I recommend that at least 25% of a church leader’s reading be spent in pre-Reformation era writings and another 25% from the Reformation to the modern missionary age. My heart hurts as I look around at the number of young Pastors and leaders who are enthusiastically serving with big dreams but who lack spiritual fathers in the generation ahead of them. So Paul filled the shoes of a spiritual father to Timothy. Timothy’s biological father was Greek, but no evidence is ever given that he was a Christian. He stops in Lystra to pick up the young disciple who accompanies him, assists him, and serves as a sort of apprentice under him. In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he addresses him as “my true son in the faith.” (1 Timothy 1:2) We first meet Timothy in Acts 16 when Paul is heading out on his second missionary journey. In order to both mentor and be mentored effectively, it’s important to see how the relationship between Paul and Timothy developed over time. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others” (NLT). This is the only way for discipleship to take on the multi-generational nature described by Paul in 2 Timothy 2:2, “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. And every leader also needs to be mentoring and modeling those just behind us. Every leader needs mentors and models -typically other leaders just ahead of where we are in our growth and our journey.
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