Relationships 101

Miami Whitewater United Methodist Church 9400 Dry Ridge Road Harrison, Ohio 45030 (513) 367-4990 Mentoring Program Purpose of the Mentoring Program The Mentoring Program is designed to be a mutually beneficially partnership in which the Mentor offers time, wisdom, prayer, encouragement and a ministry context for the spiritual growth of a Mentor/Intern. The Mentor/Intern offers a willingness to learn, a teachable spirit and a partner for one-on-one discipleship. The mentormentee relationship will work together for the good of the Kingdom of God, for the betterment of a spiritual relationship for the mentee. The details that follow will provide clarity both for expectations and evaluation. The covenant for the mentor/mentee relationship is attached is designed to be mutually negotiated and accepted, please complete and return. What is a Mentor? A mentor is a friend and a guide. Jesus spent three years being a mentor to the twelve disciples to prepare them for leadership. A mentor is not a teacher that tells you, a mentor is someone who shares your life journey. A Mentor is: • First and most importantly, a spiritual role model. • A friend that will dream with you and pray with you. • Be authentic and open, sharing their journey. • Be a listener, and is more willing to listen than to talk. • Be an encourager. • Be caring and full of unconditional love. • Be prayerful, knowing the only way is to trust and communicate with God. Expectations for Mentor/Interns • Maintain a posture of learning about God, Christ and the Bible • Meet regularly with Mentor (once per week) THIS IS A COMMITMENT FOR YOU AS WELL AS THE MENTEE. • Demonstrate faithfulness and promptness to meetings • Be committed to Bible readings, prayer and research. • Be open and authentic with Mentor

•

Willingness to commit one year

Expectations for Mentors • Prepare topic of discussion each week for Mentee spiritual growth objectives (Growth objectives should include knowledge, character, relationships and skills) • Meet regularly with Mentee (once per week) • Prepare to set and evaluate goals with Mentee • Pray for Mentee daily • Role Model Christian behavior and attitude • Observe and evaluate growth of Mentee • Act as a coach and guide to provide continuum of spiritual growth • Willingness to commit one year. • Evaluate progress of Mentee Each Week a Mentor will prepare: • Find out what has been happening in the Mentee’s week. • Begin with a word of prayer and pray for God to use you and the Mentee to be receptive. • Be open and honest about experiences that you have had similar to the Mentee’s and how God helped you work through it, IF THE MENTEE IS INTERESTED IN YOUR EXPERIENCE. SOMETIMES THE MENTEE JUST NEEDS TO TALK. • Find out how much time the Mentee spent with God in prayer or in the Word. • Prepare to share information or an activity to develop or discuss a Christian discipline and set a goal with mentee for practice. • Find out concerns for the mentee and spend time in closing praying for those concerns. • Confirm the time and place for the following week. The Mentee will have the opportunity to determine when they are ready to move forward. This will typically be demonstrated by their willingness to be involved in serving in some capacity. When you hear this interest, it is time for the Mentor to evaluate the Mentee.

Building Christian Disciplines: Some of the sessions you spend with your mentor should discuss and set goals to develop Christian Disciplines. The following is a list of Disciplines that should be developed to become spiritually mature: •

Prayer How Why When Effective Prayer/Fasting Prayer Journaling Silence and listening

•

Reading the Word How Why When Effective Bible Reading Supportive Tools to Understand what you have

read. Journaling Silence and Listening •

Forgiveness How Why When Restoration Journaling

•

Unconditional Love What is unconditional love Why is it important to our walk with Christ? How do you do it? Who does this apply to? When did Jesus love unconditionally? Journaling

•

God’s Grace

What is God’s Grace? Why did Jesus provide it? Who can get grace? When do you get grace? Journaling •

Authenticity What does that mean? Why is authenticity important? What happens when you are authentic? How much authenticity is important?

•

Becoming a Disciple of Jesus Christ What does that mean to me How do I become a disciple? What is expected of me? What is my story? When do I share? Who do I share my story with? Why do I share? What if they do not want to listen?

•

Worship

•

Baptism

Sunday worship Daily worship Honoring God Why When Where Who

•

Membership Why When How

•

Evangelism Telling your story When Why

•

Gifts What

Why When •

Serving Others

•

Forever learning

Mentor’s Evaluation This evaluations is based solely upon the Suggested Growth Objectives. Please place the appropriate letter(s) in the right hand column. Use the space provided at the end of this evaluations for comments. In the case of a NA, the mentor/intern may benefit from some clarification, use this form for dialogue before, during and after mentoring relationship. CHARACTER Is committed to a growing relationship with Jesus Christ………. __________ Manages bitterness and relational trauma carefully…………….. ___________ Handles criticism with grace and engages in accurate self assessment……………………………………………………………….. ___________ Is a person of integrity in both the public and private spheres of life…………………………………………………………………………….__________ Is trustworthy………………………………………………………………__________ Will be faithful in commitments………………………………………… __________ Is teachable and open to change……………………………………… __________ Strives to live a self –controlled life…………………………………… __________ Will speak the truth, but in love………………………………………… __________ RELATIONSHIPS Can help people in small groups develop deeper faith in Christ..__________

Is learning to develop healthy conflict resolution tools………….. ___________ Learning to communicate effectively………………………………… __________ Is building spiritual friendships………………………………………... __________ Works at being approachable and non-threatening………………………… ……………………………………….__________ Has leadership skills in groups………………………………………… __________ KNOWLEDGE Understands the basics of being a Christian……………………….. __________ Recognizes the stages of Christian development…………………. __________ Is able to balance time allowing time alone with God…………….. __________ Daily prayer life……………………………………………………………__________ Daily Bible readings………………………………………………………__________ Understands sin and it’s bondage……………………………………. __________ Ability to lead in prayer………………………………………………….. __________ Understands how to pray……………………………………………….. __________ Understands key parts or stories of the Bible……………………… __________ Recognizes spiritual warfare…………………………………………..__________ Understands how to overcome spiritual warfare………………...__________ Skills Administrative………………………………………………………………. _________ Organizational………………………………………………………………. _________ Leadership……………………………………………………………………_________ Influential…………………………………………………………………….. _________ Preparedness……………………………………………………………….._________ Time Management skills…………………………………………………… ________ Caregiver…………………………………………………………………….._________

Evaluation Table: 1. Outstanding performance 2. Very Good performance 3. Mediocre performance 4. Poor performance 5. Unable to performance