BISHOP’S CORNER

TEXT:        JOHN 15:9-17, PROVERBS 27:17

INTRODUCTION:

Most nights, Linda couldn’t sleep because of a collection of questions in her head she could not answer: “Where is the enthusiasm and ambition I used to have for being a teen? Where is my passion for school and study? What am I doing with my life – and why?”

She explored various avenues to find answers, even seeing a pastor for counselling. But her feelings of disappointment and reduced motivation persisted. With her life in such a mess, she wonders if she could ever live a fulfilled adult life in future.

They are millions of boys and girls like Linda who are desperately searching for direction and meaning as they pass through the corridor of adolescence to adulthood. For many of them, a mentor could make a difference.

This lesson is aimed at stirring and inspiring us, creating in each person a passion for mentoring younger people like Linda.

 

EXPOSITION:

A mentor is a trusted, experienced counsellor and guide – an adult companion who cares about someone younger, and is willing to teach him/her what he/she needs to know. In other words, a mentor is an experienced person who advises and helps somebody with least experience over a period of time.

 

Mentoring is helping people to reach their fullest potential in life, not just to teach them how to perform a task the right way.

Mentoring happens when adults commit themselves to younger person, not because they have to, but because they want to. It has an irrational emotional attachment.

Every teen, whether rich or poor, educated or not, etc… needs a mentor – an adult who is irrationally committed to his/her well being. Even in families where both parents are present, teens still look outside the home for affirmation and guidance.  Unfortunately for many, all they find are peers, pop culture, the exploitation of the media, and the internet.

Millions of teens grow up virtually alone – disconnected from adults; no love…no supervision…no positive role models. Yet these teens must still find their way. They still grow up to become adults.

Teens can endure the most miserable conditions in life if they have at least one loving adult committed to their well being.

 

WHY DO WE NEED MENTORING TODAY? TITUS 2:3-8, EPH. 4:14

 

• It is a means of enhancing intimacy with God.
• It builds and establishes ones identity with Christ.
• It’s an effective model for personal development in character formation and spiritual disciplines.
• It’s an effective safeguard in setting boundaries and establishing standard during adolescence.
• It serves as a proven road map on our Christian pilgrim.

 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MENTORING:

 

• 1. Occasional Mentoring: This is counsellor, teacher, and facilitator relationship. It offers timely advice. It shares knowledge and understanding of a particular subject; and provides guidance within a particular topic or subject.

This type of mentoring consists mainly of attraction, responsiveness and empowerment, while relationship and accountability might not be there.

 

• 1. Passive Mentoring: This is a kind of contemporary models-autobiographies, and historical models-biographies…This category of mentoring presents to teens living and historical models, whose lifestyles teaches dynamic godly principles.

Though this type of mentoring is rich to an extent, it is without the necessary inter-personal relationships.

 

• 1. Active Mentoring: This is a kind of Discipler, Spiritual guide, and Coach Relationship. This type requires regular intentional interactions.
     • It enables the mentoree to discover and learn the basics of following Christ.
     • It provides accountability, direction and insights for decision-making.
     • It provides motivation and skills needed to meet a task.

 

PRINCIPLES FOR MENTORING RELATIONSHIP:

 

1. ATTRACTION:- The mentor is attracted to the mentoree’s potentials and opportunity for influence. While the mentoree is attracted to the mentor for skills, values, virtues, commitment, models, experiences, knowledge, character, etc.

 

1. HUMILITY:- There must be mutual trust and submission in the relationship.

 

1. RELATIONSHIP:- There must be a nurturing trust and intimacy that grows life long friendship and fellowship.

 

1. PATIENTCE:- Mentoring is a process, not a project. It’s a journey that requires great patience, persistence, and perseverance. It’s also a relationship that often endures for a long time- even many years.

 

1. ACCOUNTABILITY:- There must be mutual responsibility that ensures closeness and progress – following up to see that the right decision is being taken.

 

1. EMPOWERMENT:- The main purpose of mentoring is to help one gain more grace to increase in his/her unique relationship with God.

 

1. MATURITY:- There should be a systematic, wholistic and progressive evidence of growth in the mentoree’s life.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

Jesus instructed His disciples both in group settings and one-on-one. He taught them by example as well as by precept, and His teaching was incidental rather than formal. He called them to be with him, to follow him. He told them to “come and see.” “Jesus made disciples by His life. One does not teach faith and love with words alone. Disciples’ hearts cannot be set on fire by theories. Fire kindles fire; iron sharpens iron; faith calls forth faith; life begets life.” Learning was deeply relational and involved not only instruction, but guidance, counsel, imitation, affirmation, rebuke, correction, encouragement, and friendship.

Jesus arranged retreats for special instruction, but the disciples’ characters were mainly developed in the highways of life rather than in isolation. They learned from their failures as well as their successes. Their experiences in daily life provided the opportunity for developing spiritual principles and values.

In today’s church we do almost everything in group settings. Our spiritual instructions are restricted to Sunday school classes, workshops, and open preaching in the auditorium. Learning about the Christian faith was never intended to be an academic pursuit, disconnected from family and life, taught theoretically and in abstraction to the masses.