A United Methodist Pastor's Theological Reflections

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (nikos) through our Lord Jesus Christ." - I Corinthians 15:57


Monday, May 17, 2010

Christian Mentoring

Christian mentoring is pretty simple. It's when a follower of Jesus connects with another follower of Jesus who is farther along in the faith journey to receive encouragement, growth, and support. Of course, in some ways, this is a two way street since we can all learn and grow from each other. But in another way, being able to connect with someone who is a more mature and experienced Christian is invaluable.

A couple of nights ago, I called my Christian mentor of more than twenty years on the phone. A retired United Methodist pastor with over forty years of pastoral ministry, his great wealth of experiences and wisdom have helped me to stay grounded not only in my personal faith but also in my professional life.

In his usual way, he shared with me about other churches that have experienced similar situations and was able to offer some thoughts on how I/we might proceed. After our phone conversation, I felt different. I felt affirmed. I felt renewed confidence. I didn't feel alone. And I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in a new way.

I'm so glad that he's only a phone call away.

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