Your Guide to DiscipleshipExemplo

Find a Paul—and Be a Paul

Why is discipleship important? Am I biblically called to mentor others?

Mentorship is a basic biblical principle. The Book of Proverbs opens with an exhortation to listen not only to parents but also to the “words of the wise” (Prov. 1:6). The message of Christ is best transmitted through the process of mentoring.

If you don’t have mentors, I urge you to find them. If you are fortunate enough to have been mentored, then pay forward what you have received—and invest in someone else. If you want to begin a mentoring relationship, get familiar with God’s pattern for discipleship in the Bible.

Here are some qualities to look for in a healthy mentor:

1. Healthy mentors have mentors. No mature leader is self-made. Even the apostle Paul had Ananias to disciple him when he first came to faith (Acts 9:10-18). If a mentor claims he or she “learned everything directly from God,” you can be sure they have a spirit of pride. Never trust a loner.

2. Healthy mentors are accessible. The apostle Paul told the Christians in Rome: “For I long to see you, that I may impart some spiritual gift to you” (Rom. 1:11). Don’t play hard to get. If you are called to help other disciples grow, give them your phone number, answer their texts, and open your heart as well as your office door.

3. Healthy mentors don’t just talk—they listen. Jesus is the source of all wisdom, yet when He was with His disciples, He didn’t just lecture them. He often asked them questions and listened to their answers. (See Mark 8:27–30.) Good mentors know how to use their ears to show that they care.

4. Healthy mentors are always growing spiritually. Jesus said a good steward in His kingdom “brings out of his treasure things new and old” (Matt. 13:52). Good mentors are always reading books, learning new things, and applying old truths to new challenges so they can train a new generation.

If you need a mentor, look for a healthy one. And if you are a mature believer, make it your goal to impart what you’ve learned from Jesus to a whole new generation of Christians who need healthy role models.