Sunday, 6 May 2012

MISSIONAL MENTORING/MAKING DISCIPLES - CONCLUSION


Missional Mentoring Concluding Chapter

How will this Study be Applied?

Introduction

One of the most important aspects of the research and analysis is what difference it makes. I have produced  guidelines for mentees and mentors[1] which are based on guidelines originally produced for a evangelical church in Scotland. It is envisaged these new guidelines could be helpful in other UK church contexts and wherever people are seeking to implement missional mentoring.

Another important application of this research is in the way it informs current and future mentoring relationships. I conclude this focus on application with a brief look at personal mentoring and how far missional mentoring might be taken.

The Challenges of Introducing Missional Mentoring

Giving teaching to those already familiar with other models of mentoring, spiritual direction or coaching may encounter resistance, particularly amongst those who have had very positive relationships of a different nature. Questions may be raised about why this kind of mentoring is necessary. There will be a need when presenting missional mentoring to explain the potential weaknesses of current models and the necessity of engaging seriously in mission of a holistic nature. The potential stumbling blocks are numerous. One significant one is that it is possible that few potential mentors will feel they can be the kind of missionary disciples required to set a good example to their mentees. Another significant issue is the cost in terms of time and effort that effective missional mentoring requires from both mentor and mentee.

How Far can Missional Mentoring be Taken?

How might missional mentoring be incorporated into church life? Introducing mentoring to existing churches might take the form of discussions with leaders, teaching seminars and focus groups but what might be done in a pioneer situation? What would a new church plant look like with missional mentoring at its core? The pioneer church planter(s) would need to be mentored themselves if they were to genuinely model the kind of discipling needed. In doing this a number of questions would present themselves. Would mentoring be obligatory for those who wanted to belong to the new church, whatever their spiritual state?  Or would it be obligatory only for those who took on responsibilities within the church?  How would the church cope with providing sufficient mentors for new believers? It may well be seen as a potential brake on growth even if leaders mentored new believers/comers in groups because of the big time investment needed. This may not be a negative; some would suggest it may be better to develop the church slowly but more strongly with people who are committed to their mentoring relationships.

Other significant questions present themselves whatever the church context. Are all believers capable of mentoring others? My research does not touch on this important issue but it is clearly one that needs examining particularly in a context where all members are advised or encouraged to get a mentor. This is also important from the point of view of aiming to train a mentee to mentor another.

What level of training and/or experience is sufficient for people before they can mentor others? What happens with those, particularly young believers who need much more than mentoring to help them grow? They may for example need significant counselling, or some kind of therapy just to survive, this may not be available. In this case should mentoring go ahead? Are their some Christians who are not ready or suitable to be mentored or need a special kind of person to mentor them? How much time if any should a church leader focus on mentoring?  What would a church look like where much of a leader’s time is taken up with mentoring a few others?   
Another important question as far as introducing mentoring to an established church concerns the barriers that may need to be overcome. Some have suggested many potential mentors struggle with a lack of confidence about becoming a mentor that holds them back from volunteering.  Another important question is, who initiates the mentoring relationship? Should the church help by facilitating people getting together? These are all important questions some of which will need to be addressed as attempts are made to implement missional mentoring in the local church.

Thee explosion in interest in mentoring and related disciplines has led to a plethora of definitions and points of view on how mentoring might be used to help Christians and their local churches. Linked to this there have been various attempts at biblical justifications for certain models of mentoring. In this monograph, mentoring is presented as one means of discipling either individually or in small groups. This discipling model draws heavily from the examples of Jesus and the Apostle Paul who were not only missionaries par excellence but trained others to be effective missionary disciples. This missional mentoring should be seen as both strongly biblical and crucial for the church in the UK that is facing an unprecedented missional challenge. This is illustrated by the steep fall in church attendance (more than 60% in 20 years) of those in their twenties.[2] In this monograph mentoring practice has been surveyed at one large church in Scotland where mission is their highest priority. This is to discover how much mentoring may be contributing to the production of effective missionary disciples. As part of this analysis, the church mentoring guidelines and other literature on the subject were examined from a theological and missiological perspective. 

