Discipleship Tip From Lee

The apostle Paul loved people passionately. More than 40 times in his letters he refers to his disciples as “beloved.” He called Timothy his “beloved and faithful child” (1 Cor. 4:17); he described Epaphras as his “beloved fellow bondservant” (Col. 1:7); and he called Onesimus his “faithful and beloved brother” (Col. 4:9). The Greek word for “beloved” means “esteemed, dear or favorite.”

But how could more than one person be Paul’s favorite? This wouldn’t normally be possible. But when God’s supernatural love flows through you, you can love all your disciples like they are your favorites. God’s fervent love will stretch your heart and give you added capacity to demonstrate warm affection, sincere compassion and deep concern. This is the secret to effective mentoring. Love your disciples until they become “beloved” to you.

Sometimes a guy I’m discipling will crawl in a shell and hide because of discouragement, failure or shame. He withdraws from people and turns inward. We are all tempted to do this, but isolation is not healthy. You need your Christian friends and mentors, especially when you are down.

Ecclesiastes 4:10 says of friends: “If either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.” The devil hates true fellowship, so he tries to divide us. He lies and says, “Your friend is too busy. Your mentor doesn’t care about you. No one understands you.” Don’t listen to that garbage! When you are down, reach out for help. Ask for prayer. Stay surrounded by caring friends. The Holy Spirit will minister to you through them.

When Paul met young Timothy in Asia Minor, Acts 16:3 says Paul “wanted this man to go with him.” Why? The apostle must have seen potential in the half-Greek convert. Timothy was inexperienced, and he struggled with timidity. But after he traveled with Paul and received loving mentorship, he led the church in Ephesus. Paul later said Timothy was like a son to him and that there was no one else with his “proven worth” (Phil. 2:22).

Be on the lookout for your Timothy! God will put him in your path. Invest time in him. Take him under your wing. He will not be perfect, and he might come from a broken family or struggle with personal challenges. But if you look past his flaws, your love and encouragement can transform him into a mature leader who might even surpass you in spiritual impact.

Your words have incredible power to change people’s lives. There have been times when God gave me a prophetic message for someone, some practical advice about a problem, or just a simple word of encouragement. My friends later told me that those words became significant signposts for them. They received supernatural strength from the conversation. Even years later they still treasure the words I shared.

Be an encourager! Proverbs 10:11 says, “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.” And Proverbs 10:21 says, “The lips of the righteous feed many.” Don’t just look for encouragement for yourself. Learn to give it. People need to be affirmed, assured of God’s love, and reminded of God’s promises. Let Jesus use you to inject strength and hope into those around you.

After David became king he trained 37 men who became famous warriors. The Bible calls them “mighty men,” and their names are listed in 2 Samuel 23. It seems the same anointing that was on David came upon these men. They were exceptionally loyal, strong and brave. Among them were Adino, Eleazar and Shammah. They were called “the three” because their victories were legendary. They remind me that among Jesus’ disciples, He had three—Peter, James and John—who walked in exceptional power.

David’s mighty men remind me that God did not anoint me just for so I can have my own ministry. No, He wants me to share that anointing by discipling others. He wants me to reproduce. God can do this though you too! As you spend time with your disciples, encourage them, train them, advise them, pray for them and take them with you on ministry assignments, they will become legends. Let’s train up our mighty men!

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!