Ministry is a people "business." As a leader (pastor, missionary, church planter, campus minister, lay person, etc.), ministry provides us the context to help people-the church-fulfill God's mission with their lives and in their lives.
At times, I have noticed leaders trying to use people or develop people to accomplish THE LEADERS mission and vision and not the vision for the individual in relation to God as a part of his local gathered and scattered church.
The church needs LEADERS. Leaders who will live out their God given passion to live out the gospel in their unique context as a part of the church, but not necessarily the leaders vision for the person. Be careful not to use people for your personal gain/mission/etc.
Here are some basic guides in developing MENTORS and raising up APPRENTICES:
Every mentoring conversation follows this basic format:
1. How are you?
2. What are you celebrating? Where are you winning?
3. What challenges are you experiencing? Life? Ministry?
4. What are you planning to do about those challenges?
5. How can I help you? What do you need?
6. How can I pray for you? (and here’s how you can pray for me...)
7. Who are you mentoring?
8. What is(are) your apprentice(s) celebrating? Where are they winning?
9. What challenges are they experiencing? Life? Ministry?
10. What are you planning to do about those challenges? How are you planning to help?
11. How can I help you help them? What do you need?
All of this ground would naturally be covered in the course of any conversation, but for those whom you are mentoring/training, having this kind of repeatable format to mentoring conversations is going to help them feel more comfortable mentoring more people more quickly.
When you teach others simple, reproducible methods like this, you increase the effectiveness and capacity of the church. In addition, all discipleship follows the following format in developing APPRENTICES:
1. Watch me do what I do
2. Help me do what I do
3. Your turn, and I'll help you do it
4. Now I’ll watch you do what you're doing
5. Now go do it without me
6. Begin mentoring an apprentice
At times, I have noticed leaders trying to use people or develop people to accomplish THE LEADERS mission and vision and not the vision for the individual in relation to God as a part of his local gathered and scattered church.
The church needs LEADERS. Leaders who will live out their God given passion to live out the gospel in their unique context as a part of the church, but not necessarily the leaders vision for the person. Be careful not to use people for your personal gain/mission/etc.
Here are some basic guides in developing MENTORS and raising up APPRENTICES:
Every mentoring conversation follows this basic format:
1. How are you?
2. What are you celebrating? Where are you winning?
3. What challenges are you experiencing? Life? Ministry?
4. What are you planning to do about those challenges?
5. How can I help you? What do you need?
6. How can I pray for you? (and here’s how you can pray for me...)
7. Who are you mentoring?
8. What is(are) your apprentice(s) celebrating? Where are they winning?
9. What challenges are they experiencing? Life? Ministry?
10. What are you planning to do about those challenges? How are you planning to help?
11. How can I help you help them? What do you need?
All of this ground would naturally be covered in the course of any conversation, but for those whom you are mentoring/training, having this kind of repeatable format to mentoring conversations is going to help them feel more comfortable mentoring more people more quickly.
When you teach others simple, reproducible methods like this, you increase the effectiveness and capacity of the church. In addition, all discipleship follows the following format in developing APPRENTICES:
1. Watch me do what I do
2. Help me do what I do
3. Your turn, and I'll help you do it
4. Now I’ll watch you do what you're doing
5. Now go do it without me
6. Begin mentoring an apprentice
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