Will you mentor me is a question I have asked often.  Mentoring or coaching is not a new concept.  It is a natural relational process where wisdom, experience, skill, perspective or values are passed from one to another. Mentoring took place in the Old Testament among prophets and leaders and in the New Testament among disciples and leaders.  The process in our culture did shift to classrooms, books, videos and computers but has made a comeback to the origin.  Something happens in a relational connection between the giver and receiver that does not happen in a classroom or even from the pulpit. 

Sometimes those  who don’t have mentoring or accountability fear transparency and vulnerability. Pride can cause us to see ourselves as one who is ”The Mentor” and less as one who needs a mentor or peer accountability. When we see the value and understand the potential of total life change we get it.  What I have seen is that those who want it bad enough will find it.

Another relationship that made a major difference in my life was with Sheryl Fleisher. Sheryl was a college intern on staff at CABC with Dennis Beatty when we first met.   She had wisdom, discernment and ministry experience that I knew I could learn from.  I asked her to mentor me and she did.  She mentored me long distance for years before I moved back to San Diego to minister with The Navigators on a college campus.  Sheryl continued to mentor me but because of my growth and development our relationship changed to one of friends in ministry.  Eventually I went on staff at her church and we ministered as co-workers in ministry.  Sheryl is one that mentored me for years.  When she felt like she had taught me everything she could our relationship changed to one of just friends.  She was my maid of honor when I got married and the god mother to my first child.  After sharing years in ministry eventually both of us moved on to different parts of the country with different ministries.  I will always be grateful for her investment in my life.

Occasionally God may bring a person into your life for a short season, some for a long season and some for a life time.  God has brought many mentors into my life to make a timely contribution.   I am grateful for all and want to hold each with an open hand as a gift from the Lord.  I continue to be mentored and will share in future posts how it’s possible never to be without at least one active mentoring relationship.

Who are you mentoring?