The Research and Mentoring Literature

What is clear from the results of the survey is that both mentors and mentees were very positive about the contributions mentoring was making to their lives. They all named a number of ways in which they felt their own lives were helped, encouraged or positively challenged. What is clear is that the relationships did, according to mentees and mentors, fit the model of mentoring depicted in the church guidelines on mentoring closely. This is no surprise as it is a model found in much popular mentoring literature.[3] It is evident from the mentors and mentees I interviewed that the mentoring relationships represented were close and supportive with high levels of mutual trust. They are helping significantly both mentees and mentors in a number of areas of life and faith. They seem to be good examples of what I term the ‘traditional’ model of individual mentoring conducted by more mature Christians towards those younger in the faith.

From the gospel narratives it is clear Jesus mentored his disciples in groups. However what many authors of mentoring literature have failed to see is that the Apostle Paul is also likely to have mentored significantly in groups[4] and that even his letters to individuals were written with a wider audience in mind. The assumption then that mentoring should always be one to one is very difficult to justify from Jesus’ and Paul’s example. The vast majority of writers on mentoring assume mentoring is individual by definition[5] rather than to be done in a group and yet often use Jesus and Paul as examples of best practice. This is probably an indication of an individualistic western mindset and is certainly a cause for concern with regard to accurate interpretation of the Scriptures in this regard.

As some of the authors[6] on discipleship have suggested, a small group may actually be one of the best ways of training disciples due to the added dynamic of interaction between group members. What is vital for any such mentoring group is that there is openness,[7] accountability and a readiness of each member to help the others in the group become more effective missionary disciples. Practical considerations may make individual mentoring more suitable in many cases but it would be a mistake to exclude group mentoring as an alternative.  

One of the most significant weaknesses present in much of the literature on mentoring is a lack of a clear goal or goals for the mentoring relationship. This omission of a goal or apparent lack of clarity about the purpose of the relationship can make it more difficult to measure progress or evaluate effectiveness. It may also lead to reduced commitment as the participants begin to question the point of spending time and effort together.

Speaking of Christian leaders he mentors, Rick Lewis says, “Because they want to make real progress, they desire a purposeful relationship that keeps the overall objective clearly in view and spurs them on to develop in every area of life according to God’s agenda.”[8]  .

Many the mentors are aware of the importance of setting a good example to their mentee. What they may not be fully aware of is how strong a biblical theme setting an example is. What is also of note is that Jesus and the apostle Paul consciously taught and modelled humble service, self denial, and sacrificial missionary outreach which mentors and mentees also need to commit themselves to emulating.

Final Conclusion

If the church in the UK is to adequately address the missional challenges it faces there is a great need for effective discipleship training. One important part of this is through individual and group mentoring. This discipling needs clarity of thinking with regard to its purpose and focus as well as regular evaluation of each relationship. The revised guidelines below are tentatively offered as a first step towards promoting reflection on an alternative missional mentoring model. These guidelines call for mentors to commit themselves not only to produce effective missionary disciples of their mentees but to be the kind of self denying, self sacrificing  missionary disciples who are examples worth emulating. 


