Finding a Ministry Mentor
"Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers." —Proverbs 11:14
No matter where you find yourself in your spiritual walk, you would benefit from having a mentor in ministry. It’s important to have a wise, experienced brother or sister in Christ in your life—including (or especially) if you’re in ministry.
Many ministry leaders say isolation and lack of support are major factors that accompany burnout. It’s also no coincidence that serious offenses made by ministry leaders are often done in secret by pastors who did not have others holding them accountable. As the poet John Donne wrote, “No man is an island.” Leading a ministry in isolation leaves a lot of room for error.
Let’s look at a biblical account of how a wise and loving mentor spurred a young missionary and leader to significant growth.
Paul: Mentor, Brother, and Friend
The relationship between Paul and Timothy gives us a great example of biblical mentorship. Paul was older and had been spreading the gospel for quite some time when he took Timothy as his protégé. He saw potential in young Timothy and spent his final years teaching and equipping him to continue his missional work.
Challenge and Trust
Paul started by bringing Timothy along on a mission and intentionally left him and Silas behind with instructions to care for the new church he’d established in Berea. Timothy learned the ropes by jumping right in. Paul challenged him, and he trusted that Timothy would rise to the occasion.
Affirming God’s Call
Another way Paul encouraged and empowered Timothy was by affirming God’s call on his life. In 1 Thessalonians 3:2, Paul calls Timothy “our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ.” Not only was Paul endorsing Timothy’s ministry to the Thessalonians, but he was also demonstrating affection and solidarity as brothers and coworkers for the Kingdom.
Notice how Paul refers to Timothy not as a mere student who will one day do great things but as a man of value who is already influencing and adding to the family of believers. In 1 Corinthians 4:17, he also refers to Timothy as “my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord.” Paul was more than a teacher. He was a close friend to Timothy, who saw his potential and challenged him to reach it.
Wisdom and Instruction
Paul also shared wisdom and instruction. In his two letters to Timothy, he charges him with living a life of integrity—being above reproach, remaining faithful to his wife, managing his children, being sober-minded, self-controlled, gentle, respectable, hospitable, and teachable. He also prepares him for difficult times in ministry when he may feel discouraged by believers leaving the faith, and opposed by false teachers. Paul also took into consideration Timothy’s youth and encouraged him not to be intimidated by people who would incorrectly deem him less competent because of it.
Who Is Your Paul?
As you read about the relationship between Paul and Timothy, did anyone in your life come to mind? Have you had relationships like this in your ministry? Knowing what kind of leader you want to be will inform what you should seek in a mentor. Or, more likely, you have been inspired and encouraged by someone above you in ministry, and you already aspire to be more like them.
Who in your life continually points you to Jesus? Who embodies His qualities? Who has invested in you personally and spiritually? Who has lovingly challenged or rebuked you?
As you think about people in your life who check those boxes, here are some more things to consider:
their knowledge of and obedience to Scripture
their experiences in specific ministries relevant to your goals
the quality of their relationships with their family and church body
their current capacity to share their time with you
There is truth to the idea that we become like the people with whom we spend the most time. What and who we choose to surround ourselves with has a strong influence on how we will develop. No matter how long you’ve been in ministry, there is room to grow and much to gain from having a mentor. Our spiritual walk doesn’t end at ordination or when we get the ministry position we’ve prayed for since receiving our calling. As iron sharpens iron, we all need encouragers to lift us up.
Who could be your Paul?