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Mentoring: How to Share Our Faith

By Nancy Boyle

RELATIONAL BIBLE STUDY

to model how a relational study
is done and provide questions
relating text to the FAW theme
for individual or group use.

Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-37, 9:19-29, 11:19-30, 13:1-4

Bruce Larson in his book Wind and Fire: Living out the Book of Acts says, "I am convinced that the church the Holy Spirit is creating could be the most relevant and the most powerful institution in our society. The Book of Acts provides mind-exploding, life-changing new ways of appropriating that power to be the church to one another and to be the church in the world."

Mentoring is a word in vogue these days as a way of sharing who we are and what we know. Perhaps this is one way of transmitting that power. Elizabeth O'Connor offers the word "patron" as a way of helping others claim their gifts.

I. LISTEN

Read the texts given above and enter the story with your imagination. We are reading the description of the earliest Christian community. Be aware that this is already a diverse community, Jews and Gentiles. Eating together indicates that social and religious barriers are being broken down. Notice the phrase "With glad and generous hearts". This generosity is epitomized by Joseph, a Greek-speaking Jew, living in Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion and resurrection and nicknamed Barnabas (which means son of Encouragement).

Enter the scene described in Chapter 9.
Would there have been fear and scepticism? What else?
Consider 9:22 and 28-29 as to why Barnabas might have decided to recruit Saul for the work.

II. REFLECT

These are intriguing glimpses into the early church as well as into the early life of Saul, soon to become Paul. But the real hero in these scenes is Barnabas. Go back through each reference and determine his role and style.

Is he well named? Why?
Would he have faced some opposition?
Where would Paul have been without his gracious presence.
Does he fit your idea as a mentor? How?

For some additional insights read Acts 13:42-16:5.

What more can you see about Barnabas and Paul's relationship?
What would be some of their difficulties? Hero worship? Constant pressure to perform or argue? Confrontation?

And yet--the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers, Acts 16:5.

What do you make of these events?

III. CONNECT

As you have explored these stories, what connections do you find in your own faith journey? Who first brought you to church or into a group or faith community? Who remembered your gifts and sought you out? Or were there other ways that faith was shared with you? Sharing this study with others will help you see the amazing variety and creativity of Gods servants. List the qualities you discover, ie. loyalty, support, encouragement.

You might want to look at some negative experiences of faith shared. What can you learn from these?
Who do you see in your life right now as a mentor? Who are you encouraging? teaching? mentoring?

IV. ACT

We can see that the individual relationships of Paul and Barnabas and others directly influenced the growth of the church. Can we believe and act on this knowledge in our own lives? As we discover the impact others have had on our lives, mentoring may become the most effective way of sharing our faith especially in the workplace.

Servant leadership is an increasingly popular model. Excerpts from the recent Covey-Wheatley book, Insights on Leadership, inspired this study.

The future of our planet and its life forms depends on increasing the level of authentic relationship among human beings... People need each other to live more abundant lives Service to others offers the mechanism to move our attention outside ourselves. I have often wondered how our world would be different if the principle of assisting or serving others was viewed equally with that of scoring or gaining for ones own. Service above self could lead to changes that bring about global renewal. And the changes would begin with a quiet presence. p.ll8ff

Some folks in the business world take a lunch hour to visit a local school and have lunch with child each week. Others give an hour or two a week to read to or play games with a child. Teachers report just these simple acts make the child's grades go up! Mentoring is a clear call to the elderly among us as they become the quiet steady presence for grandchildren or a person of encouragement in the retirement home. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things! The possibilities are as varied as your interests and gifts.

Who will you become a Barnabas too?
How will you share your faith?