Mentoring Chains in Scripture

In the Bible, some mentors coached only one, others mentored several at once. The group was always small enough to listen to, and deal with, each trainee.  Jesus mentored twelve, sometimes three and, on rare occasions, one. Biblical mentoring results in 'chains' with several generations of mentors, whose apprentices mentor others, and so on:

Jethro mentored Moses,
Moses mentored Joshua and the elders of Israel.
Joshua mentored the other army leaders.
[God gave the Ten Commandments originally for the newly named leaders of
1,000, of 100 and 10. These elder in charge of groups of ten used the Ten
Commandments to shepherd their flocks. (Exodus, chapters 18 – 20).]

Deborah mentored Barak.

Eli mentored Samuel
Samuel mentored Saul and David who became Israel's greatest king.
Ahithophel and Nathan the prophet also mentored David.
David mentored his army commanders and government officials,
to establish the united nation of Israel. David also mentored Solomon.
Solomon mentored the Queen of Sheba, who returned to her people
with his wisdom in the form of Proverbs that applied God's laws.

Elijah mentored Elisha.
Elisha mentored king Jehoash and others.

Daniel mentored Nebuchadnezzar, who humbled himself before God.

Mordecai mentored Esther
Esther mentored King Artaxerxes, which resulted in liberating God's people.

Jesus mentored the twelve apostles who established the Christian church.
The twelve mentored hundreds of other leaders, including Paul.
Paul mentored Titus, Timothy and many others.
Timothy mentored "faithful men" such as Epaphras.
Epaphras and the other faithful men mentored "others also"
(2 Timothy 2:2) which led to a chain reaction that resulted in
dozens of new churches in Asia.
For more details, see The Paul-Timothy Leadership Training
Chain below.

Philip mentored the Ethiopian official who received Christ and was baptized in the desert.

Priscilla and Aquila mentored Apollos, for a much improved ministry.

The Paul-Timothy Leadership Training Chain

“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Tim. 2:2

One small part of this chain reached the following people and places:

1) Barnabas began the chain; he mentored Paul and brought him to Antioch,
   Acts 11:22-26.

2) Paul was sent by the Antioch church and mentored Timothy
   whom Paul left in Ephesus to train “faithful men,”
   Acts 13:1-3; 1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Tim. 2:2.

3) Timothy helped train Epaphras who worked in Colosse, Col. 1:1-8; 2 Tim. 2:2.

4) Epaphras trained “others also” in Hierapolis and Laodicea, of which area Paul
   wrote, “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing.”
   Col. 1:6; 4:12-13.
This mentoring chain quickly reached all of that part of Asia Minor (Acts 19:10)


A Christian Mentor’s Tasks

A good mentor of new church leaders...

  • Listens to each trainee.
  • Helps trainees to discern what their flocks need and to think through specific plans.
  • Shares each trainee’s burden.
  • Helps each trainee to start at once to mentor other newer shepherds. Many excellent mentors are only a few weeks ahead of newer leaders whom they serve, because they share similar concerns.
  • Bases ministries on the commands of Jesus and His apostles, rather than on mere human traditions. New Testament guidelines to train, evangelize, shepherd, worship, organize and multiply churches or cells consistently prove to be more effective than popular, non-biblical fads with which men often replace God’s commands.
  • Helps congregations or cell groups to serve one another.
  • Serves trainees as long as they need it, normally until their congregations or cells are practicing the vital ministries that the New Testament requires phasing out time-intensive mentoring when trainees and their flocks mature, like Jesus did with the Twelve, and Paul did with Timothy and Titus.
  • Models skills working with people while being accompanied by trainees.
  • Meets with only a few trainees at a time. Jesus mentored twelve and sometimes met with three or less. Paul usually had a small band that he mentored as they traveled and worked together, keeping the group small enough to deal with each trainee.


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  Where does the Bible come in?
  He uses a 'menu' of the church activities that are required by the New Testament*; select topics and field work that fit opportunities to serve. New leaders learn what they and their flocks need at the time.
  Do not simply teach something and then add some practical work. Rather, find out first what is happening in a trainee's flock and community, and respond to the needs and opportunities. 
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*View MentorNet 11 to see these vital church ministries.
  You fly against tradition! 
  Thomas Aquinas re-hatched Aristotle's rationalistic educational philosophy in the Middle Ages and academicians have arranged theological truths in the same analytical categories ever since.
  Logical analysis of concepts dictates the order in which to teach biblical doctrines!
  Why change that order now by letting students choose menu options?
How was that?
Home     List of mentors

Christian Mentor's Tasks
& Mentoring Chains
in Scripture
  Jesus and Paul did both.
  A new shepherd needs mentoring; listen to him and deal with what he and his flock needs. Above all, train new leaders the way Jesus and Paul did.
  Start with loving obedience to Jesus. He said in John 14:15, "If you love me, obey my commands" and in His 'Great Commission' told us to make disciples by teaching them to obey His commands. With this loving obedience, churches and cells multiply in the normal way; believers serve actively in ministries. Teaching focuses not simply on a subject's content but also on each trainee's flock and its duties.
   Aristotle's way trains people to make machines, but not to disciple people to love and obey Jesus!  
  A good menu for on-the-job training integrates theological truths with their corresponding duties, and lets a shepherd deal with them in an order that fits immediate needs and the level of maturity of his flock.
   A wise mentor also helps students train newer pastoral trainees with similar concerns, for a mentoring chain as 2 Timothy 2:2 requires, to reproduce many flocks (see below).

Mentoring--a Vital Part of Pastoral Training:
   A good menu lists Bible passages that help us do each activity.  
  A good mentor does not have pastoral students study the Word simply as content for teaching.*
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*See A Christian Mentors'  Duties
  What's so great about Mentoring?
  Is lecturing wrong?
  How does a mentor meet the needs of a trainee's flock?