I had a mentor before they were called mentors.

It was back in the 90’s, when I was in high school. His name was Tim and he was a local Christian school teacher, who helped out in our youth group.

Tim invited a small group of guys over to his place on Monday nights for a Bible study. He would teach us Bible doctrine; all the nitty-gritty Reformed questions that make an inexperienced youth pastor blush.

That’s where I really started to understand who God was. Tim was discipling us, but he was also mentoring us.

Then There Was Life

Whether it was dating, school or some other social crisis, Tim was there for those too. His wife Linda was also there, always willing to give us teenage guys a gal’s perspective. (Which was crucial by the way!)

There were many evenings of laughter and a few with tears, as we wrestled through being Christian teenagers in an increasingly post-Christian society. Our pressures and temptations were all laid out for Tim to hold us accountable, through another week.

Over the years, there have been other men in my life who have not replaced Tim’s work, but supplemented the foundation he laid. I’ve tried to take every bit of help I can get from each of them.

Different seasons, different mentors, but always necessary to keep me humble and growing.

Trust Is A Key Component

In my own journey, I started to have young men wanting my time, advice and accountability. I have been privileged to invest in some young men, and with God’s help, steered them away from dangers and towards the Cross.

Looking back on my experience on both sides of mentorship, there has to be mutual trust. The one seeking mentorship needs to be able to trust his or her mentor with deep components of their life, some of which may be shameful or difficult to unpack.

The mentor needs to trust the person whom they’re investing in, that they’ll take their advice, accountability and at times, rebuke. In my experience, this trust-centred relationship will cause both individuals to draw closer to each other and to Christ.