Paul told the Corinthians: “For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father in the gospel” (1 Cor. 4:15). There’s a difference between an instructor and a father. It is good to mentor people, and it’s good to preach sermons. But the best preachers don’t just speak behind pulpits; they also sacrificially invest their lives in people.
Do you want to become a spiritual father or mother? You cannot be a father if you have not been fathered. This process happens mainly by spending time with God and discovering His unconditional love for you. It also happens when a caring mentor invests in your life. Being loved, corrected, coached and encouraged by a true spiritual father or mother will help you do the same for many others!