Lesson 1 The Ministry of Mentoring

Welcome and Question 1

Greetings, and welcome to the Mentorship Course with Setting Captives Free. We’re pleased you’ve decided to continue your studies with us in preparation for walking alongside others in the gospel.
In this course, we will discuss the gospel and how it applies to mentoring others, and you’ll have a chance to study how to use the gospel, the power of the cross, and the resurrection of Jesus to help people out of sin traps.
This is a 13-lesson course. At the end of the course, you’ll have a chance to apply for a volunteer mentorship position with Setting Captives Free. If accepted, you will become a "Mentor-in-Training", for a short period of time, and will receive help from a supervisor as you begin mentoring students.
Mentoring can be an absolutely thrilling and very rewarding ministry. Often, you will be privileged to watch God work in the hearts of your students. Maybe He will free them from a habitual sin pattern in their lives, or maybe He will heal their marriage, reconcile other relationships, or do something miraculous in their lives, and you’ll have a front-row seat.
For this reason and many more, the ministry of mentoring can become happily addicting. “...ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints” (1 Corinthians 16:15 KJV).
We ask questions of our students and try to listen well and wisely; we pray for our students earnestly; we share the gospel with them; and we help them know how to apply it in their own circumstances. We laugh with those who laugh and weep with those who weep. We walk with them in their trials, share with them in their grief, celebrate with them in their victories, and possibly become friends along the way. All of this brings much joy and encouragement to our hearts. It is truly addicting.
Just a quick story by way of illustration: our twin daughters, Charity and Joy, went off to be leaders at a Christian camp over the summer. Unfortunately, during her weeks of service, Charity became ill with a bad cold and cough, and then she suffered an infestation of head lice.
When she came home for a quick 24-hour visit, she was still coughing and had just had treatment to get rid of the lice, but she couldn’t stop talking about how enjoyable it was to minister to the kids who came to camp.
I said to her, “Charity, here you are sick with a cold; you haven’t been sleeping much, and you had lice. Why do you want to go back?” And without hesitation, she said, “Ministry is just addicting! It’s like a drug. All the special moments of seeing Christ work in hearts are just thrilling!”
I agree with her entirely, with Stephanus, and with a long line of people who, throughout history, have chosen to suffer with God’s people in ministry rather than be anywhere else (see Hebrews 11:25-26). I hope you’ll join this long line; it is indeed addicting!
There are some requirements for mentoring with Setting Captives Free, and I want to state them upfront so you can make sure you meet them and decide if you want to continue ahead in your studies here:
Requirements for mentoring with Setting Captives Free:
  • All prospective mentors with Setting Captives Free must be Christians. There is no true freedom apart from Christ. Everyone who represents Setting Captives Free actually represents the Lord Jesus Christ first and foremost. All mentors must have a testimony of forgiveness of sin through the gospel and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Question 1. If you are a Christian, please share a brief testimony of how you came to faith in Christ (does not need to be more than 3 paragraphs).

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Mentorship Course