THE MENTORING PROJECT Spiritual
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
It seems like our country is going through a phase where many of it's officials are going through a period where they don't seem to understand at all what they are doing. I can't help but to wonder about those who are in leadership within the church today as well.
I say that because of the lack of definition in the various areas of what it takes to Mentor or Disciple, or Coach someone in their Spiritual walk. Each of these areas have some merit that we can use to help others on a Spiritual basis, but I think they have to be done in a right order to work in growing a Child of God. The word tells us to teach, baptize and teach which tells me that at first those whom God has given us to work with in Mentoring must become disciples of Christ first and foremost before they can begin to grow. They must receive the instruction of God's Holy Spirit into their life and begin that process of change that is so vital to the development of the Christian experience. They must make that decision to adhere to God's doctrine of life philosophy, and want to learn more. It is at that time we can begin a mentoring process, which basically means be an experienced adviser to them. Once the person becomes solid in the faith of Jesus Christ then we can begin to coach them in the ways they can best use their talents for the ministry of Christ in their lives.
I say this because there are many times that we get this order mixed up in what we do with people by thinking that they are ready for something that they are not. In the last two years I have run up against that problem several times. When someone falls off of the radar in the church it is easy to think that we may have failed in some way. Even the best among us in teaching find a difficult time in making a determination about who is ready and who is not. It takes a long time to discern spiritually anyone who comes to you wanting a deeper walk with God. I have found that many times it isn't until someone gets to a certain depth with their walk with God that they can make a final decision on that. By saying something like that I am not talking about salvation, but I am talking about spiritual maturity. Not everyone can be spiritually mature, and perhaps even though it is a goal to seek after not everyone will emotionally or spiritually be able to handle that kind of walk with God.
I have tended to continue to push people to walk as deeply as I have with God, and now I am discovering that to do that may indeed be a mistake on my part. In many ways since I have been really trying to teach and lead others in Christ I too have been learning from mistakes I have made in pushing others deeper than they can handle going. I ask God's forgiveness for that and I want to try to adapt what I teach to help as many people as I can to grow instead of drown in scripture. This is a spiritual journey for everyone of us...the teacher as well as the student, and we need desperately to be very real about what is going on. It is something to think about when someone is sent your way to mentor...may you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
It seems like our country is going through a phase where many of it's officials are going through a period where they don't seem to understand at all what they are doing. I can't help but to wonder about those who are in leadership within the church today as well.
I say that because of the lack of definition in the various areas of what it takes to Mentor or Disciple, or Coach someone in their Spiritual walk. Each of these areas have some merit that we can use to help others on a Spiritual basis, but I think they have to be done in a right order to work in growing a Child of God. The word tells us to teach, baptize and teach which tells me that at first those whom God has given us to work with in Mentoring must become disciples of Christ first and foremost before they can begin to grow. They must receive the instruction of God's Holy Spirit into their life and begin that process of change that is so vital to the development of the Christian experience. They must make that decision to adhere to God's doctrine of life philosophy, and want to learn more. It is at that time we can begin a mentoring process, which basically means be an experienced adviser to them. Once the person becomes solid in the faith of Jesus Christ then we can begin to coach them in the ways they can best use their talents for the ministry of Christ in their lives.
I say this because there are many times that we get this order mixed up in what we do with people by thinking that they are ready for something that they are not. In the last two years I have run up against that problem several times. When someone falls off of the radar in the church it is easy to think that we may have failed in some way. Even the best among us in teaching find a difficult time in making a determination about who is ready and who is not. It takes a long time to discern spiritually anyone who comes to you wanting a deeper walk with God. I have found that many times it isn't until someone gets to a certain depth with their walk with God that they can make a final decision on that. By saying something like that I am not talking about salvation, but I am talking about spiritual maturity. Not everyone can be spiritually mature, and perhaps even though it is a goal to seek after not everyone will emotionally or spiritually be able to handle that kind of walk with God.
I have tended to continue to push people to walk as deeply as I have with God, and now I am discovering that to do that may indeed be a mistake on my part. In many ways since I have been really trying to teach and lead others in Christ I too have been learning from mistakes I have made in pushing others deeper than they can handle going. I ask God's forgiveness for that and I want to try to adapt what I teach to help as many people as I can to grow instead of drown in scripture. This is a spiritual journey for everyone of us...the teacher as well as the student, and we need desperately to be very real about what is going on. It is something to think about when someone is sent your way to mentor...may you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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