Become A Mentor
WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN MENTOR?
A Christian mentor is a Jesus follower who helps others follow Jesus in a one-on-one or small group setting. They regularly spend time with their Mentee sharing stories, which can include teaching and encouraging their spiritual growth or just being a positive friend that points them to Jesus. Christian mentors may also spend time praying and reading the Bible with their mentees.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to mentoring. That’s because every mentor is unique and will approach mentoring relationships in a different way. Ask your Mentee what they are looking for in a relationship and what needs they might be experiencing. It may be a Bible study or studying a specific book or topic together or simply doing life together.
Read More
As a mentor, you will need to be committed to being in the Word and spending time with the Lord daily (hopefully you already are). Scripture is the primary way that God speaks to us and it also creates the solid foundation that we need in order to effectively speak Truth to the person we are mentoring. This will also cultivate a humble and teachable spirit within yourself.
You will need to be willing to listen — a lot. The person you are mentoring will look to you for an example of what Christian growth looks like, even though each of our spiritual journeys are unique. Helping our Mentee/young friend make a simple plan for practicing basic spiritual disciplines, such as daily Bible reading and prayer is a great way to start.
If you are still asking yourself whether you are the kind of person who should mentor others, we recommend thinking first in terms of character qualities rather than specific skills or years of experience as a Christian.
What character qualities are you looking for in yourself as a mentor?
The Bible gives us a very helpful list of things that we can expect to see in the life of a person who is increasingly living in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, NIV)
None of us are perfect or have it all together, but when our hearts are turned to Jesus and our goal is to become more and more like Him, the above qualities become more and more prevalent in our lives. Often it is the lies of Satan that plague our minds and make us feel like we have nothing to offer and/or that we are inadequate.
Read More
Remember that you have everything you need already because of the Holy Spirit! Many people discount themselves from becoming mentors because they look at themselves and see what’s missing rather than what’s present. If the Holy Spirit lives within you, you have something amazing and powerful to pass on to another person.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV)
“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:13, NIV)
Being a mentor does not mean you are perfect, have all the Bible knowledge or ministry experience, or even have a particular personality. You need a willing heart and a desire to pass on to someone else what God has done in your life. God promises to help you grow as you depend on His Holy Spirit, spend time in His word, and commit to learning how to mentor (be a friend), one step at a time. Ask Him to show you how to be the Mentor that He wants you to be. Be open and share your stories and struggles. This helps your Mentee also to be open and share the struggles she might be experiencing.
“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalm 1:3, KJV
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,” Colossians 1:9-10
If you are not sure where to begin, pray and ask God to show you the next step. He is so faithful! He will guide you. When you pray as a mentor, you might ask some of the following questions:
- Who do you want me to invest in?
- What do they need to continue growing spiritually?
- What is holding them back?
- Which passage of Scripture should we explore next?
- Is there a specific goal we need to set for ourselves?
We, as a Team, are also here to help provide resources for you to help guide your time together with the person you are mentoring, but remember to keep depending on the Holy Spirit as your primary source of guidance. The ultimate goal is to help a younger believer experience the fruits and gifts the Holy Spirit has for them, to see Truth, to live in victory and freedom, and to know Jesus more fully. It may begin by simply listening and being a person who genuinely cares.
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR MENTORING
Here are some simple ways to help you think about the activities you might plan as you seek to mentor effectively:
- Pray for the person you mentor. Ask the Lord what He wants you to teach them.
- Invite the person you mentor to do regular, everyday-life things with you. (Exercise together, grab frozen yogurt or coffee together, or have dinner together.)
- Do not underestimate the power of inviting the person you mentor into your home. This shows the person you mentor that you care about them enough to let them see who you really are.
- Practice vulnerability and openness. Be the first to step out in sharing your story. For example, if you struggle with sin in a particular area of your life, be honest about this with the person you mentor. This will create bonding and help the person you mentor know they can be honest with you.
- Read the Bible together.
- Pray together.
- Always remember that the topics discussed with the person you are mentoring are confidential. It’s so important to build trust with one another. One of the ways of building trust is confidentiality.
- Write a simple note or card expressing your love or appreciation that the other person is willing to be your friend.
- Drop off a surprise gift (small) to let her know you are thinking of her
- Go to a local play or movie together
- Have FUN!
In 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT) we read that we are Jesus’ “ambassadors,” His representatives, tasked with spreading the knowledge of Him everywhere we go. There is; however, an important step we need to remember before we jump in. In verses 17-18, we see that God has given us a new life, a new story. We are new people. “The old life is gone; a new life has begun! All of this is a gift from God.
Read More
How has God worked in your life? How is He working now? You have a story of God working in your life that He has given you to share with others. Your story is a gift from God to the people around you.
Not only has God given you a new story, but God has also given you His very Spirit to live in you and give you the words to say. Romans 5:5 says that God “has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” So speak from the heart!
Relax and know that the Holy Spirit works through you. You may not know what to say, but He certainly does.
By sharing your story through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can continue the movement of love that Jesus started years ago. Because God has equipped you, you do not need to feel inadequate to talk about Him with others. He has given you His story that is now your story, and He empowers you with His Spirit who lives within you!
We are here to help! Please reach out with questions or if you need support.
