The Art of Mentoring

Started reading this as we were starting to mentor the younger leaders in our church. Challenges you.

Value Fourteen- Hearts of Flesh 

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly  with your God.

The great love of God fuels our Being. ' I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their hearts of stone and to give them a heart of flesh.' 

Hearts Fully Alive- Nothing arrest a complacent or inactive heart more than meeting needs head on and living to lift the life of others. A heart alive in Christ is soft, sensitive and obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Act justly- to do the right thing no matter the cost, to love mercy is to refuse to judge others, to walk humbly means to be dependent upon His voice. 

God's Burden Bearers - It is essential, therefore, that when we mentor the younger generations, we help them to see what is happening in these desperately needy nations. When we help others, we Worship God. o focus on the heart of God so that our work comes from the overflow of our love for Him. 

The Glory Belongs to God-All of our worship belongs to God; all glory belongs to God- and He uses our lives, as they slowly change and mirror Him , and to take His love in varied forms to people all over the planet. Our God is passionate about people. 

Practice Heaven on Earth-When leading people in worship, metaphorically we come washing their fee, taking their troubled souls and pointing them to Christ through the restful fragrance of our own truthful worship. One God encounter caused the samaritan woman to abandon her waterpot and tell others. The economy of heaven is people. 

Your Life is Worship-God is looking for authenticity in our hearts. To be known for the love in our heart. A heart set apart for God cannot overlook injustice. When God is alive in our hearts, everything we say and do is worship. 

Value 13: Genius 
 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Genius is everywhere. So we must ask ourselves, Do I recognize it? Are we secure enough to release it in those we mentor?

Open your eyes to His Genius-God's invisible qualities, His genus can be clearly seen, but we have to stop long enough to look, listen, and linger with those whom God has placed in our path. 

Applaud the ' Different' in others- Each one of us has a part in the eternal story that God is writing. Historical Heroes like MOses and Elijah kept their focus on God and realise their moment in history was only a part of the greater story. 

Transitioning the Undone- How would we respond if God told us that we were to hand off the tings we most wanted to accomplish. Can God trust your heart enough to mentor the genius?

Disciplining Genius- walking people through success, through creative disappointments, and waiting for character to catch up with the gifting- has been one of the greatest challenges. Need leaders who are grounder and large hearted enough to simply let the brilliance shine while still encouraging strong disciplines, church and family life. To care about their godliness. 

Get your Heart Right- I want the baton that I hand to my next runner in this life releay to be a hot, on fire baton, not a baton that is tired, worn out, disillusioned and resentful. Pluck out your thorn with grace and courage. 

All things are possible

Value 12:People 

God is a lover of people. His whole focus and attention is on people, not just other people, but you. To focus on your worth, not just the worth of those you lead or mentor. 

Open Doors await you- God is already in your next season 

Walk your Faith Talk- Start applying to yourself all the values that was discussed in teh previous chapters. God has established you in himself, by His power and Grace. 

Direction in Distress-God is all about people. It's about how the Lord will use Jesus through you and me to bring freedom to people held in bondage and to annouce freedom to prisoners, and to comfort all who mourn, and the list goes on. Ask God to fill the chambers of your heart with renewed vigor for his purpose in the lives of people who are waiting for you in your next season. 

Value 11: Throw out the Old 

God’s Spirit spoke through me, his words took shape on my tongue.
The God of Israel spoke to me, Israel’s Rock-Mountain said,
“Whoever governs fairly and well, who rules in the Fear-of-God,
Is like first light at daybreak, without a cloud in the sky,
Like green grass carpeting earth, glistening under fresh rain.”

These words are the last spoken by King David as he readies himself for the ultimate handover of leadership. Facing death, we find him exalting God, edifying the next generation , and stressing the importance of God-fearing leadership.

Life giving mentors celebrate when the younger ones outshine them. True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders.

Root your identity in Christ. Don't jump ship too early and ridicule the process on hold on to a position for dear life. God takes from one degree of glory to another. 

Talk it through. Moses spends his last moments on earth pouring,into their future, speaking the word of God. 

Speak Greatness, See Greatness. Speak into and invest in the dreams of others. As leaders, intentionally, we need to start lifting our own language and speaking with more energy about solutions rather than problems. 

Cultivate Roots and Wings- Its for the long haul, conflict is inevitable. 

Focus Forward- How are you doing with the whole deal of making room for others and handing over much of what used to be so you can walk into all that is before you?

---------

Value 10:Failure is not Final

Love never fails 

If at first you don't succeed, keep on trying because God's love for you will never fail.

