Jesus the Mentor

JESUS THE MENTOR
By: S.D. Smith 

INTRODUCTION

Mentoring is perhaps the single most important ministry of the leader. No one can truly have a following, or a legacy, if no one is willing or able to have the person’s mark upon him through a mentoring relationship. Even mega-church pastors have more of a real and lasting legacy when there are some solid, key men who have learned specifically from the leader and become full-fledged leaders after the mentor is gone. It is this example that is given in the life of Christ. He spent roughly 3 and a half years working with a small, select group of men carefully and purposefully so that, as soon as he was gone, his legacy could move forward to be what he really wanted it to be through his example, through his followers’ faith, and through the Holy Spirit’s guidance. This paper seeks to discover his mentoring process, how Jesus modeled this process, and some key principals of mentoring.

MENTORING PROCESS

The mentoring process requires much of its mentors and protégés. Both must be willing to spend a great deal of time in the undertaking. For the protégé, it is a life of learning, doing, and seeing success and failure. All failure, however, is tempered with lessons learned from the event. The mentor, on the other hand, must use the gift of teaching in order to communicate principals of leadership to the protégé, as well as teach the lessons learned from both success and failure. Mentors must also use exhortation in the above example, both during failure and success. Much of this can be summed up using the Law of Communication.

Aside from the gifts that are used in mentoring, some of the key concepts, such as spending time developing relationships, sending out the protégé on missions, and evaluating, will be discussed below.

JESUS THE MODEL

Jesus devoted a great deal of time with his protégés, known in the scripture as apostles or disciples. It is actually surprising the few times that he is away from the men in scripture, usually to find time with his own father through prayer. Otherwise, he is with his men, teaching them and simply being with them in order to develop his relationship with them. Relationships are essential to the mentoring process. The relationship itself determines the effectiveness of one-on-one situations. He gave his time to them because without doing so, he could not have built leader-evangelists.

He also trained by example (John 13:15). Jesus modeled the humble servant-leader concept and he let them see it. It became a life of daily leading his men to follow him. As a modern mentor-leader, a believer’s life should reflect this same authenticity and devotion. Jesus’ parables, his examples, and his life showed them that he was the real thing.

Thirdly, Jesus gave them opportunities to practice what they were learning. He gave them missions to accomplish. In my own spiritual growing process, a Navigators missionary in San Diego took me on a prayer walk to show me how to do it and then he followed up on me to see if I was doing them on my own. Jesus did this same sort of thing and it grew his men. They came back to him more experienced, more knowledgeable, and more devoted.

As a final note on how Jesus mentored his men, it should be noted that, once they were trained and asked to carry on his work after he left (Mark 16:15), that Jesus started and finished with the same mission. Initially, it was “follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” He finalized his work as a mentor by telling them to “go therefore and make disciples.” The mission of spiritual mentoring is clear, therefore, in that it creates reproducing workers for the Kingdom.

KEY PRINCIPALS OF MENTORING

Absolutely number one on the list of key ingredients for good mentoring is to select the person to be mentored. There is a great deal of confusion in the Christian church about how this works, but it is quite simple. A preferably older, and certainly more experienced in spirituality, person selects one or more, with the fewest number being preferable, younger and lesser experienced believers to be his/her protégés. Jesus met Peter and Andrew on the bank of the Galilee Sea and told them to follow him (Matthew 4:19). He thus chose his men for the task and decided the method of his ministry. As Coleman said, “His concern was not with programs to reach the multitudes, but with men whom the multitudes would follow.”

Along with selecting the person to be mentored, it should be required for that person to give some sort of commitment. While leading a Bible study ministry on board the USS Antietam, I asked some of the key men to commit to coming to each meeting, and even leading occasionally, unless duty kept them away.

Just as Jesus gave his disciples missions to complete (see above), so should modern leaders. The modern leader should give practical ministry opportunities for those under his care that can generate tangible results and then follow up. Some opportunities for starting out might be mentoring younger believers in the youth group, participating in acting, or helping the church through the music ministry. However, before one can give missions to complete (such as leading a Bible study in my example from the previous paragraph), one must model the task.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, modern mentor-leaders must challenge the men under their care to reproduce. Jesus started and ended with that as his mission, and modern believers should do no less.

CONCLUSION

Mentoring is difficult work and not for the weak at heart. Jesus poured three years into the men he called to follow and learn from him. It should be expected that modern believers would have to devote the same or in some cases, even more. With the principles outlined above, including picking the protégé, guiding him through the gifts of teaching and exhortation along with using the Law of Communication, and then challenging him to accomplish tasks, just about anyone can be a mentor should they decide to make that move. While not easy, it is a powerful ministry that needs to be accomplished in order for the church to be successful.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Coleman, Robert E. The Master Plan of Evangelism. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Revell, 1993.
Grassel, Rich. Help! I'm a Small Church Youth Worker! Achieving Big-time Success in a Non-mega Ministry. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002.
Sala, Harold J. Coffee Cup Counseling. Manila, Philippines: OMF Literature, 1988.
Towns, Elmer L. Biblical Models for Leadership. Mason, OH: Cengage, 2007.

Military Prayer Week

I'm very excited about the potential for this year's Military Prayer Week. Last year, several of you took part by reading the morning and evening prayers for the United States military. I appreciate the fact that you did that, and I look forward to even more taking part this year.

What is Military Prayer Week?
Military Prayer Week is one week a year where we set aside everything else and simply pray for our military personnel. I hope and assume that many of you pray for the military at various times throughout the year, but for the week of Veteran's Day in November, we set aside some other things and really focus our hearts for God on behalf of those in uniform.

