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FAQs:

What is a Spiritual Mentor?

A spiritual mentor is someone who cares about you and wants the best for you. They know that the most important thing in life is to have a personal relationship with Christ, so they encourage you to invest in this relationship. As a result, you can grow spiritually and become mature in your faith.

What Does A Spiritual Mentor Do?

Here are some things that a spiritual mentor does that we see in the Bible. As you consider mentoring someone who is new to the Christian life, use these principles as guidelines in this important relationship.

1. A Spiritual Mentor Teaches

A spiritual mentor is essentially a teacher. This is less of a “training for a task” type teaching as it is imparting knowledge and jointly discovering answers to questions the new believer has. This teaching should include the basic doctrines of the Bible: God, Jesus, man, sin, salvation, etc. The mentor does not have to be an expert on these topics, but he should be able to answer basic questions or know where to find the answers.

2. A Spiritual Mentor Is An Example

Mentoring a young Christian by spending as much time with them as we can. It may be a schoolmate or co-worker that you are discipling. You already spend several hours a day together. Purposefully use that time to be a godly example.

3. A Spiritual Mentor Prays For The Disciple

The spiritual mentor does not only model the Christian life, he should pray for the student. This is where spiritual battles are won and lost. As Christians we say we believe in the power of prayer, but how often are we engaged in serious prayer for others? We should pray that God would give us a person we can mentor as well as pray for that person through the process. As the mentor teaches the student, he should be praying for the student to understand and continue to have an interest in learning the principles of the Bible.

4. A Spiritual Mentor Encourages Spiritual Growth

Spiritual growth does not happen in a vacuum. We can have all kinds of knowledge, but unless we put it into practice we don’t have any proof of learning.

5. A Spiritual Mentor Trains Them To Train Others

One of the greatest joys of a spiritual mentor is to see his disciple turn around and begin mentoring others.

Do We Need Spiritual Mentors?

A spiritual mentor can offer wise counsel when it comes to some of life’s toughest decisions. As someone who has walked the road before you, a mentor can guide you in the right direction and steer you away from mistakes they previously made. They can prepare you for what is to come and offer advice from a Christian perspective.

What to Expect from Spiritual Mentoring?

Spiritual Mentor Sessions are designed to assist you in bringing to the forefront of your daily living spiritual truths and practices that awaken your inner wisdom and provide for your authentic self to guide you on your path. 

You can expect warm acceptance and professional advice from me as we work together towards your personal needs and objectives. Other services such as Reiki, Spiritual Response Therapy, Intuitive Readings, Spiritual Business Coaching are separate services and may/ may not be recommended during your Spiritual Mentor Session. Spiritual Mentor Sessions are available in-person, via phone and Zoom.

What is the Purpose of God's Mentoring?

Mentoring entails more than merely passing on knowledge about God. It involves showing people how to love and serve God. The concept of mentoring is at least as old as the book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. In the following passage, God provided a biblical format of mentoring within the family to ensure that faith in the one true and living God would be passed from generation to generation.

Why Mentorship is Important in the Bible?

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (New International Version). God uses the mentoring relationship to strengthen the faith of everyone involved. Mentoring also helps people put their faith into action. Lots of people have the desire to live out and share their faith, teach others about Jesus or be a part of a ministry, but they lack the tools to get started. Once mentoring becomes a regular part of your life, your own walk with God will become more dynamic and exciting. Why? Because this is part of God’s plan for how you grow.

What is Spiritual Mentoring?

Spiritual mentoring is largely about modeling a mature Christian life and being there for the student when questions arise. This does not mean that the teacher is perfect, but that he has more knowledge and experience with the Word of God and is seeking to live a victorious Christian life.

Areas of Spiritual Mentoring 

Spiritual mentor sessions are offered in-person, via phone and Zoom. You can opt for a single session or together we can build a mentor program based on your needs and timeframe. 

Which topics interest you? 