New Guidelines Brochure
Mentoring –a short guide for Mentees
Introduction
Here at ....church we want to help people grow closer to Jesus. Mentoring is a powerful friendship where through encouragement and support and through holding each other to account we can become more effective missionary disciples. This means following Jesus example in showing compassion for outsiders as well as believers, meeting physical as well as spiritual needs, and doing good as he commanded. 
The minimum number for a mentoring relationship is three persons! With Jesus at the Centre! Mentoring should be outward looking, helping us become better at living out our faith in our everyday lives. Mentoring is about encouraging each other to know God intimately (looking up) and building community (looking in) and is vital in helping us share Him relevantly (looking out)! One of the best ways we can spur each other on to do this is through mentoring or personal discipleship one to one or in small groups. God uses significant relationships to draw people closer to Himself! Here’s why:
In Matt 28:19 Jesus says: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Jesus’ strategy for reaching the world was to reach a small group first in a close, relational way.  As He helped them to grow, they in turn were to help others.  He chose 12 disciples to share His life with, and even within that group he had three men he was closer to.
The apostle Paul also spent a great deal of his ministry teaching and training up others usually in small groups– Timothy,  Titus,  Silas and others – so that they could become the ones to teach others.  He calls Timothy ‘my true son in the faith’ and his example to the believers in Thessalonica was not just about sharing the Gospel, but about having authentic relationships that spurred one another on to live for God (I Thess 2:8).
Jesus and Paul consciously set an example of sacrificial and humble servant leadership that they asked their disciples or mentees to emulate. (Jn 13:14-15, 1 Thes 1:6-7) 
The New Testament is full of ‘one another’ and ‘together’ passages, showing our need of others to help us grow. 
What is Discipleship?
According to the Bible discipleship is about learning and growing in our relationship with Jesus.  It is about serving God in his world through humble self sacrifice (Luke 9:23) and joyfully ministering to those around us. Mentoring is about helping that process. A close relationship with another Christian(s) who commits him or herself to help us grow is a very powerful thing.
Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together… but let us encourage one another.” Heb 10:24, 25
Teach these great truths to worthy people who are able to pass them on to others.” 2 Timothy 2:2
Our aim in mentoring is to encourage you to know God better, to follow Jesus with commitment and passion, and to be guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit that you might be a true missionary disciple of Jesus.  Ultimately, the aim is that you will become a mentor and disciple others as well as being mentored!  (Matt 28:18-20)
How can Mentoring help you?
Here are some ways we hope and pray that God will use mentoring relationships:
Mission – we all, at times, need encouragement, advice or help as we seek to be Jesus in word and deed to all who don’t know him
Spiritual growth – we are seeking to continually grow as a disciple of Jesus
Accountability – a safe place to share our struggles and failures with one another, encouraging one another to keep going (James 5:16); only share what you feel happy to with your mentor  
Wisdom and perspective from someone who is committed to us
Security and affirmation – strong relationships can remind us that we are not alone and that others share similar problems and want to encourage us

What is required of a mentee?
A growing love for and commitment to Jesus (John 14:21) and a desire to learn and receive frequently from the Bible and apply it to your life (2 Timothy 3:16,17)
A love for others both Christians John 13:34 and unbelievers Luke 10:27
A commitment to set aside time and energy for the mentoring relationship and to pray for your mentor or group
A readiness to set a good example of an effective missionary disciple
A willingness to admit failure and weakness and be honest about temptation and sin, but seek God’s help to overcome!

What does Mentoring involve?
Recommendations
The best way to start is to find someone of the same sex as you who you would like to be mentored by (or join a mentoring group). This person will normally be a more mature Christian unless you have been a growing Christian for some years in which case someone of similar maturity may enter a mutually accountable relationship. Ideally this will be someone who has had experience and or training in mentoring. It is important that all formal mentoring relationships are disclosed (to church leaders) to aid accountability and that mentors themselves are aware of church guidelines concerning mentoring.
Practical arrangements
Some people meet weekly, others meet fortnightly, others less often at a location of their choice. The important thing is that both parties are committed to meeting regularly.  At the beginning of the relationship, discuss expectations and any specific goals in line with the overall aim of becoming a more effective missionary disciple.  It is important that you regularly review the relationship. If you have any concerns about the relationship, talk about it, if possible with your mentor, if not with one of the church leaders.  You can always end the relationship at any time.
Learning and Growing
You will need to decide with your mentor what would be most beneficial for you to do together, depending on your needs. Some options might include:
·                     doing a Bible study
·                     doing fun activities, enjoying each other’s hospitality
·                     reading an inspiring Christian book together and discussing it
·                     focusing on a particular aspect of your life (e.g. witness, relationships, being a Christian at work...)
·                     doing some kind of ministry together
·                     prayerful reflection on life experiences
·                     prayer of all kinds

