Biblical Models of Mentoring

What You Will Learn

• Define Christian mentoring as a woman-to-woman relationship for growth in faith and life
• Describe four biblical models: Naomi and Ruth, Elisabeth and Mary, the Titus 2 women, and Paul and Timothy
• Connect each model to The Timothy Pattern: Be With, Build Up, Send Out
• Review the course covenant and the safety rules every mentor follows

Lesson Notes

What Is Christian Mentoring?

Christian mentoring is one focused way to make disciples: a more experienced believer walks alongside another woman, for an agreed season, to help her grow in faith and in everyday life. A mentor is the one who walks alongside; a mentee is the one being mentored.

A mentor listens, encourages, prays, and points to Jesus and His Word. She is not a boss, a counselor, a lawyer, or a case manager.

In this certificate, women mentor women. This honors the pattern of Titus 2, protects everyone, and keeps relationships above reproach.

Naomi and Ruth: Faith That Was Caught

Naomi was a widow who had lost almost everything. Her daughter-in-law Ruth, a Moabite woman from another people and another background, chose to stay with her: whither thou goest, I will go... thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God (Ruth 1:16). Ruth came to trust Naomi's God by living close to Naomi, even in Naomi's grief and bitterness (Ruth 1:20–21).

Later Naomi turned her care toward Ruth's future: My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? (Ruth 3:1). By the end, the women of Bethlehem said Ruth was better to thee than seven sons (Ruth 4:15).

Lessons: mentoring can cross differences; it does not require a perfect mentor; faith is often caught by watching a life; and a mentor seeks the other woman's good.

Elisabeth and Mary; the Titus 2 Women

When young Mary learned she would carry the Saviour, she went into the hill country with haste to her older relative Elisabeth (Luke 1:39). Elisabeth greeted her with blessing, not suspicion: blessed is she that believed (Luke 1:45). And Mary abode with her about three months (Luke 1:56). An older woman made a safe place where a younger woman's faith could be confirmed.

Paul told Titus that the aged women should be teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women (Titus 2:3–4). Notice that this begins with the older woman's own life: in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers (2:3). In this course, aged and young can mean more mature and newer in the faith, not only years of life.

Paul and Timothy, and The Timothy Pattern

Paul took young Timothy along on his journeys (Acts 16:1–3), taught him, and trusted him with real work: as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel (Philippians 2:22).

These relationships show the three movements of The Timothy Pattern from CMD 271:

• Be With: Ruth stayed with Naomi; Mary stayed with Elisabeth; Paul took Timothy along.
• Build Up: Elisabeth blessed Mary's faith; Naomi shared wisdom; Paul taught Timothy.
• Send Out: Ruth stepped into a new life; Timothy was sent to serve churches and to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2).

Safety reminder: if anyone talks about suicide, self-harm, harming someone else, abuse, or a medical emergency, get help immediately. Inside a facility, go to staff or the chaplain right away. Outside, call 911 for an emergency, or call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. Never promise to keep danger secret.

Key Terms

In-Class Activities

Four Mentoring Portraits

In small groups, each group takes one pair: Naomi and Ruth (Ruth 1:16–18; 3:1–5), Elisabeth and Mary (Luke 1:39–56), the Titus 2 women (Titus 2:3–5), or Paul and Timothy (Acts 16:1–3; Philippians 2:19–22).

Write: What did the mentor do? What did the mentee do? Where do you see Be With, Build Up, and Send Out? Report back in two minutes.

Our Mentoring Class Covenant

As a class, review the CMD 271 covenant and add to it for this course: what is shared stays here, except when someone may be in danger; role-plays use invented scenarios only; no one has to share her own story; we give feedback kindly; anyone may pass. Copy it into your notebook.

Assignment: Mentoring Models Reflection

Write one page:

• Choose two of the four biblical models. For each, write a key verse in KJV and two things the mentor did well.
• Fill in a three-column chart (Be With, Build Up, Send Out) with one example from each model you chose.
• Describe, in general terms or as a composite, a woman who has encouraged you in faith or life. What did she do that helped?
• Write two sentences: What kind of mentor do I hope to become?

Graded with the Module Assignment Rubric.

Reflection Journal

Ruth said to Naomi, thy God my God. Ruth came to faith by living close to someone. Whose life has made faith look real to you? What would you want a younger woman to catch from your life?

Prayer focus: Thank God for the women who have walked with you, and ask Him to make you a mentor whose life points others to Jesus.

Faith That Is Caught

Ruth did not learn to trust Naomi's God from a class. She learned by living close to Naomi on the hard road home from Moab, through grief and bitterness and an uncertain future. Somewhere along that road, Naomi's God became Ruth's God.

That is how mentoring often works. A younger or newer believer watches how an older sister handles disappointment, prays when money is short, and keeps showing up. Faith is taught, but it is also caught.

When Paula was a new believer, an older woman at her church invited her to sit with her each Sunday. (Paula is a composite example.) They never had a formal study. But Paula watched how she treated people, heard how she prayed, and called her when things got hard. Years later Paula said, “She didn't try to fix me. She just let me walk next to her.”

This week, remember that you do not need to be perfect to mentor. Naomi wasn't. You need to be faithful, honest, and pointed toward Jesus.

Think About It

1. Whose life has made faith look real to you? ______________________
2. Which biblical mentoring pair speaks to you most, and why? ______________________
3. What would you want a newer believer to catch from your life? ______________________

Daily Devotions for Week 1

Whither Thou Goest

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:— Ruth 1:16 (KJV)

Ruth chose to stay. Mentoring begins with simply being with someone.

Reflect: Who has stayed with you through a hard season?

Pray: Lord, thank You for the people who stayed.

Do: Thank someone, in a note or in prayer, for walking with you.

That It May Be Well

Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?— Ruth 3:1 (KJV)

Naomi turned from her own grief to seek Ruth's good. A mentor wants it to be well with her sister.

Reflect: Whose good could you seek this week?

Pray: Lord, turn my eyes to the good of others.

Do: Ask God to show you one woman you could encourage.

Blessed Is She That Believed

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.— Luke 1:45 (KJV)

Elisabeth met young Mary with blessing, not suspicion. A safe welcome strengthens faith.

Reflect: How do you greet women who are new or unsure?

Pray: Lord, make me a woman of blessing.

Do: Speak a word of blessing to someone today.

Teachers of Good Things

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;— Titus 2:3 (KJV)

Titus 2 begins with the mentor's own life. What we live speaks before what we say.

Reflect: What good thing has God taught you that you could pass on?

Pray: Lord, make my life match my words.

Do: Write one good thing God has taught you.

Our Own Souls

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.— 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (KJV)

Paul shared more than information. He shared his life.

Reflect: What part of your life could you share to help someone?

Pray: Lord, give me a heart that shares.

Do: Spend unhurried time with someone this week.