1. Crystal use for protection, clearing, manifesting, health, love, relationships, work, and career, travel

2. Pendulums: develop proficient and accurate use; moving beyond yes/no questions 

3. Centering practices: meditation, journaling, appreciation and gratitude practices 

4. Channeling and automatic writing 

5. Energy clearing of your self, your home, property, business, pets, land  

6. House clearing and blessing

7. Crystal grids for protection, clearing, manifesting, health, love, relationships, work/career, and travel

8. Developing daily rituals: integrating spiritual practices such as these into your daily life 

9. Oracle cards and Tarot readings: develop your reading style and personal spreads for daily, weekly, monthly insights

10. Telepathy: reading energy; connecting and communicating with animals, fairies, plants, Beings

11. Archangels and Angels: develop working relationships with the Archangels and Angels 

4 Reasons Why You Need a Spiritual Mentor

Here are four reasons why:

1. Mentors provide insight, information, and wisdom for our lives

A godly mentor is one who will offer life counsel, give outside perspective for decisions, bring a fresh perspective, and will be a sounding board that you can bounce ideas off of. But rather than give their own wisdom, a godly mentor will continually bring you back to the Word of God so you can have God’s perspective and wisdom on your life.

2. Mentors promote spiritual growth through discipleship

Christian mentors encourage and continually point you toward Jesus causing you to spiritually grow faster. They refuse to let you settle and coast. They ask difficult questions so that you are forced to wrestle with truth. Questions such as:=

- are you growing?

- are you reading and studying God’s Word consistently? what are you learning?

- are you spending time in prayer?

- how are the inward attitudes and motives changing?

- are you the same person you were a year ago or are you becoming more like Christ?

3. Mentors preach hard truth lovingly

Christian mentors hold us accountable to godly living. They are willing to speak the truth we need to hear, not just what we want to listen to. Yes, they may get in our faces at times, but it is done in love and with the desire to see us grow in our love and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

4. Mentors practice what they preach and help you do the same

One reason we often seek out a particular mentor is that they have proven consistent in their Christian life. They have gained a grip on Christian living, are walking in victory, and can help us do the same. We desire someone who is continually growing, learning, and becoming more like Christ. Mentors aren’t perfect, but they are maturing in their faith, dependency, surrender, and life with God.

Benefits of Having a Spiritual Mentor

As you seek to grow in your spiritual walk with Christ, there are many benefits to having a mentor along the way. When life seems confusing and the road is tough, having someone there to encourage you from a Christian perspective can help you to keep your focus on God. Here are just some of the many benefits that come with having a spiritual mentor:

Affirmation and Encouragement

As humans, we desire to receive affirmation and be encouraged. A spiritual mentor can be someone who believes in you, despite your shortcomings. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” In life, there are ups and downs. When you are at a low point, a mentor can remind you of your value in Christ and encourage you to keep going.

Role Model

A spiritual mentor leads by example. They realize it is not necessarily the words they say, but it is their actions that speak the loudest. They seek to honor God in the choices they make on a daily basis, and this provides guidance for those they mentor and encourages them to do the same.

Accountability

Unfortunately, it can be easy to fall into sin and lose sight of your relationship with Christ. A spiritual mentor can be someone who is honest with you and tells you when you need to turn your focus back to God. As a result, they can keep you from continuing in a life of sin and encourage you to live in a way that is honorable to God.

Advice

A spiritual mentor can offer wise counsel when it comes to some of life’s toughest decisions. As someone who has walked the road before you, a mentor can guide you in the right direction and steer you away from mistakes they previously made. They can prepare you for what is to come and offer advice from a Christian perspective.

Listening Ear

We all need someone who listens to us and shows support. A spiritual mentor does not necessarily speak into your life all of the time. They realize that sometimes, you just need someone to listen without judgment. They show understanding because they have most likely experienced similar things, and they are there for you during both good and bad times.

Spiritual Growth

A spiritual mentor is someone who cares about you and wants the best for you. They know that the most important thing in life is to have a personal relationship with Christ, so they encourage you to invest in this relationship. As a result, you can grow spiritually and become mature in your faith.

How to Ask Someone to be Your Spiritual Mentor

Your spiritual mentor is meant to find you on your path towards ascension, so asking them should be no problem.

If they are meant for you they will guide you. If they are not meant for you then they will not.

1. Be genuine in your intentions

A truly enlightened master will know when a spiritual seeker is genuine in their intention to follow the spiritual path. Come with the right intention to find a true guide and be open to whatever unfolds.