Dealing with people who have made mistakes, we leader must put the ball back int their hands quickly- with great gentleness, compassion, and wise direction for making a better choice in the future. After Moses threw the tablets, God says in essence ' here's a new set, just like the first, but build a box to put them in for safe keeping '

Love triumphs over defeat 

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. Love is a big word- an action word. For Jesus , love meant sacrifice. Some of the people we love have the potential to be dangerous to themselves/church/team.And we cant do anything without God's wisdom. But we can trust the word of God and the power of prayer to show us how to cover them and help them get the help they need

Learn to Laugh 

As leaders, our ability to get back up and keep laughing is he only way to show others that they can too.

As long as you are able to admit your mistakes, ask for forgiveness, and have a heart to gather and not to condemn- as long as you truly know that God is all about the heart and not about the gift- as long as you are all about inclusion and not exclusion, then everybody will be all right. 

1st Peter 4:8

Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sin. Failure is not final when its covered by love. 

Value 9: Greater than Adversity 

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

3 The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way - never have and never will. 4 The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. 5 We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. 6 Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity

Know your enemy 

The enemy comes to kill, steal and to destroy. If you have done all you can in the natural to bring peace and yet trouble still continues to brew, you need to know how to pray. 

Good out of Evil 

How do we pray in times of strife, or when life feels like it falling apart? Need to teach people how to approach adversity and trouble in ways that help them to stand strong, to speak aloud the promises of God's word and to decree the kingdom of God over every situation.

Psalm 46. 

God is ( do you believe beyond a shadow of doubt that God is all He say He is)

our refuge and strength, an ever present help in time of need. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. 

God stills ( greatest defense is in praying God's word) 

Be still and know that I am God. 

Trust is putting our confidence in something, relying on it. Learn to let go and trust God. 

Value 8: Humility 

James 3:13-16 

who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life,by deeds done done in the humility that comes from wisdom....for where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

humility, God confidence.The word humility comes from the root humus, meaning clay, earth. It suggests being teachable, flexible, pliable, able to mold or reshape- the clay on the potter's wheel ( see Jeremiah 18).

Its not:

• thinking less of yourself than God thinks of you, 
• putting yourself down, 
• letting ppl treat you like garbage,  
• having no opinion
• allowing yourself to be minimised to fit in
• refusing to be served by others
• always being on the giving end

Every single time a self doubting thought enters your mind, realize it, reject it and replace it with faith. start small and believe that God in you is greater than the one who is in the world ( 1 John 4:4)

Isaiah 66:2- To be humble is to rely upon God's word for every step our journey. 2 Samuel 7:18-21..

Who me? moments 

Many people in the bible, Moses, David. 

Samuel 7:18-21:

18-21King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed: “Who am I, my Master God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life? But that’s nothing compared to what’s coming, for you’ve also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow, my Master God! What can I possibly say in the face of all this? You know me, Master God, just as I am. You’ve done all this not because of who I am but because of who you are—out of your very heart!—but you’ve let me in on it.

you can tell when pride is rising up in you when your question changes from Who me? to Why you? why not me?

Intimacy with God and others through humility 

The type of intimacy we share with God when we are humble was also the kind of intimacy intended for each of us. Philippians 2:1-11 shares a glimpse of a church filled with people who simply live to do the will of God an always treats others the way He intended. ' don't push your way to the front, don't sweet talk your way to the top, put yourself  aside and help others get ahead. dont be obsessed with getting your own advantage. forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. like Jesus obedient to the cross.' 

Servanthood 

Nothing disciplines the inordinate desire of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness. Keep it simple, use your gift to serve others. what do we do when our feelings get hurt, get overlooked for a recognition we deserved, someone says something negative behind our backs.. dying to selfishness is a slow death..to nail these to the cross. 

God knew we would struggle with the flesh and left u many admonitions and examples of people in the bible. Philippians 2:3, 1 Peter 5:5

we cannot preach what we are not committed to living. Let's remember that we are little servants of an illustrious master. 

' humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.'Rick Warren

Value 7 :Excellence

2 Chronicles 2:5-9 

'The house I am building has to be the best, for our God is the best, far better than competing gods. But who is capable of building such a structure? Why, the skies—the entire cosmos!—can’t begin to contain him....I need your help: Send me a master artisan ... I know you have lumberjacks experienced in the Lebanon forests. I’ll send workers to join your crews to cut plenty of timber—I’m going to need a lot, for this house I’m building is going to be absolutely stunning—a showcase temple!'

The old testament temple was a temporary situation, the best that man can do. God decided to build a temple for himself in the hearts of men. Only a heart that is dedicated solely to Him can know the excellence of God- absolute stunning-a showcase temple! 

so when someone recently asked ' How does one become an excellent worship pastor?' I instinctively thought of all the things that people consider necessary for a great music ministry. But I eventually said ' you have to care... and are with all you heart. And the reason why you care is every important. 

Caring is Costly . 

