Philosophy, Theology, Values, & Outcomes

Introduction - Relationships that Make a Difference:

"There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.”

George Matthew Adams


The Scripture offers several examples of transforming relationships:

  • Moses / Joshua
  • Elijah / Elisha
  • Eli / Samuel
  • Naomi / Ruth
  • Elizabeth / Mary
  • Jesus / 12 & 3
  • Barnabus / Saul
  • Paul & Silas / Barnabus & John Mark
  • Paul / Timothy
  • Aquilla & Priscilla / Apollos

Mike Slaughter - The biblical model of discipleship is not directly based on an institutional teacher classroom methodology. Discipleship emerges from a mentoring model. A teacher usually offers an overall prescription for the entire group. The mentor-coach applies biblical life principles to the unique needs of the individual. Mentoring is personalized. Mentors help us realize God’s will for our lives through demonstration, encouragement, and accountability.

Mentoring/Coaching is about helping another leader in process discover and fulfill God’s will for their life. It is based on the assumption that an individual can go further and faster with someone coaching them than they can on their own (Alan Stanley). In ministry, we all need feedback from others who care about God, who care about us, and care about the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Mentors observe, instruct (as needed/teachable moment), and inspire.

Three Kinds of Relationships that Make a Difference:

  1. Modeling (leading by example):

    KMN - Modeling is about living your life and exercising your ministry with a competency and integrity that can be observed and emulated. This can be intentional or incidental.

  2. Mentoring (imparting skills/knowledge) – Apprentice Concept:

    TLC – Mentoring is centered on imparting skills, information, and perspective to a learner.

    AS – A mentor is usually an older and more experienced person who provides advice and support to a younger less experienced individual in a particular field.

    S & C – Mentoring is a relational experience in which one person, who knows or has experienced something, transfers that something (God-given resources of wisdom, information, experiences, patterns, habits, principles, insights, reflections, perspectives) to a mentoree at an appropriate time and manners, so that it facilitates development and empowerment.

    MCS - Mentoring at Masters is a structured relationship between a person, a mentor and the Holy Spirit, whereby the one being mentored is developed and empowered to be what God has called him to be and to do what God has called her to do.

  3. Coaching (catalyzing growth/change):

    TLC - Coaching is the art of coming along side a leader and him or her to grow. A good coach helps people to reach their potential, fulfill their destiny and be transformed for the better. Coaches empower leaders who are ready and able to take responsibility for their lives to make the changes they want to make. Coaches provide the relationship, perspective, and accountability leasers need to reach their God-given and God-intended potential. Coaches evoke the personal discipline required to realize God’s desired results in the life of a developing leader.

John Whitmore – Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.

Mode of Influence In Focus Intensity Intentionality Intimacy
         
Modeling(example) Model Low Low Low
         
Mentoring(skills/knowledge) Mentor/Mentoree Medium Medium Medium
         
Coaching(growth/change) Coachee High High High

Elements common to All: Competence, Character, Consistency, Credibility, Compassion.

Mentoring/Coaching vs. Counseling: Is there a difference?

Alan Stanley

"The job of an consultant is to focused on a current short term relationship aimed at solving a current specific problem. The job of a counselor is to help an individual resolve issues of the past in order to operate more effectively in the present. A coach helps us assess the present so that we can operate more effectively in the future. Coaching is not primarily about problem-solving. Coaching’s focus is on enhancing performance."

Coaching   Counseling
     
Healthy People used for Hurting People
Growth focuses on Healing
The Future looks to The Past
Collaborative approach Prescriptive
Fulfillment works toward Functionality
Apprentice’s Reflection directed by Counselor’s Design


Values (ACTS):

  1. Believe in the Individual – 2 Corinthians. 5:16-17

    Great coaching is modeled after God’s advocacy for us. Seeing life as purposeful and having faith in our destiny, the coach works at change within the context of being 100% on our side. A coach believes in the client’s relationship with God, ability to make great changes, and capacity to steward his or her own life. Combining this faith perspective with a transparent, unconditional relationship literally unleashes the power of God for change in the client’s life.
    Essential to mentoring is the recognition that God has shaped people uniquely with various gifts, abilities, passions, personality, and experiences (SHAPE). Everyone has value to God – there are no zeros.
    Because we believe in the individual, we will ask questions instead of telling, listen
    instead of giving advice, and honor the client as the expert on his or her own life.