2. Be persistent

If a guru turns you away, this doesn’t mean all is lost. In fact, this is a good sign that they are a true guru. This could possibly be a test. Don’t be afraid to ask for their guidance more than once. Trust with good faith that they will help you eventually if it’s meant to be.

10 Tips on How to Mentor Someone Spiritually

Yes, there are places you can go to get Spiritual mentor training, and if you want to go deeper. But the truth is, anyone can start mentoring.  All that is required is a calling from God (which He gave every mature believer) and a willingness to serve.

Preceding Your Meeting

1. Keep your own relationship with God fresh and vital.

2. Spend time in prayer.

During Your Meeting

3. Ask good open-ended questions.

4. Be a good listener who’s focused on God and the person you are mentoring.

5. Share your God stories and the power of God working in your life.

6. Be an encourager who supports, nurtures, and celebrates the young person’s uniqueness and potential in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Concluding Your Mentoring Meeting

7. After the first meeting I suggest making a 4-week commitment to dig into a short book of the Bible to discuss and apply to your life.

8. Plan to meet for one hour.

9. Set boundaries on the first meeting for the mentoring relationship. Psalm 16:6

10. Always allow enough time to conclude your meeting with prayer over your mentoring friend. Matthew 18:19-20

Responsibilities of a Spiritual Mentor

1. Listens

They offer hospitable space for us to speak and be heard. We often do not fully know our thoughts, experiences, questions, or unresolved issues until we have had a chance to put them into words before an attentive and receptive ear. A spiritual mentor can listen until they have clarity, then help us to articulate our thoughts, feelings, questions, and experiences in relation to God.

2. Helps you hear God

The ways of the Spirit in our lives can be subtle and not always self-evident to us. They can get hidden in the midst of ordinary life events and relationships. A spiritual mentor can help us to see and pay attention to signs of grace and to listen to God’s “still small voice.” A mentor can also direct our attention to the dynamics of the heart so we can become more aware of how God speaks to us through it.

3. Helps you respond to God with increasing freedom.

When we notice that God is present with us by his guidance, provision, and challenge, we are faced with decisions and choices about how we will respond. God’s presence and provision provide comfort which elicits our praise and gratitude. At the same time, God faces us with the deep realities in our lives, calling us to change. Out of these encounters God calls us to a new sense of purpose and mission in life, and a spiritual mentor can help us to respond in loving obedience.

4. Points you to practical disciplines of spiritual growth

Most of us could use some guidance on ways of prayer that attune us to God’s presence. We may need suggestions on what to study in the Bible and tips on keeping a journal. A mentor can also help to keep us accountable to the disciplines we have committed ourselves to.

5. Loves you and prays for you

The love a spiritual mentor has for us is always mediated by the love of Christ in prayer.

6. Must be trustworthy

A spiritual mentor must be trustworthy and attuned to the presence and movement of the Holy Spirit rather than to mere personal wisdom. Kenneth Leech says, “The greatest spiritual guides have been men and women of prayer and quiet, people possessed by an inner stillness of soul, people who are able to guide others because of their own closeness to God.”

10 Things to Consider When Choosing a Spiritual Mentor

Spiritual mentors are not perfect people. They do not have to be without faults. They do not have to be elders or ordained members of a community. But they should surpass you in spiritual maturity and challenge you in your growth. They should be warm, loving, authentic, encouraging, and approachable.  They should also be accessible and willing to provide mentorship. There are many things you can consider when choosing a mentor. Depending on your personal beliefs and values, there may be specific areas that are of most concern to you. Here are a few things to get you started.

1. DO THEIR BELIEFS AND VALUES COMPLIMENT AND CHALLENGE YOURS?

 What are their beliefs about spirituality? Religion? Church? Culture? Politics? Are these beliefs similar to yours? Your spiritual mentor does not have to have the exact views and beliefs as you, but there should be similar core values and their beliefs should positively challenge you to think critically about your own.

2. DO THEY EXHIBIT HUMILITY?

Being able to admit wrongdoing, ignorance, shortcomings, or that their accomplishments are not theirs alone, is important. It is also important that a spiritual mentor views humility as an essential strength, not burdensome weakness.

