Mentoring: The Twos of Timothy

2 Tim2:2 "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."

I began my relationship with God when I was fifteen years old and when I was sixteen I met my mentor. He was our new youth pastor, just moved up from Tarpon Springs, Florida to our small southern Georgia town and little did I know then the lifelong impact he and his wife would have on me. Most youth pastors are loved and admired by their students and many go on to maintain relationship with former students, but few understand mentoring and the eternal impact of reproducing themselves.

I learned from my mentor that mentoring was simply the truth found in the above passage from Timothy. You allow your protege to shadow you and learn from you that they might in turn do the same. He taught me that the real fruit of discipleship is when the sons and daughters you have taught have their own sons and daughters to teach and train. If it stops, then you didn't do your job right.

What has always troubled me is the obvious shortage of Christians who are willing to mentor others. Surely this lack is due in part to insecurity deep within a man or woman who feels unworthy or unqualified to mentor, but this need not be. One only needs a pulse and brain waves to mentor another person and the willingness to give of their time. This is how the church was intended to propagate itself, not through programs and classes. It is each man and woman's responsibility to reproduce and to disciple the next generation of the Church.

Monday, I am going to share the number one lesson I learned from my mentor and "father", Ray Owens. You don't want to miss this. I would love to hear your thoughts on mentoring and discipleship. Don't be shy...jump on in.