Here we are five months into 2018, many of us tend to write down new resolutions that they want to accomplish in 2018. Some goals might be to improve your health, your finances, your career, your relationships, and maybe your spiritual health. I bet you did not stop and think about having a mentor in your life this year. Many people believe that they can live without having another person who is always rebuking them to reach their best, or encourage them when they are going through hard times. I believe many of us are not growing to God’s potential because we are missing this crucial idea of discipleship.

Many of us don’t know what discipleship is, or maybe don’t know where to start, or how to get an honest person to mentor them. These are all valid concerns, but before we start with the where to look for a mentor and how today I want to see and ask the question is discipleship biblical? To answer this crucial question, we need to go back in time and examine examples from the biblical text. Let us start this journey as we explore examples from the Bible.

Old Testament

David & Samuel

In 1 & 2 Samuel we read about David, a shepherd boy tending his father’s sheep. After the prophet Samuel anoints him the coming king over Jerusalem, king Saul starts to run after him to kill him. Throughout his exile, David goes to the prophet Samuel when he encounters problems that he does not know how to handle or escape from King Saul. We read in 1 Samuel 19 “Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth.” David goes to Samuel for support and advice.

Joshua & Moses

In Numbers 13, we read about Moses and Joshua. As God calls Moses for the enormous task to lead the people of Israel, God was preparing Joshua through Moses’ leadership to take the lead after him. Joshua learns everything through Moses’ obedience to God. Joshua was Moses right-hand military person. When Moses sends the spies to spy on the land, Joshua and Caleb are the only two people out of the 12 spies who believed in conquering the land flowing with milk and honey. We need to ask the question how did Joshua have this faith? That is an easy answer. He surrounded himself with the person that had faith to move mountains. Who do you surrender your life with?

New Testament

Timothy & Paul

Timothy is one of the people who was with Paul on his missionary journey. Though Paul did not like Timothy to continue with him cause he thought he was slowing him down, but in the end, he imparts his wisdom and knowledge and makes him a pastor of the Ephesian church. He encourages him in his pastoral letters that he sends directly to him, “This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience.” He goes on encouraging him not to let anyone look down at him, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” Here is Paul encouraging and charging his young disciple to do God’s work according to what he learned from him.

Jesus & the Disciples

Jesus called the twelve disciples to follow him. He lived among them for three years teaching, rebuking, and encouraging them to take His message of the Gospel to all the world. He always had His close group Peter, James, and John. He disciplined the three more in-depth to lead the others after Him.

Now What?

Here you have it. We looked at different examples from the OT & NT in regards to making disciples, leading us to conclude that having a mentor is very crucial for the believer’s growth in the Kingdom of God. I pray that this will encourage you to pray to our Lord to show you the right person to disciple you in becoming the man and the woman God wants you to be. A good start would be your youth leaders and volunteers. Next time we will examine together the character of a disciple to have a successful discipleship life.

Until next time be blessed.