King David, the most excellent worship pastor of all time, understood the why of his care. He was not willing to ocmpromise truth, cheat people or be stingy in his dealings with God. Willingness to risk everything for love of the Lord.David understood that you don't value anything that hasn't cost you something and he was willing to pay any price to worship God. He sacrificed because his heart had become a temple big enough for God to occupy. Samuel 24:20-24 ( King David buying the threshing floor). 

Care for the things God values 

The reason why you care is because you care for the things God Values, you will protect the unfolding revelations of God in your midst, you will care about the the people entrusted to your shepherding, you will care about the theology being taught in worship, and you will care that those anthems of praise are the very best you can offer. 

" For God so loved that he gave'. God's giving was motivated by a love that demanded a response of excellence.and so likewise for us. 

The power of excellence is demonstrated by and through our care. for example, less care results in careless worship. it might sound good  but without care or integrity attached to your pursuit, the worship will result in sacrifices without sacrifice which will not have a lasting impact on people's lives. so like most other values, the why behind the what must be taught and caught. without care, things of God are reduced to rules and boundaries. 

Mastering our tendency to be careless 

Cain's offering was not his finest and the Lord would not accept it. The Lord warned Cain: " if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. it desires to have you but you must rule over it." When we take our eyes off the Lord, sin knocks at the door of our hearts, desiring to master us- and hen possible it will master those who follow us. to rely on the Holy Spirit's leading to stay connected to God and His people.

All that glitters is not gold. Cheap cute shiny watch which looked good on the outside but nothing on the inside to keep it going. excellence for excellence's sake is a trap that starts comparison. 

We don't have to settle for anything less than best. Daniel 6:1-3. One of our highest goals in life should be to have an excellent spirit. 

' if you are gong to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little things ' - colin powell. 

( YR: couldn't really summarize it anymore.. i think as I read on.. this book is more about the things that we should ' relay and reinforced to the ppl we are mentoring.)

Value Six: Open Doors 

" There were times when Jesus became fatigued, and during those times, His disciples tried to protect Him by dissuading people from disturbing Him. But Jesus was never too tired for people, especially those who came with childlike trust and faith. The welcome sign was always hanging out in plain view: Come on in! Jesus had an open door policy and the door of His heart was open to anyone and everyone, any time or place. So it's not surprising that in Matthew 19, the Lord disregards the advice of His disciples and we find the little children rushing up to Jesus and climbing onto His lap to stroke His beard, feel His love and receive is blessing. As we draw from the life example of Jesus, we find a very important principle in leadership: As much as possible, live with an open door policy. 

Many are looking for more than instructions in how to lead a meeting, or how to preach- rather, they are often even more curious about how to live life. Real life questions continue thick and fast to this day. Young people are concerned about marriage and staying married. They wan to know how to prevent weariness and how to stay on fire for the things of God. They're not afraid to ask tough questions such as " what does the Bible say about homosexuality? about divorce, tithing, they want to know and they want to know now! 

Our lives have been available to be read followed questioned. I've also had to arm myself with biblical answers for everyday situations. And I learned quickly that I didn't have to the expert with all the answers. I simply listen to the Holy Spirit, pray with them and point them to Christ. The most important things we mentors can give is availability. The main thing is to make sure that we have built margins into the day- when needed, on purpose- to be available for those who come with childlike faith and trust. One of the great ways to connect with people is in learning to linger, refusing to be in such a hurry.

The open door policy means including people in your life. Therefore, dear leader, I ask you ... is your life the open door that makes others feel accepted and welcome by God, or has it become a dooor closed to life? do you welcome questions or are you a ' dont go there' type leader? Who are you when no one's lookig? does the life you live Monday through Saturday reflect one that God would want others to emulate? Let's start teaching the practicalities of living, show them and then tell them how to live a balanced Christian life. 

And close the door on condemnation. don't sit in judgement of young men and women who don't dress/act the way you'd prefer. It's acceptance that causes people to change not rejection. John 4:35- Don't you have a saying, It's still four months until harvest? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.' "

Value Five:The Squeeze 

James 1:2-5 

" Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. "

whenever any of us are confronted with a test-a relational issue, a patience issue, a finance issue, a submission issue, whatever it may be- we need to remember the that tests help define what we truly believe. They also mature us and shape us into who we are becoming. I have had so many stretching times when the squeeze has left me without answer. In the process, I've learn to be quiet when I feel like saying my piece. God has used His Word to instruct me to know my place and know His heart towards people. His word assures that He is in control, even when I feel out of control It's our response to the squeeze that matters most. 

While trying to protect our natural and spiritual kids from everything, we strengthen them for nothing, raise them to hide and train them to run from conflict.In order to train them to lead, they have to partake in all tha tlife has to offer, the highs and the lows, yet be given the tools to overcome their trials and share in the season of blessing. During the squeeze, learn to stand John 15.Teach people how to stand, how to enjoy hard work for a greater purpose and above all, how to pray. It's not your job or mine to simply tell people what to do; its our job to lead them to the Father so they can hear it directly from Him. 

In times of the squeeze keep in mind that you were designed for a mission. 'Not my will but yours be done.' Going through a squeeze? God is up to something great in you!

Value four: Energy 

Philippians 2:12

In leadership, energy is one of the essential ingredients needed for bringing any sense of new to the table. It's energy that produces excitement in others. You can either feed or starve your energy levels, depending on what you hear, what you read, the conversation you engage in, who you keep company with and the thoughts you choose to dwell on. Yes, everything can affect your energy levels and I found that when leading others, great energy is expended and expected.

Like fresh manna, we need to be daily energized and fueled by God himself. His word becoming like liquid fire, which sparks a desire to worship. Isaiah 40:31 teaches that energy can be found in hoping in the Lord, hungering for what God has in stored. 

Acts 1:8, Romans 15:13, Zechariah 4:6 ' Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit..' you nor those you mentor don't have to be an extrovert to lead or follow with energy, be a lighting rod to carry the energy that hope creates by the Spirit of God. 

Reap what you sow. Clarity in vision, Good food (both physically and spiritually), Joy in the Lord is strength ( to stay connected to the One who produces joy within us psalm 16:11), stir up your creativity( 2 Timothy 2:1-7).

The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have- Norman Vincent Peale. 

Value three:20/20 Dreams and Visions 
Habakkuk 2:2-3
We will always have way more vision than money or perceived abilities - the God gap keeps us dependent on His ability to do the impossible while we are hard at work doing the possible. Sharing in a God size dream is that you get to partner with God to build the lives of others.

One of the great revelation of being loved came vision. His love for me opened the eyes of my heart and I found the hope and freedom to trust God for everything. With his vision of me came a gift of confidence that I could never have imagined before my Jesus-encounter. 

Leaders, live your life dreaming! Dreamers who can communicate their heart are so inspiring to be around.And let those you mentor dream too. God is not limited. He has something fr you that will perfectly fit your gifts, talents and calling. Write it, talk it, anchor it in your heart, let those who run with you carry it to.Let go of the past, pray for God to heal the brokenness and for grace to forgive.

Make a choice to live with purpose and do the next thing He puts in your heart to do. Grab hold of God's vision for you. dream big.. go crazy!

Value Two: Encouragement

Hebrews 10:24-25

Let us consider how we may spur one another on.. not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

we need each other. The devil is out to dash our drams and steal our hope for seeing God's purposes fulfilled- not only in our live but also in the lives of those we mentor. That's why God has summoned us to stick  together and to encourage one another in the faith.

Seeing what God sees in people Psalm 139:17-18

To look beyond the faults and magnify the possibilities in those we mentor, refusing to give up on them until they believe in themselves.

What is it that encourages you. Everybody has one, for example music . When you learn how to encourage yourself in the Lord, you'll be able to help others when they are feeling defeated and needing a reason to keep going. when there has been a huge lack of encouraging words spoken over you, you need to learn how to build yourself up with the Word of God. Position words of life wherever you spend time so that even if you don't feel like getting happy, you cannot avoid it.

Words carry life: Proverbs 15:4 Encouraging words, fueled by the Word of God, carry life.With encouragement, the powers of Satan are overthrown and we can live the life of purpose hat God intends for us to live. 

1 Corinthians 8:1:" [ Yet mere] knowledge causes people to be puffed up ( to bear themselves loftily and be proud), but love ( affection and goodwill and benevolence) edifies and builds up and encourages one to grow [to his full stature]"

Value One: Time for Growth

' As spiritual moms and dads, we must be fully convinced of Gods ability to work in our lives. Then we can lay hold of the wonderful privilege we have of passing down our knowledge, example and rich legacy of faith to the next generation, who will also need to remember that if God could do it then, He could do it now. '

Now is the the time to pick up and dust off all the hopes and dreams that have been in your heart, even if you've had some disappointments along the way. Take a deep breath and simply get moving in your own lane, the one you know is waiting for you. Whether you are training others, or taking your first steps towards your heart's desires, take time for growth.

Young men and women with great skill, creativity and passion surrounds us- people who need to hear our faith stories and have a safe place to grow up in. They need time with someone who will listen to their dreams and recognize their untapped potential. They need people like you and me to believe in them.

Lets be committed to growth, even though it mostly mean change. Honor all that has been, but lean into all that is to come. Together let's provide a good city to grown in and a good city to grow up in. (Zec 8:4-5)

Psalm 145: 3-4
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.