A Case for Mentorship

CE Lesson | 27 August 2011 | Mentorship

Key Verses: 1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 4:9, Mark 3:12-19

Key Lesson: The Bible calls us on us to train and disciple individuals to become like Christ, so that they will in turn train and disciple others of their own.

1. Answering the Question: What is Mentorship?

· When one grows up enough to enter the workforce, or even when you the Army, you will probably be assigned to a another co-worker who has had considerably many years of prior experience with the job. His job would then be to transfer his experiences, his skills, and offer advice on the task at end, so that you yourself will excel at the job.

· So then, what is a Christian Mentor? He is defined as someone who is preferably a few years older than you, who shares his experiences with God in his own life, teaches you skills such as how to prayer, how to do quiet-time, and how to read the Bible. A Christian Mentor is someone who guides you in your journey to find Christ for yourself.

2. Examples in the Bible

· Paul and Timothy. (2 Timothy) Paul gives Timothy sound advice on how to conduct Christ’s ministry. He also gives him practical advice on how to live his own life too. Reading 2 Timothy, for example, there is a familiarity between mentor and mentee, calling him “a son”. There are 5 key things that Paul does as a mentor: 1) He sees potential in Timothy to grow into perfection which is Christ. 2) He helps him identify his spiritual gifts and strengths. 3) He identifies Timothy’s weaknesses and advises him on how to improve. 4) He constantly encourages Timothy, calling for him to persevere. And 5) He asks Timothy to look to him, as an example in Christ.

· Christ and His Disciples. (Mark 3:12-19, Luke 5:1-11) Jesus basically called his disciples to do 3 things: 1) that they might be with him, 2) he might send them out to preach, and 3) have the authority and power of God to drive out demons. In addition, in Luke, he tells them that they will be “fishers of men.” And finally, there is the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20, where Jesus commands his disciples to go forth and make more disciples.

3. Mentorship in the BB Ministry

· Are Sec 4s ‘ready’ to become mentors to Sec 1s? Probably not yet. Mainly because of a lack of commitment, understanding, and maturity on both sides. Mentorship requires a long-term commitment to grow together, sufficient knowledge and experience of being in a relationship with Christ so that you are able to answer questions, for e.g. Also, a Sec 4 may grasp the concept of mentorship a little better, but a Sec 1 is simply not old enough to take all the above mentioned seriously. So what then? Mentorship has to be an end-goal for all Sec 1s and 4s. The seeds of a mentoring relationship can be nurtured through avenues like our buddy system. Sec 4s should also be mentored by their Officers, so that in the end every cohort remains rooted in Christ, and the way to Him is constantly pointed out.

· What are some possible activities that a Y4-Y1 buddy-relationship can do, so as to start a mentoring relationship? If we look at the examples in the Bible above, some are obvious: teaching them during CE Program, and being-with your mentee, which simply means spending time with your buddy, to the both of you to get to know each other, and for him to be exposed to your own spiritual life. Other activities are also possible: worshipping God together, praying with him, inviting him to church, or even helping him with Drill, going on Hike, or even going for a movie together. What do all these activities have in common? You, as a mentor, are actively sharing your life with your mentee. Yours is a life that has been changed by Christ Jesus, a life so full of faith and love, that he as a mentee will desire Christ for himself, using you as an example. That is the heart of our ministry, and that is the heart of disciple making.

4. Some Common Pitfalls

· As is in any close relationship between two people, if Christ is not the aim/goal/example, then the tendency is that people end up getting hurt emotionally. Why did/didn’t you do this? Don’t you care about how I feel? I have sacrificed so much for you, why haven’t you done the same? We are by nature selfish beings, but we must remember that the end-goal of discipleship is NOT to grow closer to one another, but for each of you to grow closer to Christ. One of the by-products of a mentor-mentee relationship is that friendship, love, and care for each other increases, and we give thanks to God for that.

· A lack of understanding and maturity. If you tell a Sec 1: ‘Hey, I am going to be your mentor. Let’s spend time reading the Bible together.’ He’s probably going to smile, poke you, and prefer having fun with you instead. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s difficult at their age. Think for a moment: how many Y4s are ready for such a commitment, or understand the concept of being mentored? What more can be expected of a Y1?

· A mentor/mentee relationship is a long-term one, possibly over nine months, or years even, with consistent meet-ups between the two. BB Parades, for example, do provide an excellent opportunity to spend time with your buddy, but the trouble is we don’t always get the chance to talk to him one-on-one. That is why time spent together outside Parade is also crucial. This can take the form of simple things, such as: having recess/lunch together instead of your usual group of friends, or chatting online on fb/msn, even a phone call once in a while would be good. Despite many opportunities, I suspect many Y4s will simply not do anything, for a variety of reasons: 1) they don’t see this ministry as important enough, 2) they simply don’t have the time, 3) they don’t know how / they are afraid to, or 4) they simply just don’t care.

A final note: All I can say is that this has to be a Christ-driven ministry, one where you have to really desire and want to see Christ changing the lives of others. One thing I know is that as long as you’re willing to glorify God in this way, by sharing your lives with others, then He will provide you with all your needs to make it happen, including purpose, time, and skills. If you belong to the latter-est, however, and you honestly tell me that you cannot be bothered with this, then I pray that God earnestly gives you something you will truly love and care about in the future. But hey, it doesn’t mean you can’t still interact with the Sec 1s :)