I believe that there is a meaningful place for everyone. When I interned I called the person I wanted to intern under and told him that I was interested in interning at the church. He seemed excited but didn’t really give me that much attention. We would think that he would be ecstatic, ready to train someone for ministry! He told me the hours he was at the church, but that was it. It was one of those moments when I wasn’t quite sure what to do next, so I showed up awkwardly the next day, and he was surprised to see me. He gave me some projects to work on, but didn’t really teach me how to be a pastor or even what it meant biblically to be a pastor. During my time of ministry, there have only been three people who have been able and willing to mentor me as a pastor: Jamie Powell, Billy Elkins Jr, and C. J. Bordeaux. I am so thankful for these men because no one else was willing to mentor me. Those who were willing to mentor me were unable because they were not pastors. I listen to several leadership podcasts, and there is one produced by Lifeway geared specifically to pastors. As I listened this week, there was an episode where someone had a similar experience. The conclusion was this: pastors are either too busy or too self-centered to practice biblical mentorship in today’s religious environment. This is a sad statement and a devastating commentary on the life of the organizational church in our day. We ship students off to seminaries for a theological education, but there is virtually no meaningful mentorship in the church. If there is no mentorship, the implicit message is that we don’t think God has a meaningful place for everyone. Even in the secular industry, there is an onboarding process where someone teaches us what it means to have the positions we have and how to do the basic functions of the job. This is called mentorship or specific training for a specific role.
Parents mentor their children, employers mentor their employees, and teachers mentor those students who desire to also become teachers. We know that we are to be making disciples and teaching all that Christ commanded us as His church. Are we to be concerned with mentorship? Is this a part of discipleship? What does genuine biblical mentorship look like? Is there a place for biblical mentorship regarding more people than just aspiring pastors?
Acts 16:1-8
Then he went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him. Paul wanted Timothy to go with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for them to observe. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily.
They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, bypassing Mysia, they came down to Troas.
The biblical model
As I read this text of Scripture, I notice that mentorship is described differently than what we see today in the organizational church. Most churches today do not practice mentorship at all. When mentorship is practiced, it is often a program that people have to sign up for or apply for. This program has set hours and doesn’t lead to anything other than another line of experience on someone’s resume. The sort of mentorship that we read about in Scripture is different. Paul saw Timothy and recognized that he had the qualities and gifts of an elder. He wanted Timothy to go with him. He took initiative. This is especially terrifying for me in the context of a sinful world and in this sinful flesh. I am an introvert. I am quiet most of the time. I gather energy when I am in solitude. I get tired very quickly when I am around people. God created me with this personality, but, in my depravity, this can cause me to simply want to stay away from people. Some people think I’m weird or that I struggling with something deep because I’m introverted, I’m reserved, and I’m a reflective learner. That’s ironic because they simply haven’t taken the time to get to know me. Of course, it is a little funny; there is this battle that goes on inside my mind as I’m meeting new people. I go back and forth several times, almost introducing myself and then stepping back, and then finally working up enough energy to say “hi.” Most of the time I haven’t planned passed the introduction, so I stand there hoping that this new person has something to talk about. I’m not really sure how much of that is because of sin’s effect and how much of that is just because God created me with this introverted personality. Every component of discipleship (evangelism, training in righteousness, and mentorship) requires us to take the initiative and get to know someone else. It’s not complicated, it’s just loving people in such a way that we want them to know this amazing life we have in Christ! When I claim that I see mentorship described this way in Scripture that I understand how difficult it is for some. Mentorship isn’t a program. Timothy began traveling with Paul, working with Paul, doing ministry with Paul, and eating with Paul daily. This mentoring relationship was such that Paul invited Timothy into his life. Timothy accepted the invitation. After their travels, Paul placed Timothy as an elder of the churches in Ephesus. It wasn’t about filling another line on a resume. It was about preparing for a very real opportunity.
This is not the only instance in Scripture where we witness healthy mentorship. Mentorship began with God as He taught Adam how to care for creation. Noah mentored his sons as they built the ark. Abraham mentored Isaac, his son. Eli, the high priest, mentored Samuel. David mentored his son Solomon. Ruth mentored Naomi, her daughter in law. Solomon mentored his many children in the wisdom of life. In Proverbs 13:20, he wrote, “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” Elijah mentored Elisha to prepare him to be a prophet. Jesus mentored the twelve. He made disciples of many, but He specifically mentored the twelve, preparing them to be apostles and elders. Paul mentored at least Timothy and Titus. There are probably many more mentoring relationships described and many many more that are not listed for us to read about. Mentorship is kind of a big deal and I want to define it biblically:
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- It is particular (That’s right. I want to say “particular” instead of “specific.” Have a dictionary handy?).
- In mentorship, we are preparing others in a very real way for the calling that God has placed on their lives on this earth. That is why we should look to mentor others who aspire to do what we are doing in any arena of life. I am to be mentoring aspiring pastors and giving them real opportunity. Deacons are to be finding young men who are gifted in service and training them to be servants. Sunday school teachers are to be training more Sunday school teachers. Businessmen are to be training businessmen. Laborers are to be training laborers. Parents who have life experience be training the children in life. This means that everyone is to be involved in Biblical mentorship, and I think that this, too, will carry over into eternity. I think we will learn new trades and grow in our trades forevermore! Though, I don’t think God’s economy will look like American capitalism. For some reason, we get this idea that heaven is or will be this boring, static place. Not so. In this world, we see through a glass darkly.
