Mentoring, Discipleship and Biblical Worldview

Mentoring and Discipleship are the keys to any ministry.  Without them, and the understanding of how they relate to a Biblical Worldview, a ministry can become an idol – or you can become your own idol!  Let me give you an example: 

Say you have a passion for serving orphans and widows – both very important and biblical.  While serving them, you develop a relationship, building trust as you feed and provide basic needs.  This relationship building, with Christ at the center, is mentoring.  As the relationship grows, the needs expand beyond physical needs, to include spiritual needs – “Why me? or “Where is God when I need Him?” or “Why would God let me suffer like this?” or “I am not sure if God even exists?”  When the conversations turn to a Spiritual nature, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ is the most important and only thing they need.  If they choose to accept His wonderful invitation, the invitation to believe He is Who He said He is, and follow Him, you have an awesome opportunity to Disciple this new believer to become a fully devoted follower of Christ. 

You see, if we are not serving from a Biblical Worldview, it becomes all about us and how we helped someone by giving them food or money.   Worldview is a term that many have had a hard time grasping, but it is simply how we “View” the “World”…we either view the world through “Biblical” eyes, the very heart of God, or we view the world through our own selfish desires, which is a secular (non-Godly) way of thinking.  A Biblical Worldview is a view that understands Jesus gave us a mission to fulfill – Go (mentor) make disciples, Baptize (showing them the way of salvation and allowing them to make a choice to follow Him) and teach them to obey all He has commanded (Disciple).  See Matthew 28:18-10.

From a Biblical Worldview approach – I serve others for the following reasons (and many more):

1)      To glorify God!

2)      To share the Good News of Jesus Christ because it is the only way to eternal life with God. 

3)      To minister to a need in someone’s life to not only fill that need, but to draw them to the One that gives you the passion to want to serve them.

4)      God loves them and I love God and take serious the command He gave us to Go, Baptize and Teach - Matthew 28:

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." 

5)      I love them because God’s Word says to love God and love my neighbor (which is everyone!) - Matthew 22:

35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question:
36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37 Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.`
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.`
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

From a Worldly Approach – I serve others for the following reasons (again, there are more):

1)      I provide their basic needs of food and clothing which gives me a sense of fulfillment because I use what I have to help someone in need.

2)      I feel good about myself when I help others.

3)      Others think highly of me when they see me helping someone less fortunate.

4)      I never know who I am going to help and how that may in turn be a benefit for me.

I know it’s obvious, but the Secular Worldview says it’s all about me and what others may think of me.  The Biblical Worldview says that I love God and view the world through His eyes…for His glory and for the building of His Kingdom…It’s about Him, not me!

When we place God first in all we say and do our worldview begins to shift to the things that God desires.  Our hearts break for the things that break His heart.  Our passions (or calling) line up with His will.  Our selfish desires begin to take backseat to His calling on our lives. 

There are dozens of people around each of us every day who are facing judgment and heading for Hell…and God’s heart breaks.  Does it break yours?  Does it break mine? 

God, break our hearts for the things that break your heart!  Show us the people in our lives, in our direct influence every day, that You would have us to build relationships – relationships with a purpose…then convict us to act upon those promptings!  If our relationships do not honor or glorify You, I pray you line them up with Your plan for our lives and call us to a greater plan – Your plan!  It’s in the powerful name of Jesus I pray, AMEN!