Considering I am a 22-year-old, unlicensed young minister, the idea of me, writing an article on mentoring immediately raises suspicion, as it should. It is obviously true, I know nothing about being a mentor. However, being a 22-year-old, unlicensed young minister I can tell you a great deal about being mentored. The scope of this article is predominately based on addressing mentoring from the perspective of the disciple. The article is written in the style of an open letter from a disciple to a mentor and will address: Preaching, Altar Working, and Spiritual Gifts. The brevity of this article will not allow for an in depth discussion covering all topics of ministry, but it is the aim of this article to spark some understanding on general topics that are universally needed in all disciples that can be addressed by both disciple and mentor on an individual basis.
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Dear Mentor,
First, allow me to thank you for pouring out your time and energy in an effort to invest in my ministerial development. Considering the fact that observation is the first level of revelation, thank you for you dedication and life in ministry that I can observe and learn from in order to personally develop my ministry. I have a series of questions to ask to development my personal ministry. You know my calling, my giftings, and my aspirations for the kingdom of God. I ask that you would address the following questions in the context of my ministry and my calling.
Jesus commissions the disciples in Mark 16:15, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” I know that preaching is necessary today to declare the gospel to the world, but how can I become an effective communicator of the gospel? What are some concepts that I can implement in my preaching so that I can be fruitful to the kingdom of God? How long should I preach? How do I need to adjust my approach in the context of a service or topic? If teaching is explaining, and preaching is proclaiming, then what are some keys that I can implement to be successful at both preaching and teaching.
I also have a series of questions on the topic of altar working. How do I purposefully direct my preaching into an altar call/altar service without losing the momentum that has been gained over the course of my preaching? How do I work to maintain an altar service without letting it die off? What are a few applicable steps that I can implement in praying with/coaching someone to receive the Holy Ghost? How can I maximize the effectiveness of praying individually for someone? Just as important as the things I should do, what should I not do in the altar service?
I know that it is God’s will for us to flow in the gifts of the spirit and that they are freely given, but I don’t know what to look for when in order to operate in the gifts, what are some good indicators? Faith is without a doubt the most critical component in order for the gifts to be in operation, but how else can I cognitively yield myself to God when it comes to operating in the gifts of the spirit? Is there some way to “practice” the gifts? How can I implement the gifts most effectively to minister into the lives of individuals? Just as with altar working, what are some things I should not do when it comes to the gifts of the spirit?
My last question is simply this, what can I do to ensure that my ministry is fruitful for the kingdom of God throughout my life in ministry?
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In conclusion, it must be said once again that the scope of the article is general in natural considering the vast audience. Mentoring, as we know, is designed to cultivate particular callings and points of one’s ministry. For this reason, mentoring will vary person to person considering that personality, calling, and aspirations differ across the board. The letter above was written not to address the specifics of mentoring (I’m not the person to address such topics) but was written in an attempt to start a cognitive process both in the mind of the disciple and the mentor. It is my hope that this article has created some questions that a disciple can bring to their mentor in an effort to get a dialogue started on the fundamental aspects of ministry.