  2. God initiates Change

    Whether we are aware of it or not, God is actively implementing a personalized, long-term growth plan to transform us into people of destiny. The coach seeks out and aligns with God’s growth initiatives, and calls the client to go to the deeper, transformational level of engaging God’s purposes in a situation instead of merely addressing the outward circumstances. A great coach helps the client learn from every experience, relationship, decision, difficulty and joy in life in order to grow toward his or her life purpose.
    Because God initiatives change, we’ll depend on teachable moments instead of teaching, seek learning from every situation, and focus on building leaders instead of fixing people.

  3. Leaders take Responsibility

    The capacity for leadership is directly related to our capacity for taking responsibility. God develops us by first giving us a stewardship over their own lives, then gradually increasing our influence and responsibility to increase our capacity and character. Recognizing the power of God’s approach, a leadership coach structures the coaching relationship to place ownership and responsibility with the client, even the little things. Great coaching provides support and accountability but takes great care never to usurp choice and responsibility from the client.
    Because leaders take responsibility, we’ll allow the client to se the agenda, choose actions steps and makes the calls; wherever possible we’ll give responsibility instead of taking it on ourselves,

Outcomes:

The MCS mentoring model is designed to heighten the academic experience of students training for ministry by enabling them to integrate knowledge and experience by involving them in the life of a local church and a local church pastor. This kind of exposure is intended to give the student a growth environment where their character and their ministry will be molded and shaped for future ministry.

We anticipate that through this mentoring model, students will:

  • Have a Spirit-filled lifestyle that is thoroughly Pentecostal in experience, perspective and expression;
  • Be able to translate his/her Biblical understanding into a Christian worldview;
  • Have a commitment to furthering his/her leadership skills;
  • Be submitted to an ongoing process of spiritual formation;
  • Have an ability to relate the gospel to an ever-changing culture.

Students

  1. Student should become more self-aware of who they are (reflection -> learning).
  2. Student will have worked out the sense of calling in their lives.
  3. Student will have identified their personal and ministry gifts.
  4. Student will have worked through understanding how their calling is realized in ministry.
  5. Student will have developed a personal mission statement.
  6. Student will have learned how to initiate and develop a mentoring relationship.
  7. Student will have learned how to end relationship well.
  8. Student will take away the value of a continual engagement of mentors throughout their lifetime.

Mentors

  • Invest in the life of a student.
  • Develop skill to guide and facilitate Christian growth.
  • Learn to ask powerful questions.
  • Learn to listen to the kingdom dynamics working in others.


BOOKS & ARTICLES ON MENTORING

Bell, Chip R. Managers as Mentors, Building Partnerships for Learning, San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1996.

Biell, Bobb. Mentoring: Confidence in Finding A Mentor and Becoming One Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996.

Cook, Marshall, J. Effective Coaching. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishers, 1999.

Crow, Gary M. & Matthews, Joseph L. Finding One’s Way: How Mentoring Can Lead to Dynamic Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press Inc., 1998.

Davis, Ron Lee. Mentoring: The Strategy of the Master, Thomas Nelson Pub., l991.

Dunne, Tad. Spiritual Mentoring, San Francisco: Harper Publishers, 1991, 200p.

Galbraith, Michael W. & Cohen, Norman H. Mentoring: New Strategies and Challenges, New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, Number 66, Summer, 1995; San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.

Hargrove, Robert. Masterful Coaching, Toronto: Pfeiffer & co., 1995.

Hendricks, Howard & Henricks William. As Iron Sharpens Iron: Building Character in A Mentoring Relationship. Chicago: Moody Press, l995.

Jones, Timothy K. Mentor-Friend: Building Friendships that Point To God, Lion Publishing, l991.

Kraft, Vickie. Women Mentoring Women, Chicago: Moody Press, 1992, 169p.

Krallmann, Gunter. Mentoring for Mission, Hong Kong: Jensco Ltd., l992.

Leatherman, Dick. Quality Leadership Through Empowerment, HRD Press, l992.

Longnecker, Harold. Growing Leaders By Design, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Resources, 1995.

(Mentoring articles: issue devoted to) Church Administration: vol. 38, No. 3, December 1995.

Murray, Margo. Beyond the Myths and Magic of Mentoring San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc. 1991.

Sellner, Edward C. Mentoring: The Ministry of Spiritual Kinship, Ava Maria Press, l990.

Smallbones, Jackie L. “Spiritual Director, Mentor, and Christian Educator”, Christian Education Journal, Vol. 16, No.1, Autumn 1995, p.37.

Stanley, Paul D. & Clinton, J. Robert, Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need to Succeed in Life, Navpress, 1992.

  
 
   
 
 

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