“Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:9).
TEXT — Philippians 4:9-13
Message
The late Warren G. Bennis, an American scholar and authority in leadership studies, had this to say about exemplary leadership: “Excellence is a better teacher than mediocrity. The lessons of the ordinary are everywhere. Truly profound and original insights are to be found only in studying the exemplary”.
Apostle Paul modelled excellence in his leadership and his exemplary lifestyle obviously impacted those he mentored. A case in point is what we read in the text about the Philippian Christians. It was the cradle of a Christian assembly founded by Apostle Paul about two decades after Christ’s death and resurrection. Following Paul’s mentorship, the Philippian congregation, despite their small number and poverty, supported his evangelistic work and sent relief to saints at Jerusalem during a period of famine. They showed commitment to the promotion of the gospel through their selfless giving.
Christian mentees roundly bred by a Spirit-filled leader should respond admirably to the teachings of their mentor as demonstrated by the Philippian church. The ideal mentoring is to have the learners and their tutor be on the same page from the beginning. Also, the Christian mentor, like Paul, must not fail to “declare all the counsel of God” while the learners must not fail to absorb all that is imparted.
Every Christian, old and young, must seek to receive guidance from mentors the way the Philippians did in the First Century.
But we need to follow only those with proven biblical probity. We must weigh them on the scale of scriptural integrity. Above all, we must see Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith, as our ultimate Mentor.
Thought for the day
If your spiritual mentor does not mirror Christ, drop the mirror and keep looking unto Jesus.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
2 comments
Good morning, please I need daily manner on my email
Good morning, please I need daily manner on my email
I know God of mercy that can anwers prayers