Relationships That Make A Difference
(This blog post is dedicated to a great mentor and my first, Dr. Dennis Beatty.)
Over 25 years ago I remember sitting in the college ministry at College Avenue Baptist Church in San Diego, CA. I was new to SD and it was my first Sunday at the church. I was excited but uncertain…nothing was familiar. It was a new culture and a new setting. I still remember that the college pastor, Dr. Dennis Beatty, spoke on “Faith in the Fire.” He was actually the most dynamic Bible teacher I had been exposed to in my young Christian life. The Holy Spirit used his passion for God and the Word to instill in me an insatiable hunger for spiritual growth and development that is still with me. The following week his secretary called to invite me to a newcomers lunch. That lunch was the beginning of a life long mentoring relationship, a relationship that made a difference in my life. As our relationship grew, God used him to influence my own attitude and call to full time ministry. He made time for people and cared for the sheep of his flock as a true shepherd. Dennis became the friend, coach, counselor, and model I desperately needed. His mentorship not only enabled me to pass through a trying period, but launched me into fruitful ministry and leadership.
I think people have been rediscovering that the process of learning and maturing needs many kinds of different relationships. The “self-made” man or woman is a myth and though some claim it, few aspire to it. It leaves people relationally deficient and narrow-minded. Today there is a resurgence of mentoring and coaching. What does this mean? How do people get it?…Do it? Before we take a look at that I will spend the next few days sharing a few more examples.
Who are the relationships that have made a difference in your life?