The EFCA Leader's Network

We all need mentors. With so many voices telling us what to do, it’s vitally important that we have godly, thoughtful, experienced people showing us what to do. Preparing for a life in ministry is demanding work—and I’m not just talking about your seminary workload. You need real-life pastoral experience under the direction of a mentor.

I serve as director of field education at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. Much of my work involves talking to students about their relationships with their pastoral mentors. Since 1987, I’ve mentored men preparing for ordination. While serving on Boston’s North Shore, I mentored many men in the Gordon-Conwell field education program. Before coming to RTS, I employed men pursuing ordination. Mentoring has been a key part of my pastoral ministry.

With so many voices telling us what to do, it’s vitally important that we have godly, thoughtful, experienced people showing us what to do.

What follows are my thoughts on what makes a good mentor. While I’m acutely aware of my weaknesses, much of what I know I learned from my mentors and have sought to put into practice, however imperfectly. One of the advantages of my job is that I continue to learn from the superbly skilled mentors who serve our students. As you search for a mentor, what should you be looking for?