Welcome, New Believer! This post is as much for me as it is for you. In our post about baptism, I shared with you a little bit of my story of becoming a Christian at a very young age. My family attended church regularly and instructed us in the "religious" parts of Christianity daily. However, I always felt that something was missing and I wasn't quite sure what it was. As I matured in my faith, I began to realize that what was missing was a person older in the faith than I was to answer my questions and simply to share life with me as I tried to live in God's Word.
Unfortunately, a series of different churches I attended over the next ten years of my walk with Christ did not offer up this opportunity. At best, I met with someone who was at the same place I was in my walk and they had many of the same questions I did. That's wonderful! I'm not disparaging that and they were a blessing to me in the time that we spent together, however, I still longed for that mentorship, I hungered for the wisdom of someone who had walked with God longer than I had and had wisdom to share from the battles they had fought and won in that walk.
Finally, now as a Christian after eighteen years, I feel like I have finally found that mentor and feel equipped to begin mentoring as well.
I'm telling you my story in order to say, I know this one is difficult. It's difficult because many churches are struggling right now to represent Christ well. It's difficult because many Christians never received this kind of mentorship and are terrified to approach the job of a mentor. However, we as Christians are called to make disciples, that isn't just a tally of how many people we've "led to Christ". We are commanded by Christ Himself that after you are baptized we are to go on,
...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20
I hope and pray for you my brothers and sisters that you do not have the long search that I did for someone to mentor you in your faith. I pray that whoever encouraged you to come to Christ in the first place, is equipped to continue in teaching you Christ's commands and what it means to live as a Christian. To hold you accountable when you stumble in your walk and to encourage you when your heart is burdened because of the struggles of this life.
Just as you needed to learn to walk and talk as an infant, now you need to learn how to walk and talk as a baby Christian. Just as you needed training when you got that new job, you now need training to live each day for Christ.
You are not meant to be a Christian alone. Sadly today the story is all too common of the Christian abused by their church or abandoned by the person who led them to faith. As Christians equipped for the Kingdom of God we want to raise up a new generation that seeks God and loves one another that He would turn and heal our broken and despairing land.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35
If you have any other questions about finding a mentor in the faith, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. As E4TK grows I really hope to be able to bring mentors together with those who are desiring to be equipped but are struggling to find that relationship on their own, please use our contact page if you are someone in need of a mentor. At the very least, we can pray together that God would bring the right person into your life to fill that role!
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