Have you been thinking about becoming a Christian mentor? I regularly receive questions for advice and encouragement, on how to become a successful Christian mentor for millennial’s in a new mentoring relationship. Here are my top 10 tips to learn how to mentor someone spiritually.
Why Learn How to Mentor Someone Spiritually?
I love this request. Mentoring or coaching is a deep calling in my life and is a 100% Biblical mandate from Titus 2.
“Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children.” Titus 2:3-4
Why learn how to mentor someone Spiritually? It is the way we help others grow in faith and find God’s direction for their lives!
Why Is Spiritual Mentoring Important?
My life was changed through mentoring. That first mentor helped me grow and God has been using me to help others all around ever since. But maybe you have some questions.
- What is spiritual mentoring?
- What is the role of a spiritual mentor?
- How do you encourage someone spiritually?
- How do you mentor someone?
What is Spiritual Mentoring?
Mentoring is not a formula or a checklist; it’s a relationship. A Christian mentor or Spiritual Direction Coach is a person further along in their walk with God who continues to grow in their faith and is willing to walk beside another person to guide them in becoming the person God created them to be.
What is the Role of a Spiritual Mentor?
Spiritual mentoring in the Bible gives us the answer to our role as Spiritual mentors or coaches. We are to encourage those around us and help direct them back to God when they are struggling.
How Do You Encourage Someone Spiritually?
That’s a good question and one that really is simple to answer. Remember the time you were in their place. There was a time you thought, “I need a Spiritual mentor.”
- What was that time like?
- What did you need?
- Were there resources that helped you?
Those are the things that will help you begin learning how to mentor someone spiritually.
Related Podcast: Behind the Scenes With A Mentors Mentor
How Do You Mentor Someone?
Yes, there are places you can go to get Spiritual mentor training, and if you want to go deeper I have a class to help you get started.
But the truth is, anyone can start mentoring. All that is required is a calling from God (which He gave every mature believer) and a willingness to serve.
These are my top 10 tips for starting the Christian mentor relationship:
- Preceding Your Meeting
- 1. Keep your own relationship with God fresh and vital.
- 2. Spend time in prayer.
- During Your Meeting
- 3. Ask good open-ended questions.
- 4. Be a good listener who’s focused on God and the person you are mentoring.
- 5. Share your God stories and the power of God working in your life.
- 6. Be an encourager who supports, nurtures, and celebrates the young person’s uniqueness and potential in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
- Concluding Your Mentoring Meeting
- 7. After the first meeting I suggest making a 4-week commitment to dig into a short book of the Bible to discuss and apply to your life.
- 8. Plan to meet for one hour.
- 9. Set boundaries on the first meeting for the mentoring relationship. Psalm 16:6
- 10. Always allow enough time to conclude your meeting with prayer over your mentoring friend. Matthew 18:19-20
Related Post: 7 Ways to Have a Successful Mentoring Relationship
Preceding Your Meeting
The work you do before your meeting is critical to a healthy mentoring relationship. Remember that and your time will be fruitful.
1. Keep your own relationship with God fresh and vital.
Live an authentic Christian lifestyle. Hebrews 5:14
2. Spend time in prayer.
Ask God to use you in this mentoring relationship and give you the words He wants you to share. A Christian Mentor will not be successful without a strong commitment to prayer. Ephesians 6:18
During Your Meeting
3. Ask good open-ended questions.
Here are a few examples to help you get the conversations started. Matthew 7:7-8
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- I’d like to hear your God story and how you got to where you are today.
- What are your expectations for our mentoring relationship right now and in the future?
- If you could do some things over again, what would you choose to do differently?
- What one important topic would you like to discuss this week?
- What are the biggest challenges you are experiencing this week?
4. Be a good listener who’s focused on God and the person you are mentoring.
Your focus should be on God’s point of view and not your own agenda. As a Mentor, you are not to try and fix anyone. The Holy Spirit must be in control. James 1:19
5. Share your God stories and the power of God working in your life.
Be transparent and real and open to discussing any subject matter. Seek and share wisdom based on God’s Word 2 Timothy 3:16-17
6. Be an encourager.
An encourager is someone who supports, nurtures, and celebrates the young person’s uniqueness and potential in Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Encouraging others is one of many Biblical mentoring principles I’d love to teach you here.
