How Jesus Mentored His Disciples

1. Jesus made sure that beyond truth taught, the disciples acquired the right attitude toward God and their ministries. The Lord Jesus knew that it was not enough for the disciples to learn ideas without embracing the best disposition found in their Master. Jesus said, "If you hold - develop deep convictions - to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know (experience) the truth and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31,32) Ask the Lord to help you develop a Christ like attitude and positive belief in your disciples.

2. Jesus made sure that He went about constructing the disciples' outlook and ministry patterns so that they would reflect His own thoughts, beliefs and actions. Jesus said, "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." (Luke 6:40) The Lord helped His disciples embody His whole way of life by associating with them in all aspects of His personal and ministry lifestyle. Ask the Lord to help you develop a more transparent mentoring relationship with your disciples.

3. Jesus let His love for God be the standard by which He loved His disciples. Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you. By this will all men know that you are my disciples." (John 13:34,35) Ask the Lord to help you love God more so that you can demonstrate greater love for your disciples.

4. Jesus modeled every aspect of what he intended His followers to learn, become and accomplish. Jesus said, "As the Father has sent me, so send I you." (John 20:21) Ask the Lord for the strength to set an example in your love, joy and ministry fruit bearing.

5. Jesus focused more on the disciples potential than on their weaknesses. Even though the Lord knew each of the disciples' shortcomings He chose to accentuate their strengths. Jesus said to Peter, who had denied Him three times, "Feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17) The Lord helped produce a disciple that would write, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him." (2 Pet.1:3) Ask God for help focusing on positives instead of negatives.

6. Jesus developed mental, affective, behavioral, spiritual and especially character development in His disciples. Peter wrote about His mentor, "We can participate in His divine nature through faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love." (2 Pet. 1:4-7) Ask the Lord to help you develop a holistic approach to mentoring.

7. Jesus balanced instruction with supervised practical applications. Jesus said to Peter, "Take care of my lambs." (John 21:16) Mentoring is inadequate unless disciples have a chance to develop leadership with responsible ministries. Ask the Lord to give your disciples plenty of field education in evangelism, disciple making and planting and growing churches.

8. Jesus resisted any attempts to institutionalize His mentoring. The Lord said, "Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men." (Matt. 4:19) Christ's mentoring involved a committed relationship that involved people 24 hours a day.

9. Jesus mentored His disciples so that they could one day take charge of His ministries. Jesus said, "Go into all the world and make disciples of every nation." (Matt. 28:19,20) Help your disciples assume leadership rather than stifling responsibility.

10. Jesus began by making friends and later developed His disciples into His representatives. Ask the Lord for mentors that are genuinely your friends and not just your ministry co-workers.

11. Jesus shared common goals, interests, problems, experiences, emotions, and values with His disciples. Ask the Lord to give you mentors that can share many vital concerns in common with you.

12. Jesus selected His disciples carefully with prayer. Ask the Lord for wisdom, knowledge and harmonization with your mentors.

13. Jesus developed such closeness with His disciples that every aspects of His being rubbed off on them. Ask the Lord to give you such closeness of spirit with your disciples that they will gradually become more like you as you imitate Christ.

14. Jesus was a master at developing lasting relationships that transcended any barrier. Ask the Lord to give you the love, wisdom and Spirit led enabling to build lasting relationships with your disciples that will be multiplied in their disciples.

15. Jesus relied on the Spirit to lead Him into all truth. Ask the Lord to help you teach your disciples how to rely on the Spirit of God for their teaching, wisdom and love.

16. Jesus taught His disciples how to feed themselves from God's word. Millions are continually amazed how the Disciples of Christ helped plant and grow a church that is world wide in its influence. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they knew these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)