relationship to train His disciples. In Matthew 8, perhaps the most important lesson the disciples learned that day took place on the boat in the storm after an extended time of service together with Jesus. Christ had taught many that day, but He had invested a special part of His time and Himself in the few that entered the boat with Him. Because of their special familiarity with Christ, they were on the boat together in the storm and learned something precious of Christ through that circumstance.
Here’s another important point. As Christ walked along with His disciples, He was confident in the results of His investment even though they weren’t immediately evident at His death.
John 6:39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
The Apostle Paul shared Christ’s confidence and says it this way.
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Paul was confident that, whether or not he witnessed the results personally, God was transforming His people. In I Corinthians 3:6, Paul says, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” Paul was only a part of the divine process. God used him to plant the seeds while someone later came along to water it. Whether Paul saw the fruit first hand or not, he had great faith in God’s ability to cause the growth and bring about real fruit in the lives of those he discipled.
We too are called to invest in people’s lives for a time. Like Paul, we are only a part of the process. Perhaps we are the first to plant the seed, or maybe we come along after another to water the seed. Some get to provide fertilizer to the tender young plant. Wherever we are in the process of growing fruit in a believer’s life, we must realize that it is GOD who brings the growth. Our ministry will seem hopeless and frustrating if we look to ourselves alone to bring forth fruit in the lives of those to whom we minister or if we expect results in a specific time frame.
Remember, it is enough that we be like Christ. With that in mind, let’s summarize His example on discipleship. Christ invested 3 years into 12 men, who all (but John) abandoned Him at His death. He did not give sequential advice and systematic lectures. Rather, He used teachable moments to teach new concepts or repeat old ones. He persevered through the disciples’ ignorance, confident that the fruit would come forth in due time (though not in His earthly lifetime). He had every right to be dictatorial and authoritarian, but instead He taught through questions (“Peter, do you love Me?”) and service (washing the feet of the disciples). And His parting words to His disciples were to go and do the same to all nations.
I’ll conclude with part 2 of this tomorrow.