Recommended books on Discipleship and Mentoring and Mission
Mentoring Matters, Rick Lewis
Mentoring for Mission, G Krallmann  
Mission Shaped Evangelism, Steve Hollinghurst
Right Here Right Now- Everyday Mission for Everyday People, Alan Hirsch

These guidelines (based on guidelines produced by the church see Appendix 3) were written by Giles Knight, July 2011


Mentoring –a Short Guide for Mentors
Introduction
Here at ....Church we want to help people grow closer to Jesus. Mentoring is a powerful friendship where through encouragement and support and through holding each other to account we can become more effective missionary disciples. This means following Jesus example in showing compassion for outsiders as well as believers, meeting physical as well as spiritual needs, and doing good as he commanded. 
The minimum number for a mentoring relationship is three persons! With Jesus at the Centre! Mentoring should be outward looking, helping us become better at living out our faith in our everyday lives. Mentoring is about encouraging each other to know God intimately (looking up) and building community (looking in) and is vital in helping us share Him relevantly (looking out)! One of the best ways we can spur each other on to do this is through mentoring or personal discipleship one to one or in small groups. God uses significant relationships to draw people closer to Himself! Here’s why:
In Matt 28:19 Jesus says: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Jesus’ strategy for reaching the world was to reach a small group first in a close, relational way.  As He helped them to grow, they in turn were to help others.  He chose 12 disciples to share His life with, and even within that group he had three men he was closer to.
The apostle Paul also spent a great deal of his ministry teaching and training up others usually in small groups– Timothy,  Titus,  Silas and others – so that they could become the ones to teach others.  He calls Timothy ‘my true son in the faith’ and his example to the believers in Thessalonica was not just about sharing the Gospel, but about having authentic relationships that spurred one another on to live for God (I Thess 2:8).
Jesus and Paul consciously set an example of sacrificial and humble servant leadership that they asked their disciples or mentees to emulate. (Jn 13:14-15, 1 Thes 1:6-7) 
The New Testament is full of ‘one another’ and ‘together’ passages, showing our need of each other to help us grow. 
What is Discipleship?
According to the Bible discipleship is about learning and growing in our relationship with Jesus.  It is about serving God in his world through humble self sacrifice (Luke 9:23) and joyfully ministering to those around us. Mentoring is about helping that process. A close relationship with another Christian(s) for the purpose of helping each other grow is a very powerful thing.
Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together… but let us encourage one another.” Heb 10:24, 25
Teach these great truths to worthy people who are able to pass them on to others.” 2 Timothy 2:2
Our aim in mentoring is to encourage the mentee to know God better, to follow Jesus with commitment and passion, and to be guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit that they might be a true missionary disciple of Jesus.  Ultimately, the aim is that they will become a mentor and disciple others as well as being mentored!  (Matthew 28:18-20)
How can mentoring help?
Here are some ways we hope and pray that God will use mentoring relationships:
Mission – we all, at times, need encouragement, advice or help as we seek to be Jesus in word and deed to all who don’t know him
Spiritual growth – we are seeking to continually grow as a disciple of Jesus
Accountability – a safe place to share our struggles and failures with one another, encouraging one another to keep going (James 5:16); Make sure a person gives permission for you to hold them to account in a particular area of their life so there are no misunderstandings.
Encouragement and challenge– like Paul encouraged Timothy to ‘fight the good fight’, we want to challenge others to be their best for God
Wisdom and perspective from God’s word and our experience in the context of loving commitment to our mentee (s)
Requirements of a Mentor
There is a temptation to think that we have to be a certain type of person to be a mentor, or have our life/ theology all sorted – not true! God can use anyone willing to humbly serve Him and others. Here are a few basic requirements:
A love for and commitment to Jesus John 14:21
The best gift we can give others is our own relationship with God. We don’t need to have all the answers but we need to be learning and growing. Our love is shown, not least, in learning and receiving frequently from his Word and applying it to our lives (2 Timothy 3:16,17), as well as in our prayer life.
A love for others both Christians John 13:34 and unbelievers Luke 10:27
An unselfish commitment to the mentee; to set aside time and energy for the mentoring relationship and to pray for your mentee(s)
A commitment to listen well to the mentee and to what the Holy Spirit is saying
A readiness to set a good example of an effective missionary disciple
A willingness to admit failure and weakness and be honest about temptation and sin
What does Mentoring involve?
Recommendations
All mentors should themselves have a mentor as a good example to their mentee. This also gives a helpful level of accountability.
Practical arrangements
Some people meet weekly, others meet fortnightly, others less often at a location of their choice. The important thing is that both parties are committed to meeting regularly.  At the beginning of the relationship, discuss your hopes, expectations and any specific goals in line with the overall aim of becoming a more effective missionary disciple.  It is important that you regularly review the relationship to assess how the relationship is progressing and allow for the person or people being mentored to end the relationship at any point, in peace.
Learning and Growing
Depending on where the person you are mentoring is in their faith, you will need to decide together what would be most beneficial for you to do. Some options might include:
·                     doing a Bible study
·                     doing fun activities, enjoying each other’s hospitality
·                     reading an inspiring Christian book together and discussing it
·                     focusing on a particular aspect of life as a believer e.g. witness, relationships, being a Christian at work
·                     doing some kind of ministry together
·                     reflecting on life experiences with the help of the Holy Spirit, there may be few opportunities to reflect on our busy lives –let’s use this one

