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This
month ALOVE looks at the buzzword ‘mentoring’
to find out what it means: if we really need
to give and receive it.
The word ‘mentor’ is bandied back
and forth a lot these days in both the church
and the secular world, but pinning down a
definition can be tricky. A mentor is, broadly
speaking, someone who is ‘a wise and
trusted teacher and guide’, and someone
that provides’ guidance, support and
practical help through life crisis or into
new stages of development’. The end
result of mentoring is often that the mentored
person moving into a position of more responsibility
and/ or leadership. It’s a really interesting
way to develop your skills and abilities in
a supportive and safe environment.
The concept of ‘being mentored’
is a deeply biblical one and, whether you
know it or not, you are likely mentored by
a number of different people already from
your peers, your parents, your form tutor,
your Youth/ Cell leader at Church or your
boss at work. For Christians, being mentored
is an important way to be helped, developed
and discipled, through both tough and easier
times in your life. And of course, it’s
not just a one way process. Just as a mentor
provides wisdom and experience to someone,
the mentor also learns and is challenged by
the questions and life of the person being
mentored.
Mentoring
in the Bible
There are many examples of mentoring in the
Bible and this is the best place to start
looking for clues as to how to mentor and
why it is an important thing. David and Solomon,
Elijah and Elisha, Moses and Joshua, and Jesus
and his disciples were all in mentor/mentored
relationships. In particular, the example
of Moses and Joshua is helpful for young people.
Moses first recognised Joshua’s personality,
abilities and gifts and then, as well as teaching
Joshua by word and example, he also gave him
more and more opportunity and responsibility
to work out the gifts that he had. As a result
of this, Joshua’s character developed
and Moses was eventually able to hand over
leadership to him.
In the Gospels, Jesus mentored his disciples.
If you are a cell leader or peer group leader
then it’s important you’re following
Jesus lead in looking at developing the people
in your groups into becoming leaders themselves
(John 17: 6-10). You need to build relationships
of openness, sharing, trust and accountability
(Luke 9:1-9) with young people and then lastly
be able to impart wisdom, advice, knowledge
and skills at an appropriate time (Mark 6:30-44).
Mentoring
and You
So how does this concept of mentoring relate
to you? Here, ALOVE offers a few tips to think
about mentoring and you. |
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| 1 |
During 2006, what are some of the
areas you would like to develop in?
Who do you know that could help you
move forward in some of these things?
Who could operate as a mentor in your
life? |
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| 2 |
Think about the people around you
– what can you learn from them?
What challenges you about their lifestyle?
How can they help you go deeper in your
relationship with God? |
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| 3 |
Do you want to serve as a mentor to
someone else? If so, why not chat it
through with someone you respect to
see how you could helpfully fulfill
this. |
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| 4 |
Perhaps you’re already mentoring
someone – remember that mentoring
isn’t about you imparting your
opinions and wisdom from on high. It’s
about sharing your story, asking questions,
listening to the other person and sharing
insight/experience |
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| 5 |
Pray regularly for individuals that
you are mentoring. |
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| 6 |
Develop your Biblical understanding
and use the Bible to back up discussion. |
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| 7 |
Have a positive and realistic outlook
on life and maintain a good balance
of practical and theoretical advice. |
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| 8 |
Be prepared to give quality time to
individual others maybe by meeting up
for a coffee and a chat regularly. |
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| 9 |
Learn to listen to people you are
mentoring without prejudice. |
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| 10 |
Continually be working on your own
growth and development, so that you
have more to give to the young people. |
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| 11 |
Find someone that can offer you a
mentoring relationship |
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Useful
Books
‘The Mentoring Manual’ by Mike
Whittaker and Ann Cartwright; Gower Publishing
2000
‘The Effective Way to Nurture Christians’
by Stephen Gaukroger and David Warren; Crossway
Books 1997
‘Connecting - The Mentoring Relationships
you need to succeed in Life’ by Paul
Stanley and J. Clinton; Navpress1992
‘Mentoring for Mission’ by Gunter
Krallmann; Jensco Ltd 1992
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Youthwork -
The Partnership ...
ALOVE,
Youthwork Magazine, Youth For Christ, Spring Harvest and
Oasis are working together to equip and resource the Church
for effective youth work and ministry. |
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