What all does it entail?
Why not click on this link and see the first one from last year? I think you'll get a good look at what we pray for and how we go about it.

How does it work?
Each morning from the 8th of November until the 12th, I will post a simple prayer, much like the one above, on the website. It is only a guide, so you are free to pray as you like. However, it is an opportunity to pray with a likemindedness with other believers around the country who care deeply for the men and women who serve. Then, in the evening, I post a second prayer to close out the day.

What's all the fuss?
Not sure why you should set aside a week to pray for the military? Take a look at these posts and see why!

1. Is Military Ministry Missions?
2. We Planted a Church!
3. Baptism in the Pacific Ocean!
4. Reasons to Pray for Sailors!
5. Noble Professions

Please spread the word by forwarding this link to your friends, church contacts, and family. I do believe a revival can happen in the military. We just need to get things going with prayer!

Why the Long Delay?

Many of you know that it has been quite some time since I've written anything of substance. Even posting my eulogy for my grandfather was unoriginal because it was written for his funeral, not for this website. I will try to give you as much information about my situation in this post, and I appreciate your understanding for the immediate past and future.

The short answer is that I'm absolutely overwhelmed right now. I have two seminary classes going on right now, I'm dealing with the recent death of my grandpa, my grandma broke her hip the day after we buried her husband, and we just got back to work in time for me to stand my first weekend duty day.

My family is undergoing some kind of spiritual trial. This is the part that I won't really talk about too much, but a lot of it is wrapped up in the previous paragraphs. My resolve is being tested, my patience is being tested, and my faith is being tested. I expect to come through stronger than ever before, and my family as well, but the trial is painful.

So I've had to take a break. I will be back soon to prepare for Military Prayer Week, which is in less than one month. I will begin posting on that shortly once I get squared away. Thank you for your patience and I will be back soon!

Eulogy for Allen Smith, my Grandpa

As many of you know, my grandpa, who I was very close to, passed away this week. Thank you all for your prayers. I was blessed to be asked by him prior to his death to give the eulogy. Here is that eulogy: 

Today we aren’t just burying my grandfather, we are burying my mentor and my hero. I can’t help but miss him. I go from periods of being fine to being a blubbering fool and it’s all because of him. I’ve felt a little lost over the past few days without him. It was only two weeks ago that I had called him for some help on a project for one of my seminary classes on the Old Testament. How do you replace that?

I know God will send me another mentor to keep me strong. But he won’t be Grandpa. He won’t build me a toy person out of spare metal parts in his shop. He won’t make me a toy Tyrannosaurus Rex out of odd blocks of wood from behind the shed. He won’t challenge me to study scripture for what it says, regardless of what others think it says…not like grandpa.

My grandpa’s thing was the creation of the world. He just knew that there was a gap between Genesis 1:1 and the rest of the chapter where literally millions of years could have been. Many of us here have listened to his arguments and I even incorporated them in my last project. I personally think that we’ll all be a little surprised to find out what happened at the beginning of time, and I’m glad for grandpa. I’m sure one of his first questions to God was how it all happened.

He was the leader of the Smith family. He and grandma raised four believers, who in turn have instilled Christian values into their families. Speaking of grandma, they shared 63 years together. You just don’t see that as often now days. I’m grateful for that example in my life.

I remember growing up and coming over for dinner on Sunday after church and meeting missionaries that he and my grandma had invited over. They would often spend a few nights at the house while passing through. That example, that testimony, is why my wife and I will be opening our home to missionaries visiting on furlough.

In fact, they were often quick to open their home to people in need. When an old Navy buddy of mine was driving with his wife through town to see me on leave, my grandparents opened their home to them. When I told my friend that my grandpa had died, that was the first thing he mentioned. An open door is the sort of legacy my grandfather leaves behind.

But he also leaves behind the mark of a craftsman. His many models and toys are a testament to him as a creator of things, and he is a mirror of the master creator, our Father in heaven. I can only imagine the stories he and God are swapping about building things right now.

Grandpa was also in the Army Air Corps in World War Two. He used to tell me stories of sailing over the Atlantic to England and flying over Germany. He introduced me to his pilot, who became a good friend of mine. I admired his service in war and it is one of the reasons I became a military man myself.

These are words spoken by Paul, but could have been spoken by my grandpa:

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

And we do long for his appearing. Losing my grandpa makes me long for it like never before, just so I can see him again. Yet I don’t mourn like those who have no hope. I mourn as one having hope, who misses my grandfather dearly, but knowing that I will see him again someday.

In the Navy, when a Sailor retires, he is piped ashore for the last time with the following statement, which I have modified for today:

AYE MATES, FOR 87 YEARS THIS MAN HAS STOOD THE WATCH. WHILE SOME OF US WERE IN SCHOOL LEARNING OUR TRADE, THIS MAN HAS STOOD THE WATCH. YES…EVEN BEFORE SOME OF US WERE BORN INTO THIS WORLD, THIS MATE STOOD THE WATCH…TODAY WE ARE HERE TO SAY, SHIPMATE THE WATCH STANDS RELIEVED. RELIEVED BY THOSE YOU HAVE TRAINED, GUIDED, AND LED. SHIPMATE YOU STAND RELIEVED.

My grandpa stood the watch for God for 87 years. He trained me and others, challenged us, to be strong in our faith. Grandpa, you stand relieved. We have the watch.

My Spiritual Mentor

My grandfather, who was also my spiritual mentor, passed away on Tuesday. I am in Kansas preparing a eulogy, and would appreciate your prayers. I will update more as follows.