Prayer
Commit to pray regularly for and with each other.  Be aware that prayer often gets squeezed out and we don’t leave enough time to pray. Chat about how you will do this – are you both comfortable enough praying in the café, or would it be better to go to somewhere more private, or perhaps pray together as you go for a walk? Don’t always just pray for personal issues and the church. It is a sign of a healthy relationship to pray for the wider world! 
Caring
We need to make a conscious effort to ask about and actively listen to the person we are mentoring.  Asking, listening, praying, supporting, and offering practical help if appropriate will help the person feel loved and valued.


Friendship
Enjoy each other! 1 Thessalonians 2:8 reminds us that it’s not just the Gospel that we share with people, but our LIVES as well. Once in a while why not go shopping together,  play a game,  go for a walk,  go out for dinner,  go to the cinema, wash the car, whatever - just do life together.
Support for Mentors
If you have any concerns about the relationship, if problems come up that you are not qualified or experienced to deal with or if you find the relationship isn’t working out for whatever reason talk to a mature Christian.  Prayer, on-going support and further training should be made available for mentors. 
Statement of Commitment
All mentors should consider and agree to the following statement.
 As mentors and disciples of Jesus we recognise our responsibility to strive wholeheartedly to live holy and blameless lives. We willingly deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Christ. We endeavour to be effective missionary disciples seeking to seize every opportunity in word and deed to express the love of Jesus to all.  We seek to be such good examples that we might say with integrity follow me as I follow Christ. We pray that we might humbly serve God’s world, his church and especially our mentees by loving them, nurturing them, challenging them and holding them to account that they might grow in Christ.

Discipleship Resources
On Discipleship/ Mentoring...
Mentoring Matters, Rick Lewis
Mentoring for Mission, Gunter Krallmann
Mission Shaped Evangelism, Steve Hollinghurst
Right Here Right Now- Everyday Mission for Everyday People, Alan Hirsch
For possible use when you meet up…
The Bible!
Essential 100, Whitney Kuniholm (Your Journey through the Bible in 100 readings)
Mission Shaped Evangelism, Steve Hollinghurst (Culturally sensitive approaches)
Right Here Right Now- Everyday Mission for Everyday People, Alan Hirsch
Out of the Saltshaker, Rebecca Manley Pippert (why we share our faith)
Making Life Work, Bill Hybels (good for addressing all areas of life)
Inside Out, Larry Crabb (good for those who want to dig deep and bring change in their life)
Prayer, Philip Yancey (good for addressing questions about prayer)
Heavenly Man, Brother Yun & Paul Hattaway (Inspirational)
Or anything else which would feed your souls and minds as you grow in faith and understanding.

