Comments on: I Was Never “Mentored”: A Report from the Field, Part 3 http://betweenthetimes.com/2010/02/08/i-was-never-%e2%80%9cmentored%e2%80%9d-a-report-from-the-field-part-3/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:32:23 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: rynoyak http://betweenthetimes.com/2010/02/08/i-was-never-%e2%80%9cmentored%e2%80%9d-a-report-from-the-field-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-12785 rynoyak Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:56:56 +0000 http://betweenthetimes.com/?p=1557#comment-12785 D. Nelly Awesome insight and comment on this subject. I find that so many times overseas/on the field and in ministry, I slack on my introspection of "biblical" methods. "Mentoring" has always been a major point of issue and discussion for me and my friends over here: good and bad. I do think the 1-on-1 "Paul-Timothy" concept gets championed a lot, though with much assumption regarding it and to the detriment of the "Jesus-12" concept of the group dynamic. I do most of my discipling of nationals in a small group (3-5), and I have seen much more fruit and growth for them and me from this setting than from the individual setting: the group speaks to their own context and background better than I can. Though, the individual times are bearing much maturity as we go through individually what we study/deal with in the group setting. The 1-on-1 time is used for application, as we go 2x2 (LK 10:1-16) partnering together. Also, most negative comments about mentoring that I personally have had have a lot to deal with me giving reason (though not excuse) to my ignorance or short-falls and struggles. The "lack of mentoring" complaint is then a crutch to not accept responsibility for not having worked for the answer from God's Word. Anyway, its great to read from you! rynoyak D. Nelly
Awesome insight and comment on this subject. I find that so many times overseas/on the field and in ministry, I slack on my introspection of “biblical” methods.
“Mentoring” has always been a major point of issue and discussion for me and my friends over here: good and bad. I do think the 1-on-1 “Paul-Timothy” concept gets championed a lot, though with much assumption regarding it and to the detriment of the “Jesus-12″ concept of the group dynamic.
I do most of my discipling of nationals in a small group (3-5), and I have seen much more fruit and growth for them and me from this setting than from the individual setting: the group speaks to their own context and background better than I can. Though, the individual times are bearing much maturity as we go through individually what we study/deal with in the group setting. The 1-on-1 time is used for application, as we go 2×2 (LK 10:1-16) partnering together.
Also, most negative comments about mentoring that I personally have had have a lot to deal with me giving reason (though not excuse) to my ignorance or short-falls and struggles. The “lack of mentoring” complaint is then a crutch to not accept responsibility for not having worked for the answer from God’s Word.
Anyway, its great to read from you!
rynoyak

]]> By: Wesley Handy http://betweenthetimes.com/2010/02/08/i-was-never-%e2%80%9cmentored%e2%80%9d-a-report-from-the-field-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-12413 Wesley Handy Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:02:52 +0000 http://betweenthetimes.com/?p=1557#comment-12413 Dr. Nelson, I think you make a good point, though I think we all could benefit from a Mentor/Mentoree relationship at some point in our lives, though I picture the relationship more reciprocally. I would imagine that a good mentor is challenged as much as if not more than the mentoree. Even so, I think biblically we are given the community of faith model. My questions then are how do we cultivate the time of community relationships that leads to this healthy form of discipleship? Certainly, each local community will have to answer this for themselves, but I wonder if this is on the radar for most. Still, how is our seminary education helping future pastor's value this type of discipleship? How is it distracting us from it? What changes in the way we do things have to be made to get where we need to be? I have lots of questions, with little more to offer. However, I think if what you say is true, and I think you are on to something, then I think this may radically change the way we do lots of things as churches and as institutions like the seminary, don't you? I really do hope you are able to write a follow up to this or can encourage someone else to do so. It would be a valuable contribution (at least to me!). Dr. Nelson,

I think you make a good point, though I think we all could benefit from a Mentor/Mentoree relationship at some point in our lives, though I picture the relationship more reciprocally. I would imagine that a good mentor is challenged as much as if not more than the mentoree. Even so, I think biblically we are given the community of faith model.

My questions then are how do we cultivate the time of community relationships that leads to this healthy form of discipleship? Certainly, each local community will have to answer this for themselves, but I wonder if this is on the radar for most. Still, how is our seminary education helping future pastor’s value this type of discipleship? How is it distracting us from it? What changes in the way we do things have to be made to get where we need to be? I have lots of questions, with little more to offer. However, I think if what you say is true, and I think you are on to something, then I think this may radically change the way we do lots of things as churches and as institutions like the seminary, don’t you?

I really do hope you are able to write a follow up to this or can encourage someone else to do so. It would be a valuable contribution (at least to me!).

]]> By: David R. Brumbelow http://betweenthetimes.com/2010/02/08/i-was-never-%e2%80%9cmentored%e2%80%9d-a-report-from-the-field-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-12409 David R. Brumbelow Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:41:38 +0000 http://betweenthetimes.com/?p=1557#comment-12409 Years ago there was a conversation something like the following: "He's one of Pastor Jones' converts." Reply, "He must be, he sure isn't one of Jesus' converts." May all our converts be followers of Jesus. Good post. David R. Brumbelow Years ago there was a conversation something like the following:

“He’s one of Pastor Jones’ converts.”
Reply, “He must be, he sure isn’t one of Jesus’ converts.”

May all our converts be followers of Jesus.

Good post.
David R. Brumbelow

]]> By: Brian http://betweenthetimes.com/2010/02/08/i-was-never-%e2%80%9cmentored%e2%80%9d-a-report-from-the-field-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-12403 Brian Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:41:12 +0000 http://betweenthetimes.com/?p=1557#comment-12403 Thank you Dr. Nelson for this excellent article! I believe you provide a needed corrective to a tendency to ignore the benefits of living life together while looking for some "magic bullet" in a particular mentor. I have witnessed too many young men (I work with Singles) who treat small groups casually (if at all) while they pine for a mentor. Thank you Dr. Nelson for this excellent article! I believe you provide a needed corrective to a tendency to ignore the benefits of living life together while looking for some “magic bullet” in a particular mentor. I have witnessed too many young men (I work with Singles) who treat small groups casually (if at all) while they pine for a mentor.

]]> By: Jonathan http://betweenthetimes.com/2010/02/08/i-was-never-%e2%80%9cmentored%e2%80%9d-a-report-from-the-field-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-12385 Jonathan Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:35:43 +0000 http://betweenthetimes.com/?p=1557#comment-12385 That's a good word. Thanks for the insight. That’s a good word. Thanks for the insight.

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