Mentors and mentees in the bible

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY

MENTOR INTERVIEW - REPORT

A Paper

Submitted to Dr. Joseph Butler

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirement for the Course

Biblical Foundation of Christian Leadership

LEAD 510

By

Josie Spates Smith

13 August 2017

Introduction

An impeccable meaning of the word mentor is a scholarly and dependable therapist or teacher. In the Bible, the term mentor is not cited, but the Bible has numerous examples of people who mentored. For example, Moses was mentored by Joshua, his next in line and trained to be a leader. Next, Eli was mentored by Samuels, and Moses ready Joshua to be his substitute after his death. Thirdly, our Savior, Jesus, was a mentor to the disciples, in the Kings, Elijah and Elisha demonstrated extraordinary mentoring capabilities.

Jesus Christ was an outstanding mentor because he guided, and we continue to follow his teachings. In Colossians 3:16, it states, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Mentoring is imperative to ministry since ministers of the Gospel, we are selected of God to speak to numerous people on diverse matters. Christian mentoring is unlike nonspiritual mentoring since the technique is supported on submitting to the Savior, and the mentor and the mentee are not in charge of the mentoring. Mentoring styles consist of both the mentor and mentee participation, sureness in each other, and development as both their lives are altered. The mentor’s resolution is to be example and a responsible listener.

Currently, we locate mentors using the preachers of the church, very significant examples to the members of the church. Paul was the excellent example, and they can pattern their life living after his. To effectively achieve their job as a mentor all Christian leaders should shadow this illustration. The only mentors in the church should not be the preachers and clergymen, but the church has numerous individuals who can mentor. The minister has the responsibility to attach people with Christian mentors who can benefit them with their disputes. Ministers have to design and struggle to continually growing their group mentor by educating new people to become mentors.

Compare and Contract

Frederick Sealey, is the Senior Pastor of Mount Nebo Baptist Church in Elrod, Alabama. Pastor Sealey mentors the adolescent and young adult men and women at the church. Prior to becoming pastor of the Mount Nebo Baptist Church, Pastor Sealey was a care taker for a specific family in Fosters, Alabama. He started his ministry soon after completing high school in Aliceville, Alabama. He has horticultural skills and display this knowledge at Mount Nebo Baptist Church. He attended C. A. Fred Vocational College for two years and works throughout the community showcasing his horticultural abilities.

Pastor Willie Coley is the Senior Pastor of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Fosters, Alabama. Pastor Coley serves in many capacities in the church, including, Sunday School Teacher (adult class). He is currently employed with the Tuscaloosa City School Transportation where he has worked sixteen years. Prior to becoming a pastor at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, he was employed with the Tuscaloosa B. F. Goodrich Plant for thirty years where he retired. Pastor Coley is also a World War II veteran. Pastor Coley also have a Healing and Deliverance service every Sunday evening. Pastor Coley has been preaching at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church for thirty years. He offers mentoring as one of the services offered through the outreach mission.

Pastor Sealey’s style leans more towards relationship, but Pastor Coley’s style is based on discipleship. They both base their mentoring program on their teachings of mission. Pastor Coley has a hands-on style with his mentee’s, and he gets insight from different areas, such as the Bible. Pastor Sealey does his mentoring, but spends more time training and equipping other mentors to carry out the job. Both Pastors are very effective in their life, but they have concerns. Pastor Sealey and Pastor Coley intermingle with their mentors’ lives. They are involved in the lives of those they are mentoring by being involved in constant dialogue frequently, responsibility and assessment.

Pastor Coley’s technique to mentoring is a tradition of discipleship. Pastor Coley affirmed, “Mission is the solitary greatest methods to winning souls.” When the relationship has been accepted, the mentor start implanting all of their understandings on life and their knowledges. Discipleship is very significant element to the church, and Pastor Coley believes that discipleship and mentoring has interconnected to one another. Pastor Sealey’s technique of mentoring is personal, but it has some features similar to discipleship. They are both exhilarated by the Holy Spirit which associates them to do the resolve of their Father and partake in ministerial duties. Pastor Sealey and Pastor Coley permit the Holy Spirit pilot them in their ministry to mentor, as they spread the gospel to their mentees. They have shown the significance of mentoring in the church.

Pastor Coley and Pastor Sealey have shown that mentoring can be used extensively through the church. They have no problem going out into the hedges and highways to foster connections between themselves and the ones that they mentor. Pastor Sealey and Pastor Coley communicated the same purpose to see more churches create mentorship programs in the churches.

Conclusion

One experience learned is that you have to be comparable to the people that you are mentoring, and they have to be comparable to you as well. The people that I interviewed seem to have stable relationships with their mentees that they completely enjoyed. They didn’t view them as patrons, but they regarded them as souls. Mentoring can be a method of discipleship, and each mentee was a chance to spread gospel; and convert them over to Christianity.

Second experience that I learned is that knowledge is reciprocated. The mentor can learn something from the mentee, as well. Mentors have to be open to listen to their mentees, and they have to be open to their philosophies and methods. As mentor, I cannot do all the talking, but I have to ask their opinion on things and open to realize their philosophies. As a mentor, I cannot be self-centered, but I have to be open to new mindsets.

Lastly, I experienced that mentoring plants more efficiently if it is founded on prayer. Prayer is very essential to mentoring achievement. Next, it was discovered that since the mentor is teaching the mentee that it is good to design their prayer, so they can one day learn how to be effective in prayer. Prayer shapes self-confidence in the relationship, and it encourages a trust and dependence on Jesus. Prayer releases the spirit and makes one more mindful of other feelings.

Questionnaires

Response to Interview Questions:

1. Who started the mentoring connection?

Coley: Well, since my clients signed up or are indicated to me for mentoring, they usually start the relationship.

Sealey: I am the only adolescent and young male and women adult, and I always initiate the mentoring relationship. Most times, I go to their parents and ask the boy to be a part of the church group.

2. When and where will you meet?

Coley: July 22, 2017 @3:00 pm Place: Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church (Pastor’s Study)

Sealey: July 20, 2017 @ 3:00 pm Place: Mt. Nebo Baptist Church in Elrod, AL (Pastor’s Study).

3. How did you spend your time?

Coley: The session was spent on format, evaluation and accountability.

Sealey: We talked about accountability of the preachers in general and the need to mission and other outreach programs. He felt that church was the center of the community and we should to more involved in the communities.

4. What is the greatest challenge characteristic of the ministry?

Coley: Communication is very demanding when you are dealing with strangers. Many of the people that I meet may not be capable of interconnect their feelings in front of everyone.

Sealey: Faith is one of the problematic matters confronted by a mentor. My mentees are fearful to speak about their life and involvement with me because they may or may not trust that person.

5. What is the most significant consequence of the ministry?

Coley: They come to Jesus

Sealey: They find deliverance, and become mentors themselves.