Related posts: Lifeway Women by Jayme: How To Start Up and Sustain A Successful Mentoring Ministry
At The Conclusion of Your Mentoring Meeting
7. Set Expectations About Your Schedule.
After the first meeting, I suggest making a 4-week commitment to dig into a short book of the Bible to discuss and apply to your life.
The process of learning to read, discuss, and apply scripture to life will be a game-changer for both of you (Isaiah 55:11).
8. Plan to meet for one hour
Arrive on time. End on time. Finally, set up the next appointment time and place before you leave. I suggest meeting every week for the first 4-6 weeks. After completing the first 6 weeks you can discuss the next plan for weekly or bi-weekly scheduled meetings. 1 Corinthians 14:40
9. Set boundaries on the first meeting for the mentoring relationship. Psalm 16:6
‣ All discussions will be confidential between the two of you. However, you will absolutely refuse to keep any subject matter confidential that is a potential danger or covers up any evil.
‣ All meetings will be 60 minutes and there should be a 24-hour cancellation notice.
‣No Fees charged for mentoring. No exchange of financial gifts or loans.
‣Accessibility choices and hours with phone calls, texts, and emails.
‣ Verbal or written commitment for 4-6 months and then reevaluate.
10. End with Prayer
Always allow enough time to conclude your meeting with prayer over your mentoring friend. Matthew 18:19-20
Mentoring is not a formula or a checklist; it's a relationship. Jayme Hull Share on XWill You Learn How to Mentor Someone Spiritually?
The Christian Mentor/Mentee relationship is special.
A mentoring relationship should be a life-giving, face-to-face relationship holding profound influence in developing the mentee as a person of God. This life-giving relationship should equip the mentee with wisdom and discernment to navigate a lot of tough and everyday decisions.
Like all mentoring relationships, this should be a safe place for the mentee to be vulnerable and honest about the issues and circumstances in their life and not receive judgment or shame for those thoughts. A Christian mentoring relationship is a place of grace, mercy, and movement of the Holy Spirit in and through the conversation.
Mentoring others has blessed my life and I know it will bless yours!
Will you answer the call from God to become a Christian mentor to the next generation?
Will you learn how to mentor someone Spiritually today?
The Millennials and GenZ need godly mentors who will pour into their lives and help guide them through these difficult days. Now is the time to reach out to these generations and make a difference for the Kingdom.
To God be the Glory,
Jayme a Spiritual Direction Coach. Mentor, Author, and Podcast Host is passionate about moving Christian Women forward to God’s direction for their life through Scripture and prayer. Join the Spiritual Direction Coaching Today Facebook private page or connect with her on Instagram.
Your thoughts and comments matter. Leave your prayer request. Let’s get connected.
If you enjoyed this post, you will enjoy these:
How To Have A Consistent Quiet Time with God
Breakthrough the Obstacles To Your Spiritual Growth
Why Spiritual Direction Is Important For Your Life
I’d love to hear your God story. Leave a comment below.
I am involved in the mentoring ministry at my church plus individual ministry to a younger sister. I wanted to let you know that this article was very helpful. God bless you!
Hi Viv,
Thanks so much for your comments. I’m so glad this article was helpful. If you are searching for more input you may want to download the free first chapter of my book Face To Face: Discover How Mentoring Can Change Your Life for more encouragement. I have many other Freebies and items in my store as well. Keep pouring into the next generation. Blessings!
Hi Jayme
Im Premie, i have be requested to mentor a woman . Please send me a prayer for our first meeting. Ive not done this before.
Hi Premie,
I’m so excited for you! I’d be honored to pray for you.
O Holy Spirit,
We need you! Come near and reveal yourself to Premie in a mighty way. Please speak loud and clear through Your Scriptures and give her wisdom as she mentors this woman. Lord, speak, Premie is listening.
Fill Premie with the courage to speak the truth in love, give grace when it is needed, encourage with wisdom and listen with her heart. Protect her from any distractions so she can pour love into this mentee for your Glory.
Thank you for always listening when we pray and supplying our every need just at the perfect time. Amen.
Can you help me find a mentor? I just began a prayer life and was introduced to God and Lord Jesus. No one ever taught me about faith before. I never knew that I could be know by a God.