3. DOES THEIR LIFE REFLECT A MATURE RELATIONSHIP WITH PERSONAL CHALLENGES AND HARDSHIPS?

This does not mean that they do not experience hardships, breakdowns, or make mistakes, or that they are “positive” all the time. It does mean that ultimately they view challenges in life as important defining moments. It also means they are able to recover, heal and learn from challenges. Overall they live a life defined by assurance, not persistent spiritual suffering.

4. DO THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY ARE APART OF?

Is their home, job, church, neighborhood, or organization better because they are there, and are they concerned about the condition of these communities? Vertical spiritual wellness should reflect horizontally, and vice versa. Apathy and disconnect from suffering around them suggests a lack of understanding of our interrelatedness and the significance of justice and balance in the universe.

5. DO THEY HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF SELF-WORTH AND INTEGRITY?

One of the biggest challenges in society, especially for Black people, is we are constantly confronted with the idea that we are not enough. This leaves us constantly looking outside ourselves for validation and leaves us dependent on the external world for direction on who we should be. A good spiritual mentor should know who they are and who they are becoming, and should strive to be that person, regardless of the actions of others or the situation.

6. DO THEY HAVE A SPIRITUAL MENTOR THEMSELVES?

This is important to ensure that they are getting fed and have support in continuing to grow in their spiritual wellness. Spirituality is about process, not outcomes. A potential mentor that doesn't have mentors themselves might erroneously believe that they have "arrived".

7. DO THEY SPEND THEIR TIME ON THINGS THAT GROW AND SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS, OR ON THINGS THAT ARE DEPLETING?

Time is the one thing that we can never get back or acquire more of. Once a second is gone, it is gone. Does the person spend hours on Facebook criticizing others or in their community supporting others? How a potential spiritual mentor spends their time, reflects what they value, and how they will spend their time with you.

8. ARE THEY ALWAYS LOOKING OUTSIDE THEMSELVES FOR ANSWERS OR DIRECTION?

A potential spiritual mentor should be mature in their ability to trust what is within them and to utilize wisdom to make decisions and navigate their life. This does not mean they never seek guidance or support from others, but constant self-doubt and need for reassurance from others is a sign they might struggle in mentoring you.

9. CAN YOU SEE THEIR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES?

This might look like fasting, prayer, use of an altar, yoga practice, meditation, church involvement, engagement with sacred text, divination practice, nature walks, offerings etc. Whatever it is, there should be multiple forms, they should be clearly present, regularly practiced, and an integrated part of their lives.

10. DO THEY ALREADY SUPPORT YOU IN GAINING GREATER KNOWLEDGE OF SELF AND GROWING CLOSER TO TRUTH?

Remember, spiritual mentors are not perfect people and regardless of your answers to the questions on this list, you must be spiritually led to who is best fit to give you guidance. Sometimes the most obvious question is the most important one.

How to Find a Spiritual Mentor

Here are some ways to find a spiritual mentor:

1. Visiting Spiritual Centers

If you want to find the most spiritually awakened people, you need to go to where they tend to gather. Find local spiritual centers such as Zen monasteries & temples, Hindu temples, and Spiritual retreat centers. Every major city has at least one ISKCON temple or Buddhist temple. Use google maps to find one near you. You can find a guru in just about any religious or spiritual tradition, so don’t be afraid to check out several different spiritual centers.

2. Through Spiritually Minded Friends

The best and most reliable way to find a spiritual mentor is through people you know personally. If you have friends or family who are on the spiritual path they may have already done the hard work of finding a guru for you. This method usually bypasses any fake spiritual teachers, since your friends can vouch for their credibility. Check in with people in your life who seem to be awakened or have an elevated consciousness. Chances are they may have a guide. Ask for their mentors contact info or if they’re taking on new students.

3. Social Media and Online Content

A lot of younger awakened mentors in their 20’s and 30’s have their services posted on social media. You can find these people speaking their truth on YouTube, Instagram, and Blogs.

4. Patience and Real World Searching

The truth of the matter is that truly enlightened teachers aren’t advertising their services on social media. A lot of them are so awakened to the truth of reality that they don’t care about making money or actively teaching others. They may be at such a high level of consciousness that they are perfectly at peace exactly where they are.