Some good questions you could ask from time to time which will aid accountability…

-     What has God been saying to you through his word?
-     What encouraged you most last week?
-     How are your relationships with people at work, home and church?
-     How are your close relationships?
-     What mistakes have you made and how have you handled them?
-     What opportunities have you had to share your faith and how did you use them?
-     What do you need to do to be a more effective missionary disciple?
-     What did you watch and read last week? How is your thought life?
-     What can I be praying for in the coming week?
-     Is your life a good example to those around you? If not what are you going to do about it?

These guidelines (based on guidelines produced by the church see Appendix 3) were written by Giles Knight, July 2011

Bibliography

Anderson, K. & Reese R., Spiritual Mentoring: A Guide for Seeking and Giving Direction (Guildford: IPS, 2000)

Augsburger,    D., Dissident Discipleship: A Spirituality of Self Surrender, Love of God, and Love of Neighbour (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2006)

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Biehl, B., Mentoring: Confidence in Finding a Mentor and Becoming One (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996)

Bosch, D. J., Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission (New York: Orbis Books, 1991)

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Campbell, J. R., Mentor Like Jesus (Nashville: B & H Publishing, 2009)

Carlson, D. (ed.), South African Handbook on Mentoring (African Ministry Resources: Weltevreden Park, 2005)

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Coleman, R. E., The Master Plan of Evangelism (Grand Rapids: Revell, 1993)

Collins, G. R., Christian Coaching: Helping Others Turn Potential into Reality (Colorado Springs: NAVPRESS, 2002)

Collinson, S. W., Making Disciples: The Significance of Jesus’ Educational Methods for Today’s Church (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 2004)

Copan, V. A., Saint Paul as Spiritual Director: An Analysis of the Concept of the Imitation of Paul with Implications and Applications to the Practice of Spiritual Direction (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2007)

Crabb, L. & Allender, D. B., Encouragement: The Key to Caring (New Malden:  Navigators, 1987)

Creps, E., Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006)

, Reverse Mentoring: How Young Leaders Can Transform the Church and Why We Should Let Them (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008)

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Egan, G., The Skilled Helper: A Problem Management and Opportunity Development Approach to Helping (Belmont: Brooks/Cole, 2010)

Engstrom, T. W., The Fine Art of Mentoring: Passing On to Others What God has Given to You (Eugene: Resource Publications, 2005)

Fryling, A., Disciplemakers’ Handbook: Helping People Grow in Christ  (Leicester: IVP, 1990)

Garvey, R., Stokes  P. & Megginson, D., Coaching and Mentoring (London: Sage Publications, 2009)

Green, M., The Message of Matthew (Leicester: IVP, 2000)

Green, M., & Cotterell T., (eds.) Let My People Grow: Making Disciples Who Make a Difference in Today’s World (Milton Keynes: Authentic Media, 2006)

Hamilton, R., Mentoring: A Practical Guide to the Skills of Mentoring (London:  The Industrial Society, 1993)

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Hendricks, H. G. & W.D., As Iron Sharpens Iron: Building Character in a Mentoring Relationship (Chicago: Moody, 1995)

Hopkins, B., & Hedley, F., Coaching for Missional Leadership: Growing and Supporting Pioneers in Church Planting and Fresh Expressions (Sheffield: ACPI Books, 2008)

Horsfall, T., Mentoring for Spiritual Growth: Sharing the Journey of Faith (Abingdon: The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2008)

Houston J. M., The Mentored Life: From Individualism to Personhood (Colorado Springs: Navpress 2002)

Hughes, B., Discipling, Coaching, Mentoring: Discovering the Hallmarks of Jesus Discipling (Eastbourne: Kingsway Communications, 2003)

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Krallman, G., Mentoring For Mission: A Handbook on Leadership Principles Exemplified by Jesus Christ (Hong Kong: Jensco, 1994)

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Lewis, R., Mentoring Matters: Building Strong Leaders, Avoiding Burnout, Reaching the Finishing Line (Oxford: Monarch Books, 2009)

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McCallum, D., Organic Disciplemaking: Mentoring Others into Spiritual Maturity and Leadership (Houston: Touch Publications, 2006)

