The Essential Role of Mentoring for Tentmaking
Have you ever imagined how great it would be to have someone who can listen to you in a safe and non-judgmental way and also be able to give you advice based on their expertise to help you deal with the challenges in your life? That is exactly what a Mentor can do.
And this is why in our programs, GO Ahead and GO Together, each of our members is assigned to a Mentor, to help them understand God’s vision for their lives and to help them achieve the best results in their journey as Tentmakers.
But let us see together what mentoring is, why we believe it to be a crucial tool to help our Tentmakers fulfill their calling, and, in what practical ways it can be applied to the Tentmaker's life.
What is Mentoring?
In simple terms, mentoring involves sharing your experiences with someone else to help them improve and succeed in their personal or professional lives. In the business world, many professionals seek mentoring to achieve higher positions in their careers, develop new competencies, and hone their skills. Similarly, individuals often look for mentors to define new strategies, identify opportunities, or overcome challenges in their lives. The mentor will be that person that the expertise, who faced the same or a similar situations to the one you are going through, and will be able to give you advice and direction on that matter.
But the mentoring relationship can offer so much more. It is a space where you can share your own challenges and doubts, working together with your mentor to find solutions in a safe and supportive environment. Your mentor will be your partner, walking the path with you, being there when things do not go as planned, and helping you learn and grow from those challenges. They will also celebrate your successes and achievements with you. At Tent International, this is exactly what we aim for you to experience in our Mentoring Programs.
Why do I need a mentor?
As Christians, we strongly believe that God uses relationships to shape us, make us grow into the person he created us to be and that he uses other peoples’ experiences to help us in the course of our lives.
We can see the patterns of a mentoring relationship throughout the Bible. We could cite Jethro and Moses, Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Naomi and Ruth, Paul and Timothy, and Jesus and his disciples are great examples of how important it is to have the right people to help us achieve the full potential of our calling and ministry in this Earth. As mentioned by John C. Maxwell: “It's said that a wise person learns from his mistakes. Throughout wiser one learns from others' mistakes. But the wisest person of all learns from other's successes.”
We believe this is especially true for tentmakers. As we dedicate ourselves to using our work and skills to serve and expand the Kingdom of God, it is crucial to have someone to help us walk this path more efficiently, with less pressure, and without losing focus. This support helps us complete our mission and attain our goals.
Our Belief in Mentoring at Tent International
At Tent International, we strongly believe that our mentoring program is crucial in fulfilling what we believe God has called us to do. Our mission is to help our tentmakers honor God, build nations, spread the Gospel, and train disciples of Jesus among all people groups, regardless of their life stage. Mentoring is an essential part of the support network for our tentmakers, guiding them on their journey and helping them achieve these goals.
In both our programs, GO Ahead and GO Together, you will be assigned a mentor who will support you on your journey, whether you are preparing to become a tentmaker or have already established yourself as one.
GO Ahead is our program designed to prepare you to become a tentmaker. We understand the importance of having a mentor to help you identify and plan your next steps. Your mentor will assist you in:
Clarifying your calling and developing plans for what you sense God is asking you to do.
Honing your vision.
Seeking God's guidance and ensuring your vision aligns with His purpose for your life.
Developing and maintaining consistency in your spiritual disciplines.
Defining the next steps to reach where God wants you to go.
Encouraging you when you feel weak or unmotivated.
GO Together is our program designed to support established tentmakers in their journey. Your mentor will help you:
Serve God faithfully and joyfully through the challenges you face.
Continue growing as a Christian.
Define strategies to share your experiences and faith with non-believers.
Stay accountable.
Address areas of ongoing struggle or ungodly thinking and behavior.
Keep focused on your specific needs or calling.
Encourage you to keep going when things are tough.
What can you expect from our mentoring program?
Our main goal in our Mentoring program at Tent is to help our mentees achieve their full potential and succeed in their calling, wherever God has placed them.
This is why all our mentors are people who have faced the challenges of living the Christian life and sharing their experiences with non-believers, either in their home country or abroad. But more than that, they are people who understand their call who share our vision and values, and who have a heart to help others strive in their mission as tentmakers.
When you join one of our programs, you can be certain that we will be praying for you and will do our best to find a mentor with the knowledge, experience, and personality that matches your needs. We believe that God uses our relationships to shape our lives so we can follow His plans in the best way possible. We are confident that mentoring will be one of the essential relationships that will help you thrive and achieve your goals as a tentmaker.