But these are the most knowledgeable people you could find and would do the most good for your personal development. Unfortunately these are the most rare and hard to find teachers. There is a blind luck factor to finding these types of people. Finding these types of awakened mentors is to keep pursuing your own spiritual development on your own. As you work on yourself and dive into this side of reality you will eventually stumble upon awakened people and communities. Keep searching and pursuing even when you feel you’ve hit a wall, you could be inches away from awakening and not even know it.

5 Signs You’ve Found the Right Spiritual Mentor

Here are 5 signs you’ve found the right spiritual mentor:

1. The spiritual mentor has a clear and coherent spiritual message that resonates with you.

2. You feel comfortable with the spiritual mentor’s teaching philosophy, methods, and beliefs.

3. The spiritual mentor is willing to answer questions about their teachings in detail.

4. They are patient and have an inclusive approach when introducing new people to spiritual practices or beliefs.

5. There is mutual respect between you and the spiritual mentor; they don’t pressure you into accepting certain ideas or try to impose their beliefs on you.

Finding the right spiritual mentor is about creating a safe space for self-discovery and growth. It’s important to ensure that you feel safe and secure while exploring your innermost thoughts, feelings, and beliefs to foster a trusting relationship that will lead toward personal transformation.

7 Questions to Ask Your Spiritual Mentor

Here are 7 questions to ask your spiritual mentor:

1. What spiritual disciplines do you connect with most?

“Spiritual disciplines” sounds intimidating, but they’re just the spiritual habits we form to connect with God. Prayer, reading the Bible, fasting, and giving money are all spiritual disciplines, and God meets everyone uniquely through those things. Asking your mentor the unique ways that she encounters God on a regular basis can give you encouragement and a broader perspective of how God works in His world.

2. What does your prayer life look like at its best?

Hearing about other people’s moments of meeting with Jesus to be inspiring and encouraging in their own pursuit of meeting with Him. She might have a great story to tell about how God changed her life through prayer—and how He might change yours.

3. How do you deal when you’re angry at God?

Get gritty. Life is rarely as glossy as we want it to be, and we get frustrated with God when things aren’t going as planned. How we handle our frustrations, anger, guilt, and fear with God is crucial to our spiritual walk. Ask your mentor for help here. If she’s human, she’s been angry at God. She might have some verses or prayers to offer you as a starting place. 

4. What keeps you focused on Jesus? 

Lordy, am I distracted 99% of the time! It’s just plain human nature to drift towards the comfortable easy things, made worse by our phones and social media and demands of life. You need all the help and support you can get to stay rooted in and focused on Christ. Asking your mentor how she says connected will give you new ideas, encouragement, and accountability.

5. What ways do you see the enemy show up in your life? How about in mine?

Friend, you are fighting a spiritual battle every day, whether you pay attention to it or not. The war gets easier when we at least know we’re in it, so wake up to how the enemy attacks you daily. The enemy is wickedly smart and tailors his volleys to each of us to keep us away from God and away from confidence in our ability to fight him with God. Just by naming the ways you see his lies and divisions in your life you’ve started to fight back. Your mentor has probably seen a thing or two, and if she is discerning, she might be able to help you see the things in your life, as well. Pray together for a strong and discerning week.

6. Will you keep me accountable for this? Can we do it together?

Growth. Never. Happens. Alone! The enemy’s #1 tool to keeping you where you are is to make you think you’re in it alone—a mentor can be a fantastic person to open about your spiritual growth goals with. In fact, they might be on a similar walk as you, and you can be in it together. Try memorizing a long passage of Scripture or meditating on a promise of God every day for a week.

7. How can I pray for you?

Contrary to popular belief, mentorship isn’t something you just show up to, take all their wisdom, and peace the heck out. Likely, you’ll have just as much investment in the life and heart of your mentor as she has in you. Even if lots of your coffee chats focus on you and your needs, always remember to ask them how you can pray for them. Genuinely bringing requests to God in prayer for another person is the best gift you can give them, and will bring you closer as mentor/mentee and sisters in Christ.

Sources:

GCU

Deeper Christian

What Christians Want To Know

Grace Being

Newer Negroes

Nurture Your Spirit

Victoria Greenwald

Jayme Hull

Clear Intuition

Biblical Counseling Center

Prison Fellowship

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