Give Them the “Real Thing”
An acquaintance of mine who worked with a state government concerning environmental issues sometimes received phone calls that went something like this:
“We just moved out to the country and want to report a horrible smell coming from the nearby farm. Could you do something about it? It diminishes our quality of life . . .”
“Well, the truth is, that’s the way it smells in the country. If you want to live in the country, you have to take the smell with it.”
Perhaps those callers had previously experienced country living only through television, movies, pictures in magazines, reading stories with happy endings of a simple life with hard work and fresh air, not prepared for the “real thing” which included manure, sweat, mud, dust, rot, mold, bugs, spiders, worms, snakes, etc.
What does this have to do with leadership training? We know the too-high number of men and women who ”go out” into the world, but “drop out” within the first year or two of ministry. No one told them about “the smell,” the people who would take advantage of thier charity; board members threatened by thier fresh ideas; problems that would arise in their own marriages; friends who would betray; broken promises; loneliness; lack of appreciation; blame for every failure — fill in the rest with your own 
experiences.
They knew God’s Word, loved the Lord, prayed and had good hearts. They probably read about or watched riveting documentaries of successful ministers who overcame incredible obstacles to recieve miraculous provision and protection from the Lord. But documentaries are only snapshots that skim through the thousands of painful hours and hundreds of trial-filled days before the breakthroughs.
What may help are “real thing,” live stories, experienced by real-life training–working closely with a mentor who is transparent, sharing the real-life documentary that unfolds in the midst of those painful hours and trial-filled, tedious days of following Christ — but Oh! the strength, the joy, the encouragement, the peace, the transformation, the fruit that unfolds through it all.
Perhaps some of the discouraged ministers had wrong motives, or rushed too quickly into ministry, or unhealthy life patterns and attitudes, or even their own aversion to being mentored. But those things will be exposed in the course of a mentoring relationship, along with the choice to further submit to God’s will, timing and control; or to remain determined to control his/her own life.
We know the scriptures — God established His church as a BODY, not individual parts. None of us were meant to go it alone. Jesus Himself mentored His disciples three years, as He Himself submitted to His Father. Paul surrounded himself with people–his own mentors as well as those he mentored.
Materials on mentoring abound, but still people ask, “Where are all the mentors?” Mentors who are transparent–the real thing– who reproduce Christ–The Real Thing–within other leaders? As we become more and more yielded to the Spirit, He will lead us into healthy mentoring relationships — two oxen can plow up more dirt than one!
See also:
The Jesus Method of Leadership Training Part I
The Jesus Method of Leadership Training Part II
Jesus Never Wrote a Leadership Training Manual
Genesis 2:18, Luke 10:1, Romans 5:14, Philippians 2, I Timothy 4:12-16
- Patty Tillman
