For the next month, instead of a blog, twice each week, I’ll be posting practical ideas for being a more effective and fruitful spiritual mentor. So, here’s the first tip;
#1 Give the men or women you’re mentoring, assignments.
Life is short and I only want to mentor men who are serious about growing spiritually, relationally and emotionally. So, a few months into the process I often give them some simple assignments, both to test their commitment and to stretch them. Generally, I don’t set up a time to meet again until they’ve completed their assignments and call me to report.
Some Sample Assignments
Meet with two people you know are Christians and ask them to share their faith journey and what they do to stay spiritually strong.
Write out your personal testimony of how you came to faith – your spiritual journey. Or, tell me your testimony, without reading it. (Then discuss how comfortable they felt and how and when to use it.)
Spend half a day in silence. (Pray, study the Bible, and ask God for direction.)
Write out your personal mission statement.
Write down two things you want to accomplish in the next year to grow in each of the following areas of your life:
Spiritually
Your Spouse
Your Children
Vocation and Finances
Friends and Extended Family
Physical and Emotional Health
Memorize some key verses from the Bible (which I give them).
If someone asked you how to become a Christian, what would you tell them?
Define faith. What are the characteristics of a church? What does it mean to be saved? Saved from what? For what? (This exercise forces to think more clearly about these topics.)
Please use some discretion. There’s a fine line between scaring your protégé and stretching them. But, mentoring is about personal growth and personal growth, like exercise, is rarely painless. Jesus sent out his disciples in pairs to stretch their faith, so don’t be afraid to do the same.
Clare De Graaf
