Mentoring/Discipleship is modeled throughout the Scripture for us, but unfortunately, we don't see it modeled very well in the church. The most common reason that I hear for not participating in discipleship is, 'I don't know how.' I had the opportunity to attend Catalyst (a leadership conference for church/businesses) a few years back, & I heard Pastor Andy Stanley say something that has stuck with me. Stanley said, 'it's not your responsibility to fill someone else's cup; it's your responsibility to empty your cup as many times as you can.' So when you look at it from that perspective, you don't have to know everything or know 'how to disciple'; you just share what you know about who God is, how He has changed your life, what He is teaching you/has taught you, etc.
Scripturally, we see 3 characters who were apart of this discipleship/mentor process that we can learn from. Paul, Barnabas, & Timothy. Paul was the older church planter dude who spent his time planting churches & investing in young men to pastor those churches that he planted. Barnabas was a missionary companion of Paul's. He was the middle aged guy known as an encourager. Then, there was Timothy. A young, up & coming pastor, who Paul dubbed as his 'child in the faith.'
When you look at these 3 characters, you have to ask a couple of questions: Who is your Paul, Barnabas, & Timothy? Are you a Paul, Barnabas, or Timothy to someone else? It is so important for young dudes to sit under solid teaching from a mentor. If you are not being discipled by an older man in the faith currently, you need to seek one out. Women: the same goes for you. Older women are to be discipling younger women. If you don't have a person in your life who is there to support & encourage you, seek one out. Discouragement is the number 1 factor that leads to burnout. Find someone who stirs you up in love. Finally, if you are not 'emptying your cup' into the life of a younger guy or girl, you need to be making it happen.
I would encourage you to look at the warriors of the faith that you have around you & evaluate what character category they fit in for you. It's important to have lots of encouragement, but if you have little to no accountability & tough love, you are not being wholly discipled. If you have lots of accountability & tough love, but you have little to no encouragement, you are not being wholly discipled.
Remember, Jesus commanded us to 'make disciples,' so let's 'make disciples who make disciples!'
Saved by grace,
Bro. Eric
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