Megginson, D., Coaching and Mentoring Theory and Practice (London: Sage Publications Ltd, 2009)

Nouwen, H.J.M., Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life (Glasgow: Collins 1976)

Murray, S., Changing Mission: Learning From the Newer Churches (London: Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, 2006)   

Oak, J., Called to Awaken the Laity (Fearn: Christian Focus Publications, 2006)

Prior, S., Mentoring to Transform Lives workbook (Sheffield: Sophia Network, 2009)

Pue, C., Mentoring Leaders: Wisdom for Developing Character, Calling, and Competency (Grand Rapids: Baker Books 2005)

Robinson, M., & Smith, D., Invading Secular Space: Strategies for Tomorrow’s Church (Oxford: Monarch Books 2003)

Sanders,          M., The Power of Mentoring: Shaping People Who Will Shape the World (Camp Hill: Wing Spread Publishers, 2004)

Saxon, J., ‘Empowering the Local Church Through Mentoring’ PhD Dissertation, Reformed Theological Seminary, (Portland: Theological Exchange Network, 2005)

Sellner, E. C., Mentoring: The Ministry of Spiritual Kinship (Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 1990)

Stott, J. R. W., Christian Mission in the Modern World (Leicester: IVP, 1975)

, One People (Ada: Revell, 1982)

, The Message of Thessalonians (Leicester: IVP, 1991)

—, The Message of Timothy & Titus (Leicester: IVP, 1997)

Thomas, V., Future Leader: Spirituality, Mentors, Context and Style for Leaders of the Future (Carlisle: Paternoster, 1999)

Versluis, P., Making Disciples in the Congregations (Elkhart: Institute of Mennonite Studies, 1995)

Wright, C. J. H., The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative (Leicester: IVP, 2006)

—, The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010)

Wright, W. C., Mentoring: The Promise of Relational Leadership (Milton Keynes: Paternoster Press, 2004)

Young, T., After the Fishermen: How Did Jesus Train His Disciples? (Carlisle: Partnership & Paternoster Press, 2004)

Web Articles

Beech, C., ‘Why Men's Ministry?’ Available from http://www.cvmen.org.uk/for-women.html [Accessed 9th June 2010]
Durey, D. D., ‘The Role of Mentoring (Coaching) in Leadership Development’, available from http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?start=10&q=discipleship+mentoring&hl=en&as_sdt=2001 [Accessed 18th March 2010] 

Earle, P. C., ‘Mentoring’ Renewal Journal No. 11 (98:1): Discipleship available from http://www.pastornet.net.au/renewal/journal11/11g.htm  [Accessed 21st September 2010]
Hirsch, A., ‘Defining Missional’, available from

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[Accessed 22nd May 2010]

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Purcell, JCoaching the Discipling Leader’, available from http://www.coach22.com/discover-coaching/resources/coachingthedisciplingleader.htm  [Accessed 19th May 2010]

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[2] 20-29 year olds church attendance has fallen by 62% from a total of 520,000 in 1985 to 230,600 by 2005. Walker K., 20-30’s and the church: A statistical overview (produced for the Sept 2009 consultation) http://www.eauk.org/theology/upload/20-30s-and-the-church-A-Statistical-Overview.pdf  (Accessed 6/10/2010) refers to the source Brierley  P.,  Pulling out of the Nosedive: A Contemporary Picture of Churchgoing - What the 2005 English Church Census Reveals   (London: Christian Research Association 2006)
[3] For example Engstrom, The Fine Art of Mentoring, Horsfall, Mentoring for Spiritual Growth, Lewis, Mentoring Matters
[4] See the discussion of this issue in chapter 2
[5] Although this is a legitimate position to hold they do not discuss this assumption but do often refer to Jesus ‘mentoring’ which was clearly not done on the same one to one basis most authors write about. 
[6] See particularly Oak, Called to awaken the laity
[7] This is probably the most significant limiting factor on the size of the group as people generally feel less inclined to be open and therefore be accountable in larger groups
[8] Lewis, Mentoring Matters, p 165

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