Specialized Ministry — December 2008
Called To Mentor
By Jamie Massey, Founder and President of Jamie Massey Ministries, Ordained Church of God Minister, Pastor’s Wife, Speaker and Author, Atlanta, Georgia
The young lady approached me on a Sunday evening after church. Although her question did not surprise me, it did awaken me, “Will you mentor me?” she asked. Hmm, I thought. This was the third time in the past few weeks I had been asked this question. Are you speaking to me, God?
“Will you mentor me?” This is a question many in the body of Christ are asking, and it’s not just young people. People of all ages and spiritual levels are asking this question. The Lord is calling for those who will rise and accept the
challenge to mentor.
This is the thrust of the mentoring program that I developed, as led by the Holy Spirit entitled, The Call to Mentor. This program is effecting life change and lasting results. The Call to Mentor is an approach that combines both formal and informal methods of mentoring.
Informal methods involve role modeling and the impartation of wisdom. Joshua observed Moses as he followed him up the mountain to receive the Law (Exodus 24:13). He watched him day after day as he led the Israelites. Moses spoke wisdom into Joshua’s life and encouraged him as a leader (Deuteronomy 31:23; 34:9). Moses tested Joshua as a leader when he sent him along with 11 others to spy out the land. Moses put his approval on Joshua as they joined together in song to declare Jehovah as God (32:44). When the time was right, Joshua was ushered in to leadership.
Formal methods we use involve disciplining, training and releasing. During Elisha’s life and ministry, religion was on the rise, and prophetic schools were growing in great number. People wanted to be mentored by great prophets such as Elisha. Elisha served as headmaster of several schools in Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho, and other locations (1 Kings 12:29; 13:1-32; 20:21, 35; 2 Kings 4:38). Using both formal and informal methods has proven to bring powerful results.
In spite of the evidence throughout Scripture that mentoring is a God-given mandate, we hesitate when called upon to step up and accept the challenge. Why? I believe it’s partly because we have so little information about what mentoring involves and because, stereotypically, we tend to idolize mentors and fail to see ourselves as possible candidates for God to use. It has been said that leadership is influence. The question is not, Are we influencing others, but, How are we influencing others with our lives.
There is a recession of leaders in the body of Christ, and many times it’s because they haven’t found their place. We need to step out on the field and invite the whole team to join us—not just those who appear to be star players.
The Call to Mentor is a God-given tool that is helping in the training and developing of women. As one woman wrote,
Lives are being transformed by this awesome mentoring program and by the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe this program should be implemented in every church in America! The investment of my time to begin this mentoring program taught me that the experience, maturity, and spirituality of women, all supporting one another, creates a deep and powerful reservoir of God-given strength that has significantly benefited our church.
— Ana Sevenson, Parkway Life Church of God, Naples, Florida
Hear the beckoning of the Holy Spirit calling you to take the challenge to mentor others. How are you answering the question, “Will you mentor me?”
*Portions of this article taken from Jamie’s book, The Call to Mentor.
