As a young Youth Pastor, some over thirty years ago, I was mentored by my Senior Pastors, with the goal in mind that one day I would mentor others. They had taught me to look for FAT people. This little acrostic F.A.T. stands for (Faithful, Available and Teachable).
This is a great simple guideline because as a leader in Faithline, you will never have time to mentor everybody. Wisdom dictates that you devote your time and effort only to those who are faithful to the Lord, available for the work at hand and have a teachable spirit. These are the people who have the best potential to bear spiritual fruits and produce results for the Kingdom of God. Subsequently, these would become spiritual mentors to others.
As I looked back at the people whom I have mentored, the FAT guideline has been of tremendous help. The teachable spirit is of vital importance because, without that, they would become proud and self-styled in their attitude. Only those who are opened to learn will ultimately be discipled one-on-one or engaged in personal leadership development.
My initial observation has always been how each protégé handles small responsibility. For example, once I instructed a young protégé to buy a lock for a cupboard in our Youth Room. After a full month of waiting, he had yet to fulfil the task. I waited patiently and then instructed him again. This time, he apologised and did it immediately. Later, he became one of my students in Bible College and graduated with distinction. He became a pastor and went on to be the national leader of his denomination.
Even though, in mentoring, I have to fight against the personal desire to mentor only the people whom I like and prefer. However, after years of working with protégés, I have learned to allow the Lord to bring the potential protégés to me and let them prove themselves by demonstrating their faithfulness and commitment.
I appreciate all the Pastors, ministers and Bible School’s professors who poured themselves into my life back then when I was in Bible College and later as a young minister. It has been a great privilege for me to be able to continue to take what others have so graciously invested in me and pour them out to a new generation of pastors, ministers and lay leaders. I pray that all of you will continue this divine chain reaction of mentoring by finding and investing your life in another generation of Christ’s disciples.
Dear Lord, thank You for the privilege of serving the Kingdom of God. Grant me the grace to give my very best to the people whom You have asked me to mentor. May they all become the persons whom You want them to be. In Your mighty name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Rev Albert Kang
