Mentoring

[Breathedonme]

Where can a sister go to find a mentor -- another Christian woman (or man, but preferably a woman) who is grounded in Christ and in the world to help another get passed a lot of the "stuff?"

There are so many hurting people in the church who are in leadership positions, both men and women.  As leaders, we are not supposed to show the rest our weaknesses, but be there to encourage them.

That's cool, but when do the ministers get ministered to?

[Forum Administrator]

Hi Breathedonme. Please check your personal messages/email to meet your new mentor connection. 

[Imagineme]

Hey Breathedonme

That was/is an excellent question

I would like to know myself

Or is the Holy Spirit the only Mentor that we can count on to be truly on our side. hmmm 

[David Dupree]

Sorry to be so late weighing in on this but Breathed, you said:

"There are so many hurting people in the church who are in leadership positions, both men and women.  As leaders, we are not supposed to show the rest our weaknesses, but be there to encourage them."

Says who?  Well they lied.  One of the traits of a good leader is that there is an air of vulnerability.  That is one of the differences between leaders and managers. 

As leaders though, what you try to do is not be so consumed by your weaknesses that you aren't responsive to those you oversee.  Additionally, as leaders, we make sure that our weaknesses are not sinful-especially, not willful sin.

Remember, "as a leader, it is not what happens to me that matters, but what happens in me." 

Leaders who show vulnerability help to generate followers very often through what is called positive dissonance.   What that means is that the people are drawn because of the fact that the leader is not showing a superman facade and through such keeps the focus on the perfect one-Jesus. 

Jesus is our best example.  As a leader He still revealed weakness as He said "Father take this cup from Me, but not My will..."  He spoke from the cross and said "I thirst."  Weakness can ofter be the gateway to humility and humility is defined as "power under control."

If leaders were not "allowed to be weak" the there would be no need for the verse "let the weak say I am strong."  There would be no need for a "Greater is He that is in me..."  Paul would never have revealed the fact that he had a thorn in his flesh. 

Christiandom has no room for majestic monarchs, only suffering servants. 

From a mentoring point of view, it would be better to be mentored by someone who could be an example of how to work through weaknesses as opposed to one who doesn't have evidence of weaknesses.

dd