Practical Mentoring as a Vehicle for Discipleship

By Monika Hahn

(4 1/2 minute read)

Spring is my favorite time of year. I love seeing colorful signs of life after months of gray–and

planning what I’m going to plant in my garden. As a follower of Jesus, this season reminds me

of the hope of the resurrection, new life in Christ, and the call to plant seeds for God’s kingdom harvest. However, in the parable of the soils, we’re reminded that not all seeds will take root. In this parable the soil represents the condition of a person’s heart. We learn that, depending on its condition, seeds may be snatched away by hungry birds, choked out by weeds, or wither from lack of nutrients.

For this reason, before I plant my garden, the first thing I do is prepare the soil. I test it, feed it, and make sure it has all it needs for seeds to take root and grow. So, when we’re planting

seeds of God’s truth and love, how can we help someone develop healthy “soil,” or a receptive

heart? One strategy that I’ve found fruitful is practical mentoring–a holistic, relational approach that prepares people to receive the Gospel and grow spiritually.

A Holistic Approach to Discipleship through Mentoring

I learned about this approach when I started working at Central Ohio Youth for Christ. Our

mission at YFC is to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus who lead in their communities. As the

leadership team at our local Central Ohio chapter was thinking and praying about what this

looks like in an urban context, they realized their discipleship approach needed to be more

holistic in order to address real needs that were becoming barriers to spiritual growth. After

researching how to effectively reach high-risk populations, they decided to focus on five areas that are crucial to a person’s flourishing: economic literacy, civic literacy, basic health and safety, education, and spiritual/moral literacy. We call this our “holistic ministry model” and it was eventually adopted by the national Youth for Christ team as well.

In our ministry context, mentoring involves building relationships with young people while

helping meet needs in these five key areas. The missionary E. Stanley Jones said, “The social

gospel divorced from personal salvation is like a body without a soul; the message of personal

salvation without a social dimension is like a soul without a body.” In other words, people need

both social and spiritual investment. If we focus only on someone’s spiritual life, we risk

missing other elements that contribute to their growth and well-being. In practice, this might

include helping a teen practice driving, prepare a resume, or apply for a job; teaching literacy

and social skills to deaf students; providing childcare and community for a teen mom; or

equipping youth with online safety and abuse awareness. Through these experiences,

essential life skills are modeled, taught, and reinforced.

The Power of Relationship-Centered Mentorship

Consider an 11-year-old boy walking down the street after school with an empty stomach,

trying to avoid going home. He sees an open garage door, a cool car and some other kids his

age. He’s invited in for a meal and decides to come back the next day, since he has no idea if

he’ll have food at home. He’s welcomed day after day, and the man who runs the shop puts a

tool in his hand and teaches him how to wrench on a car while building a friendship.

As the boy watches and learns, his confidence grows. He starts to experience the truth of

Ephesians 2:10: “we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which

God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” He realizes that, in the same way that he’s fixing broken car parts and fitting them back together, God is shaping and fitting him into a healthy community where he has positive role models and a purpose.

Under the guidance of his mentor, he learns to discern wisdom and grow in maturity and faith. 20 years later he’s pouring into the next generation of young mechanics, offering them hope and a future. Because he experienced God’s faithfulness through the love of his mentor, he developed a sense of safety which empowered him to take steps of faith.

As this story demonstrates, we’ve found that the holistic ministry model works best in the

context of a relationship. Mentorship builds a foundation of trust through connection,

compassion and shared life–the same approach Jesus used in his ministry. One of our go-to

verses at COYFC is 1 Thessalonians 2:8, “Because we loved you so much, we were delighted

to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” As a mentor shares his/her

own struggles, the mentee learns that it’s ok to make mistakes and that God can redeem bad

situations. In this way, humility, authenticity, wisdom and maturity–foundational qualities for

spiritual growth–are modeled and learned.

This approach meets people where they are and helps them see how God’s word applies to

the practical details of our lives. If God’s word doesn’t seem relevant to real life, a person might conclude that the Bible–and God's people–are irrelevant. Many people are naturally suspicious of Biblical concepts like trust, grace and faithful love. But when someone experiences God’s provision in tangible ways, their openness to spiritual truth often grows. In this way, practical mentoring can be a helpful vehicle for discipleship. When things that might choke out seeds of truth are addressed, a person is better able to ground themselves in God’s love instead of being tossed around by every new crisis.

Addressing the Needs of a Searching Generation

A recent Barna study found that Gen Z is more lonely, anxious and isolated than any other

generation. Barna writes, “the data reveals a generation wrestling with questions about their

purpose and place in the world.” A 2024 Barna study showed that Gen Z sets a high value on

financial, physical and mental well-being. This presents a great opportunity for mentorship: to show up in a meaningful and relevant way to answer the questions, “Who am I? Why am I

here? How do I live a good life?”

It’s also an opportunity for collaboration between churches and nonprofits. Look around at your local communities. What nonprofits are already doing the hard work of providing practical needs? Where are the opportunities for deeper relationships? And what gospel-centered ministries have the seeds of eternal life ready to sow but need help connecting with the practical areas for the relationships to sprout and grow?

If we want to see lasting spiritual fruit, we need to cultivate the soil as well as plant the seed.

Practical mentoring offers a tangible way to do both. As we invest in real needs and real

relationships, we create space for the Gospel to take root—and for lives to be transformed.