Mentoring

Spiritual mentoring is a process through which you can deepen and enhance the spiritual side of your life, which in turn can improve all areas of living such as relationships, career, and emotional joy.  Having a relationship with a spiritual mentor is one of the best ways to progress in the lifelong work of spiritual formation. Spiritual formation is nurtured most profoundly when [a mentoree/believer] is "apprenticed/discipled" by a spiritual mentor who will partner with The Holy Spirit toward spiritual development. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy - who he was spiritually mentoring - instructing him to entrust to some faithful men the things that he had taught him, who would then in turn teach others to do the same (2 Timothy 2:2). This model is still essential today for those who wish to grow towards maturity in their Christian lives.  What did Timothy gain from St. Paul that he should pass on ("entrust") to some faithful others (those who would be reliable to do the same)?  2 Timothy 3:10-11 provides us with an example when St. Paul wrote him: "you know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings." Timothy saw St. Paul's faith integrated within all aspects of his life and how it shaped his vision "of" life and his vision "for" life.

Spiritual mentoring is one person coming alongside another as a companion on their journey of faith to help them answer the questions "Who is God?", "Who am I in Christ?", and "To what has God called me to do as I live out my life.  Spiritual Mentoring is more than just a transfer of information it is the sharing of lives.  A close relationship is established so that the more mature person can share the specific things needed (wisdom, knowledge, insights, values, experience, resources, and skills) to help the less experienced person grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ. If the mentoree is willing to accept and use what is being shared, a transfer of power takes place. We call this transfer between mentor and mentoree empowerment. This process is the heart of mentoring.

Spiritual Mentoring begins with a mature, spiritual person who is gifted to guide, encourage, and teach another person who is seeking spiritual maturity.  Spiritual mentoring directs the person to finding answers from God rather than from human wisdom.