“Him [Jesus Christ] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28, ESV).
Making disciples is the process of assisting others to grow in Christ, becoming mature in their faith. This past week during the Student-led Renewal, there was much emphasis on the role of disciplers (spiritual mentors) in the lives of the students who shared. For many, these relationships lacked intentionality but were still used in powerful ways by the sovereign Lord.
Developing a Spiritual Mentoring Plan
- Seek to build a relationship with a more mature brother or sister. Ask God to guide you to a person who can help mentor you. These relationships can serve as a catalyst to inspire spiritual growth and life application of your faith.
- Build an accountable relationship with a peer. Your local church offers many opportunities to build relationships with people who are at the same life stage as you. There are also opportunities on campus for discipling relationships. Jesus spent the entire night praying before he called the twelve to follow him. Ask the Lord to guide you in finding a peer mentor. There are many examples of questions that help develop healthy accountability. John Wesley’s accountability questions that he used with the Holy Clubs he established at Oxford as a student are helpful. See https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/everyday-disciples-john-wesleys-22-questions.
- Identify a younger brother or sister in the faith to mentor. “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2, ESV). As you pour yourself into this younger believer, you are practicing the disciple-making process addressed in 2 Timothy 2:2.
- The selection process. Normally, it is best for these relationships to be with people of the same sex. You may feel guilty for making intentional selections. You could be accused of playing favorites or of ignoring the needs of others, but this selection process was practiced by the Lord (see Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism). The truth is that we cannot mentor everyone, but the Lord can and will use us to have an impact through mentoring relationships.
Implementing a Spiritual Mentoring Plan
It has been a joy to host Dr. Travis Agnew (NGU Graduate/Pastor of Rocky Creek Baptist Church in Greenville, SC/and the current Chair of the NGU Board of Trustees) on campus to lead workshops on developing a plan for spiritual growth. Recognizing that the starting point for each person is different in the discipleship process, Travis has developed a process that can assist everyone in their spiritual development, regardless of their starting point. In his book, Distinctive Discipleship, he focuses on six areas of spiritual growth. This approach has been helpful to me.
- Delight. In all of our relationships, we find ways to delight in them. How can we grow in this area? Select one way you need to grow in delight in your relationship with Christ.
- Disobedience. Name one sin issue (an area of disobedience) that must be addressed if you are going to grow in maturity with Christ.
- Doctrine. What is a pivotal doctrine (a belief or set of beliefs held and taught in Scripture) that you need to study?
- Development. Identify one area of your life where you need to grow in maturity. How are you uniquely gifted? Where have you been strategically placed during this stage of your life? How can you mature as a friend, spouse, co-worker, parent, son or daughter? How can you mature in your career? Select one specific area to develop and focus on it.
- Discipline. Spiritual disciplines are for the purpose of godliness (helping us become more like Christ). Donald Whitney’s book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, is a helpful resource to understand the spiritual disciplines. Identify and address one spiritual discipline (Bible Intake—hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, meditating, and applying God’s Word, prayer, stewardship of time/resources, worship, fasting, evangelism, serving, silence, solitude, journaling, learning, etc.) that you need to focus on in a greater way.
- Dependence. Recognizing that you depend upon God for everything in life, what will you ask God to do through your dependence on him? Prayer is particularly important in addressing dependence. When we pray, we acknowledge our need for God, the inadequacy of our own efforts, and how much we need God’s guidance, direction, and strength in our lives. Select one area of prayer that will help you grow in your dependence on God.
While it is possible to address these six areas on your own, they will take deeper root and you will find greater success in a small group that holds you accountable. You may want to address these six areas in your mentoring relationships. While this is not the only plan for spiritual development, it is a good one.