- It is personal.
- All of the mentoring relationships we get to read about in Scripture are personal, life on life relationships. Mentorship is not something that can be accomplished with a program. If I am mentoring a few guys who are gifted and passionate about becoming elders or pastors, I should have them live life with me. That’s just loving the people we are pouring into.
- It is preparatory.
- There is a goal. We are preparing others for something. Parents are preparing their children to live as adults. Pastors are preparing others to actually become pastors. Laborers are preparing others to become laborers. Teachers are preparing others to become teachers. What we see described in Scripture is preparation followed by opportunity. Paul placed Timothy as an elder in Ephesus. He asked Titus to stay in Crete as an elder. Jesus placed the twelve in apostolic positions.
- It is particular (That’s right. I want to say “particular” instead of “specific.” Have a dictionary handy?).
Mentorship is a necessary part of discipleship. It means more than that. There are so many people who feel like God doesn’t have a place for them or like they are not able to do anything meaningful with their lives. Scripture sends a very clear message to this person. There is a place for you. There is a role for you to fill. God has a place for you. The local church is responsible to help you discover this calling and to help prepare you to pursue that calling. The local church is here for your benefit. When you are part of the local church, you are here for the benefit of others. There is a beautiful selflessness we see when we encounter mentorship in the Scriptures, a wonderful brotherhood. The difference we make isn’t necessarily in speaking to the masses. The greatest impact we have is through these mentoring relationships. Everyone gets to pursue God’s calling on their lives. You do have a purpose. You do have a role to fill. Come pursue that role with us. We recognize that everyone has a role to fill when we practice biblical mentorship. If we refuse to practice biblical mentorship, we insinuate that we don’t believe God to have created everyone to fill a role. Even the atheist and the enemy of God has a role to fill in God’s establishing of His kingdom. Romans 9:21 tells us that God has the right to prepare vessels for honorable use and vessels for dishonorable use. Such was the case with Pharaoh. Those who are in Christ are being prepared (there it is, the word prepared) for honorable use.
Everyone has a meaningful role.
Timothy
Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus even after they had finished traveling with him and were serving as elders. Paul did not see their relationship as ending and always remained a resource for these two students. This indicates something about the relationship we have with our brothers and sisters. It never fades. No matter how far we are from one another, the grace of God drives us to be there for one another always and through any circumstance. When I have mentored someone and have released him to do the ministry that God has called him to, we are still to be there for each other. Such is the example we receive. Even Jesus, when giving the great commission to His disciples, stated that He would always be with them. This is further evidence that discipleship and mentorship are not programs, but relationships- relationships formed because we care about people and because we care about being a part of what God is doing on this earth and forevermore as He establishes His kingdom and builds His church.
Here are some ways that Paul exhorted Timothy even after he had already been placed in a position for the purpose of God’s ministry, specifically regarding evangelism, training in righteousness, and mentorship:
“As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach different doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith. Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on” (1 Timothy 1:3-7).
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1:17).
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, who gave Himself — a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time… Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument… This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy — one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the Devil. Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the Devil’s trap.
Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And they must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons. Wives, too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything. Deacons must be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently. For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves, and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus” (2:5-6, 8, 3:1-13).
“But if I should be delayed, I have written so that you will know how people ought to act in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (3:15).
“If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the good teaching that you have followed” (4:6).
“In fact, we labor and strive for this, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, especially of those who believe” (4:10).
“Until I come, give your attention to public reading, exhortation, and teaching” (4:13).
“Don’t be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder, and don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure” (5:22).
“Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
“He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (1:9).
“Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1:13).
“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2:2).
“Remind them of these things, charging them before God not to fight about words; this is in no way profitable and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. But avoid irreverent, empty speech, for this will produce an even greater measure of godlessness. And their word will spread like gangrene” (2:14-17a).
“So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2:21).
“But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels. The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth” (2:23-25).
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed” (3:14a).
“Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching” (4:2).
“But as for you, be serious (sober, watchful, ready, alert, self-controlled) about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (4:5).
Paul continued to encourage Timothy! He also continued to encourage Titus, whom he also mentored. Even exhorting Titus to instruct older women to teach younger women and older men to teach younger men. this is biblical mentorship! This is what we have in the faith when we practice biblical mentorship in every arena of life. We always have people to encourage us and to pour into us. Mentorship is not only important, it is one of the most beneficial things about belonging to a genuine local church. In it we recognize that God has a real and meaningful role for His people to fill.
Mentorship is worship to God.
The result
In verse 5 we see the result of biblical mentoring. “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily.” There it is again! The people were strengthened in the faith. They grew in their knowledge of God, in their affection for God, and in their good works. There was tangible fruit! The local churches were growing in number daily because the people were following Christ and seeing others also come to follow Christ! I’m going to leave it right here.
God is building His church.
Everyone has a meaningful role.
Mentorship is worship to God.
God is building His church.
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