What Is Mentoring? / Where To Find Mentors Series

Compiled by: Herman Abrahams (Senior Pastor), Cornerstone Faith Ministries, P.O. Box 740, Westridge 7802, Rep. of South Africa.

E-Mail: Mentorship2003@yahoo.co.uk

Note to the reader:

If you have been blessed with this sermon compilation, I would be honoured to receive an e-mail from you simply telling me where in the world you are based- I do not need any other information. I am requesting this info so that I can have the pleasure of giving thanks to Almighty God, that all over the globe, the ministry which he has entrusted to me, is blessing the body of Christ and helping to extend the Kingdom of God.

Thank you.

Herman Abrahams,

Cape Town, South Africa.

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What Is Mentoring?

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What is mentoring?"

1. A Simple Definition.

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Mentoring is a process involving people. Sometimes it’s a whole series of individuals that God brings into your life at various stages and for various purposes. In every case, these people are sent by God to help you grow and perpetuate the learning process.

2 Peter 3:18:

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

He was saying, "As long as you live, continue to grow.”

Unfortunately, the epitaph of many a man is well expressed in the words "Died, age 26; buried, age 64." If you stop learning and growing today, you stop ministering tomorrow.

2. Not A New Concept

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Bear in mind that mentoring is not a new concept. The tradesmen, artists & craftsmen have engaged in mentoring for centuries – passong on their skills to apprentices. They’re filled with pride in their work; they are excited about it!

Most of us know about the great artist Michelangelo. But few know about Bertoldo, his teacher. There’s a debate in art circles about who was the greater—Michelangelo, the pupil, or Bertoldo, the teacher who produced him.

3. A Spiritual Commitment (to develop excellence

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in another)

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Christian mentors are people who have a spiritual commitment. They’re not playing games; they’re committed to life change. And they have specific values. High on their priority list is the development of excellence in another individual so that the individual grows in his Christian life; learns to hate mediocrity - the attitude that anything is good enough for God.

Not only does mentoring involve a person or a group of people, but it is also a process of developing a person to his maximum potential for Jesus Christ. In Colossians 1:28-29 we read,

Vs 28 "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom."

Why?

"So that we may present everyone [mature] in Christ."

And Paul added,

Vs 29 "To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me."

Paul was interested in believers not remaining spiritual babies (cf. 1 Cor. 3:1-2) but in becoming spiritually mature (cf. Heb. 5:11-14).

4. Why was the apostle Paul committed to

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mentoring?

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Because he had clear-cut objectives. Your objectives determine your outcome. You achieve that for which you aim. Paul knew that the most important contribution he could make in terms of the next generation was to build into the life of the present one. This is becoming even more necessary these days with so much of the world’s population being under 25 !!

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul said the Christian life is a race— it’s not a hundred metre dash but a marathon. Its success is determined at the end. Paul said it’s a unique race because all can win. Not all will, but all can. But Paul had a fear: He wanted to be sure that

"After I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:27).

What about us? Can we say the same?

Finding Mentors

You should aim at having three individuals in your life:

You need a Paul.

You need a Bamabas, and

You need a Timothy.

1. You need a Paul – An Upward Mentor.

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That is, you need an older man or a man nor enature in the Lord who is willing to build into your life. Please note: not someone who’s smarter than you are, not necessarily someone who’s more gifted than you are, and certainly not someone who has life all together. That person does not exist. You need somebody who’s been through life’s experiences. Somebody who’s willing to share with you not only his strengths, but also his weaknesses. Somebody who’s willing to share his successes and his failures—in other words, what he’s learning in the laboratory of life.

Paul believed in multiplying himself in others:

2 Timothy 2:2:

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Hebrews 13:7 reads: