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Editorial
Raising Generations
J
esus’ working on the band of twelve, would have been quite a task as they were from different walks of life, profession and with varying interests. Eventually Jesus turned them out as those who turn the world upside down. What an amazing Mentor our Lord is! The aweaspect, as we are aware, is that He never gave up on them owing to their failures and disappointments. The life and ministry of our Lord were of immense influence on the disciples in their making. As said, Jesus’ words interpreted His works and His works demonstrated His words. As a young believer, I joined a college in a city new to me, wherein I began to see the open homes. Though I was not acquainted much, seniors’ initiative to take me to their homes was a stunning experience to me. Such homes showered personal care in full measure: I received invaluable inputs related to campus life, ministry, etc. There were affirmation, encouragement, correction out of genuine concern. Their investment in my life has contributed greatly to what I am today. This moved me to extend such a care and nurture to my juniors, too. Those are the days having a telephone at home was a luxury, and not many seniors had it. Either we had to cycle to their homes to meet or graduates should come to our hostel. Even with limited communication means, our relationship was intact and intimate. Their lives, sacrifice, values and passion for God & His work have made a lasting impact on me. I am part of a host of fulltime workers (UESI staff, pastors, preachers and evangelists) who were nurtured and brought out from the same EU. My (our) seniors have seen the fruit of their labour, a dividend for their investment! The Bible unfolds umpteen examples and principles on mentoring, of which some are discussed in the articles in this issue. For the Gospel to impact, our priority must be on mentoring as it produces quality disciples who walk the way of their Master. C L P. John Jebaraj James (john.jebaraj@uesi.in)
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Campus Link Vol. 15 No. 1 Published by Dr A. Samuel Richard on behalf of UESI Publication Trust 19/10 Millers Road Chennai - 600 010 Printed by Mr Devavaram at Meipporul Achagam 278, Konnur High Road Chennai - 600 023 Cover, Editing, & Lay-out : P. John Jebaraj James E-mail:
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inside The Master’s Model
P.K.D.Lee
4
Mentoring Regi Koshy Daniel
8
How I Got Mentored by Prof. Enoch?
13
Shibu K Mathew
Students’ Perspective
Christina Pauline
17
A Graduate’s take on Mentoring
19
Kenneth Mirajkar
Father’s Love
C. Christal Jeya
21
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Cyril Georgeson
Anatomy of Mentoring
G.S.P. Dhas
Times of Stress
Dr Oby Cherian
Book Review
Ahalya Samuel
The Master Mentor
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Nanda Dulal
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Great & Happy New Year
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Dr Samip Baruah
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P.K.D.Lee
JESUS’ MODEL OF MENTORING
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he history we write is not written with ink or on paper, but in the lives of the people we have influenced. If this be true, it is imperative that we hone our skills in this area of our life, and not leave it to chance. This article is an attempt to quantify Jesus’ own practice in this area of His life. The Wilderness Encounter There are many interpretations to the Temptation of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. I see it as a temptation for shortcuts in ministry, using miracles or the meeting of social needs to replace the preaching of the Word. Soon after His baptism and the sign of the Holy Spirit on Him, He went into the wilderness for forty days. This was to think through the strategy for the ministry and to clarify in His own mind what the parameters of His life and
ministry are to be. He finishes the 40 days with 3 guidelines – i. Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. ii. You shall not tempt the Lord your God, and iii. You shall worship the Lord your God and Him alone you shall serve. In a similar fashion when Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus and was ministered to by Ananias at Damascus, he goes to Arabia for a time of reflection and avoids going up to Jerusalem (Gal 1:17). I believe this is to sort out his own ideas in the presence of God and without the influence of men, so that he knows the direction he needs to give to his life and ministry. This season apart is absolutely vital for all of us. It is therefore important for us to have this period of solitude where we reflect on God’s call for us; our 4
own understanding of our relationship with God and man; the meaning of God’s word for today etc. so that I can speak with confidence to people on these issues. This is not a one time experience somewhere at the beginning of our spiritual life, but a regular feature of our life as we take time out to be alone before God and His Word. I usually recommend a week every year, remembering that in the Old Testament they spent three weeks every year before God in the festivals. Select the Team On Jesus’ return from the wilderness, Jesus immediately began to “recruit” people at different levels. Those at the levels farthest from Him he influenced by His miracles and teaching. But there was a group of 12 who were close to Him in whom He invested His time and energy. There were other levels, but we are not going to look at them. It is this group of 12 we will look at. The 12 are selected on the basis of their interest in the redemption of Israel. While the interest is apparent in the case of Peter, Andrew, James and John by their involvement, with John the Baptist it is not so apparent. In the case of Matthew the tax collector, probably it would have been there, either overt or hidden, since his response to Jesus’ call was immediate. Using the same principle, we need to identify people who have shown the same vision or interests that we have and begin to influence and empower them on a planned and consistent manner. Rather than leaving this to a hit and miss occurrence, it is good to make a plan for each person. How am I going to continually feed inputs into his or her life? Can it be through regular messages or mails? By formal mentoring meetings? By Bible studies? What 5
We can only influence people in the area where God has called us, not only in terms of ministry but of my life, my family, etc. I need to have as much clarity as possible in my own life about who I am, what I am called to do, how I am called to live, etc. My impact on people is usually proportional to the clarity I have here.
stage in his or her life is the person now? What would be the most suitable means of communication to the person? People who are good at this ministry usually advise keeping a history log of the person, the person’s needs, what has been communicated, what needs to be done next and so on. This helps in tracking the efforts we have put in. Build Relationships To be able to influence a person I need to build a close relationship with the person. We see Jesus taking the initiative to build relationship with the chosen 12. He invites Andrew and John to come and stay with Him (John 1:38-39). Through this He built a relationship with them and their understanding of Him changed from Rabbi (John 1:38) to Messiah (John 1:41). My personal struggle in this area has been a great hesitation to call people to me, since I did not and do not see myself worthy to call anyone to learn from me. Hence I tended to wait for people to choose me, and so appear to have missed many opportunities. However, those whom God brought into my sphere at work, or in the church, I invested in them for mutual benefit. People are waiting for you to call them, as they are diffident to approach you. We need to realise it is not us who are ministering, but
the Holy Spirit through us, and so we need to be willing to step out and invite people to come into a relationship with us. This needs to be consciously done – first to identify and then to invite them. This relationship needs to be personal and open, so that the people are free to share their innermost feelings and needs with us, just as the apostles had with Jesus. Jesus knew the needs of the people and could minister to them. We also need to have an interest in getting to know the needs of the people and minister to their needs. Teaching The teaching of Jesus dealt with day to day situations of the people rather than esoteric theological ideas. It was only during His visits to Jerusalem, in his conflicts with the theologians there that He becomes more theological. If we look at the issues dealt with in the Sermon on the Mount, we find they are the daily issues of anger, adultery, oppression, fear of the future, etc (Matt 5:21-48; 6:25ff). that Jesus dealt with. Similarly, when I am mentoring someone, before going into the philosophical and theological underpinnings, which are important, we need to coach them in the daily disciplines required. These practical teachings are taught, like Deut 6:7-9 says, in the daily walk of life rather than in the classroom. It is when they fail, or find 6
that they are having difficulty in implementation, or when they begin to wonder as to the importance and need of these disciplines, that we can enter into the philosophical underpinnings of the activity. As an example, I would mentor a person to attend church faithfully, before trying to teach him the theology of the church. This was the idea when Management training began, one needed to practice for 2 or 3 years before they went for management training. So also, with the apostles, it was in the later parts of His ministry that Jesus began teaching some of the more difficult doctrines about Himself (Matthew 17:1-13 for example). Both the basic practices and the theory are important, and in our western approach we often put the theory first and then the practice, but in life issues, we need to follow the reverse. Giving Responsibility Once we have taught the basic disciplines, we need to encourage them to put the disciplines into practical use in ministry. For this we need to give them responsibilities and authority to execute these responsibilities. So, we find in Luke 10 that Jesus sends out the apostles and some other disciples, in groups of two to preach and to do signs and wonders in the towns of Israel. In 7
Luke 10:17 they return with joy in their hearts at the success they have had. Review and Encouragement I have observed that success is the greatest motivator and failure a great de-motivator. So we need to give clear instructions and adequate guidance for them to succeed in their effort. Even where their efforts are not quite up to the mark they need to be recognised where they have done well and encouraged to do better where they have fallen short. We see one example in John 21 where Jesus rebukes Peter in his response to the crucifixion and encourages him to commit to the ministry. Conclusion Mentoring is an important part of our Christian life. Those who are in mentoring ministries like Sunday school, do it as a part of their ministry. However, this is a role all believers can play, if they do it consciously as a part of their responsibilities to those who are younger or less experienced in particular areas where they have expertise and experience. May I encourage you to take this role seriously. C L P.K.D.Lee is an engineer who worked the Indian Railways for 20 years and then with Haggai Institute for 20 years. He is now retired and lives in Hyderabad.
Regi Koshy Daniel
MENTORING
M
entoring is a popular term today from corporate offices to religious circles with highly varying interpretations and practices. In the industry the term mentor is now being promoted as a designation even!
In the East, people often relate to the term “mentoring” as the age old guru-shishya relationship, wherein guru, the master calls shishya, the disciple for an unquestioning following thereof. Though they stay together in a GURUKUL, the master is mystical and aloof from the trainees with limited interactions. The relationship is marked by love, devotion, unconditional obedience, etc. It’s mystical and often mysterious. The other extreme is the loose and changing relationship between individuals as increasingly being observed in our post-modern society. Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline laments out as follows “We have received excellent instruction on how God leads through the Scripture, and through reason, and through circumstances, and through the promptings of the spirit upon the
individual heart. There has also been teaching, good teaching on exceptional means of guidance; angels, visions, dreams, signs and more. . . But, we have heard too little about how God leads through PEOPLE, the Body of Christ, on this subject there is profound silence today.” It appears that fellowships are increasingly getting fragmented inside without any personal relationships among the members. Are we digressing to be in “fellowship” without relationships these days? Yet, when the term mentoring is mentioned, often that comes to our mind is the erstwhile gurushishya relationship and frankly the contemporary youth is afraid of it. Mentoring as we see in the Bible 8
is quite different from the gurushishya relationship perceptions. Right from Genesis we find active mentoring relationships. We can clearly sense the impact of mentoring in most of the biblical characters. May it be with Moses Joshua, Naomi Ruth, Samuel Saul/David; Elijah Elisha; Mordecai Esther and so on in the OT and Barnabas Saul, Barnabas Mark, Peter Mark, Paul Timothy, Titus and so on of the NT, plenty are the examples in the Bible. May I narrate two patterns in mentoring as we observe in these biblical examples (and of course from my own mentors, as I write this as a tribute to them). Mentoring is Walking Together Biblical mentors and their mentees walked together long distances. Examples are many: Elisha (1Kings 19:19), leaving his home, after sacrificing oxen, burning the very yoke and the other ploughing instruments, set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant. Their walking together continued till 2 Kings 2 when Elisha was refusing to leave Elijah and finally inheriting a double portion of his spirit. (2 Kings 2: 12) Joshua (Exodus 24:13), described again as the attendant of Moses, accompanied Moses to the mountain Sinai. Moses says to people. . . until “we” come back 9
Ruth’s long journeys with Naomi can’t be ignored while Ruth emerges in the family tree of David (and of Jesus thereby) Esther’s long stay at Mordecai’s house as an adopted daughter. Paul’s long journeys with Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Silas, Silvanus. Above all these examples, our Lord Jesus walked with the disciples to mentor them. In fact Jesus had long journeys practically for 3 ½ yrs walking continuously with them. Several things happen on a walk / journey together especially when it’s a long journey. As no one can hide secrets / weaknesses / special agendas on a long journey, the mentor-mentee would develop a friendship and dependency with the 24 X 7 transparency while they journey together. In Deut: 6: 1 to 25 we find tools for godly parenting /mentoring as God commands to Moses “Hear O Israel…. These commands that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk, when you are lying down, when you get up…. Tie them as symbols on your hand, forehead, doorframes of your houses and your gates” Deut 6: 4-8. This is what happens when we journey together. Through the fresh hours and stress hours of journeying, doctrines, history,
character, values get downloaded /passed on to the next generation.
As we live in a relationally starving society that can be repaired only with good personal relationships and mentoring, let’s engage ourselves in mentoring and getting mentored, staying connected, walking and working together as in the biblical storylines. Biblical mentoring is WALKING together and WORKING together.
Was Moses remembering Jochebed, Amram, the home he grew up and the way they parented /mentored him? Was that the secret of Moses’ convictions, despite his growing up at the Pahoah’s palace? Notwithstanding the gap of about 300 years between Joseph to Moses, he was sure of the history and God’s plans and promises, too. Was that stemming up from Jochebed’s mentoring? Some mentees or the other were always with Paul in all his journeys. Paul had a ministry, he took his friends along in that journey, and they developed the same passion for those convictions he stood for. Personally, I too, cherish several travels that I was privileged to have with my mentors. Some of those long travels (missionary journeys with them) were quite transformative as I always cherish and thank God for. In those journeys we discussed, struggled on issues, laughed, cried. And through it all, though I never knew then, doctrines, new directions / visions for future etc too were getting formed in me, as we grew in mutual relationships as well. Walking together is journeying the life journey together and enjoying the togetherness in that journey. Mentoring Is Working Together In contrast with the guru - shishya relationship, where the shishya has to devotedly wait for his Guruji’ s instructions (often without even an explanation), we find mentees getting involved in the work /ministry of the mentor in the biblical examples of mentoring. This is quite exemplified in Barnabas – Paul relationship. Though Barnabas himself was nicknamed “son of exhortation” (possibly 10
because he was well known for his preaching), he delegated the Bible studies etc., to Paul (more of a thinker / writer / strategist than a preacher). Barnabas and Paul worked together for quite a long time, and significantly in the first missionary journey that covered over 10 mission stations as recorded. The same pattern of working together continued with Paul and Timothy, Titus, Silas and so on. The mentor - mentee together formed serving communities that ministered effectively to their difficult contexts. Paul was particular about proper follow up for all his initiatives and he chose a three way pattern of follow up (visiting them, writing to them often and deputing
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someone to them). In each of his patterns of follow up, his “mentees� were involved very actively. It’s amazing that they formed a serving community that led changes, addressed issues and took the mission forward in those difficult situations. While the bold Titus was sent to Crete for addressing the membership problems there, the hesitant Timothy was deputed to address the leadership problems at Ephesus. Paul trusted his mentees to make them his co-workers in the serving team. And in ministering together they were mentored to take the mission forward. I cherish the privilege together with my Through that I was much more than what
to work mentors. learning I would
have learned from any book. And I often wonder how they trusted to delegate. I remember my first speaking assignment in a camp. The invitation was to a senior EGF elder, who agreed and talked to the organizers that I’ll be his standby. He asked me to prepare for the sessions as if he won’t go. And lo and behold he sent me, and praying for me. Working together, forming serving teams is the pattern that I found in my senior EGF friend. Biblical mentoring is WALKING together and WORKING together. While walking together the personal friendship and regard get closer and closer. And in working together the vision get built and the mission expands to a greater vigor and relevance. It’s important that we do delegation with discernment, balancing the
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Walking and Working aspects of mentoring with lot of prayer. Walking together doesn’t mean only for missionary journeys. It can be for holidaying too, as Jesus did with disciples many times (let’s go to a quiet place for rest, e.g. Mark 6: 31). As students and graduates let’s walk together on all kinds of our journeys and the same way let’s work together in our ministry forming serving teams like Paul did. May the Lord make UESI as a community that walks and works together. C L Reji lives in Pune with his wife Betsy and their children Monica & Roshan. He works as the General Manager in an automotive company in Pune. In UESI, he currently serves as a member of the Finance & Admin Dept among other involvements in Pune and Maharashtra.
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Shibu K Mathew
How I Got Mentored by the Late Prof H Enoch?
by sharing God-given resources.” Since mentoring is relational, it is most effective if we have a living mentor. However much of the time, it is difficult to find the right mentor, or if we do find a great mentor, they aren’t available to mentor us.
“D
o you want to meet Jesus, Gandhi, Nehru, Lincoln and Luther?” asked the Hindi Professor in my college class. We all shouted back, “Yes”. After a pause, he said, “Go to the library.” I went to the library and that started my lifelong habit of reading. I met many great men and women through books and learned many things. I read many biographies, but most of the time, I just read and forgot it. It was during this habit building time that I read about “Historical Mentoring” from Dr. J Robert Clinton through his book, The Mentor Handbook, which introduced me to a new way of learning from biographies. Robert Clinton defines “Mentoring as a relational experience in which one person empowers another 13
In these kinds of situations, historical mentoring can help us. Historical mentoring is a process in which we read and study in depth the biographies or autobiographies of a deceased person to get examples of skills, attitudes, insights, habits, vision and values, to empower and apply in our lives. The Bible also commands us to “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” (Heb 13:7) This idea intrigued me, and I decided to experiment with it. As an EU student’s compulsary reading, I had read Prof H Enoch’s Following the Master, so I decided to read the book again, applying this strategy of being mentored. Normally, biographies are read just once, but in historical mentoring, you slowly read the biographies
many times to learn from that person. So, I read the book two or three times. Then I made a timeline and noted key things that happened in his life. Born on 23 July 1905 and at the age of 7 accepted Christ 1923: Joined BA in Madras Christian College. Lost interest in Jesus and lost faith by studying evolution. 1927: Reinstated in faith 1928: Got a job in Collectrate but didn't last long. Decided to take the job of a teacher so that he could share the gospel 1930: Completed MA and secured 1st rank, lost the faith again but continued "Christian Ministry." joined as Junior Lecturer in Presidency College 1931: Joined Vizag Medical College as Biology lecturer. Worked with SCM and lived among fisherman.
1956-57: Visited UK and other countries, which gave the opportunity to study Evolution in depth 1957: Became the President of UESI. He deliberately didn’t want to take any official position in UESI. 1960: Retired from Presidency college. 1960: Joined the Madras Christian College as the Head of the Department. 1964: Joined the Research Society.
Creation
1964: Retired from MCC, wrote the book, Evolution or Creation. 1965 Visited European countries 1964: Age 59 Ministry with UESI and Jehovah Shamma Church. 1988: Age 83 April 3 Went to be with the Lord. I noted the spiritual growth and experiences in his life.
1941: Marriage with Shirin. Waited for three years for this marriage.
1931: July-Dec Crisis of faith, Brokenness
1949: Moved Presidency college
Experienced deeper love of God
to
Madras
1951: Started the Madras Intercollegiate Evangelical Union and started a magazine called Evangelical Student. 1952: Became the Head of Zoology Department 1954: Started UESI
Filling of the Holy Spirit Realizations: about God
Confirmation
God is love, filled with God's love Decided to love God only Had a new faith to Trust God for all things Food, Shelter and clothes Got the boldness and ability to Share the gospel with everyone 14
God's word is true Indwelling presence of Christ Face to face experience with God Experienced the rest as assured in Heb. 4:11 After few years: Spoke in tongues once Some Habits: Fasted and prayed every Sunday and prayed before taking Zoology classes in college. His Life Purpose: At Age 26 decided to focus on three things - 1. Share the Gospel, 2. Pray for the sick, 3. Live according to the Sermon on the Mount. He decided to be a missionary as well as a missionary teacher. Life Principles »» To live with the poor and practise the Sermon on the Mount »» To those who take the clothes give them your tunic as well »» Give to those who ask »» Pray for those who speak bad about you »» Share with others »» Associate with the poor »» His Faith life and trusting God for all needs »» He gave a major portion of his salary to help the evangelists, widows, beggars and poor »» “As long as I have something to eat, you’ll never go hungry” told the UESI staff »» This benevolence has sometimes 15
led to poverty and financial crisis. In those times, he prayed like this: “Lord, this stomach is yours, if you want me to live, give food to it and otherwise I am not worried.” »» Finding God’s will for his life »» “On many occasions, I felt that I should go for full time Christian work, and so be able to do more for the Lord. I thought for example, of the leprosy work and wondered if I should do it. But gradually, I discovered that this thought was my own desire and not a definite call from the Lord.” »» “Now I can see that God was able to use me more in my profession than as a full time work. As a professor, God was able to use me later in the writing of Evolution or Creation and in the forming of UESI. God might have blessed me if I had left my job, but that would have been my way and not His.” »» “Wherever God places people, they should be faithful to Him one hundred percent and not be carried away by mere appeals for labourers. If they are interested in evangelistic work, they should do this wherever they are. The best and the most useful place for a man to be in is in the centre of God’s perfect will for him. That place is where God has put you, unless He has definitely and clearly called you to a different ministry.” »» “Even Jesus came to do God’s will, and not to evangelize, or to do leprosy work or missionary work,
however great and noble these may be.” Some Key Insights from His Life »» When we abide in Him we will bear fruit without much trouble. »» When we practice God’s will, God will use those incidents for His glory. So each incident in our life, whether small or big, has a place. Either we fulfill God’s will or we break it. »» Man is the product of heredity, environment and training: the triangle of life. The base represents heredity, one side is the environment and the other stands for training. This corresponds to the distinction between what we are (heredity), what we have (environment), and what we do (training). »» If your heredity is good, suitable training and environment will improve you. But if a man is a dullard, no amount of training and excellent environment can make him anything better than a presentable dullard. He remains a dullard, because of his heredity. This puts a premium on what we are and not on what we have or do. However good the environment and training, this will not be sufficient to transform humanity without a change in the base. »» As man consists of body, soul and spirit, so just improving the environment or giving right training wouldn’t improve a
person. His spirit should be born again and thus should have a new background. This is the ultimate change. Ultimate contributions »» Started UESI »» Wrote Evolution or Creation »» Always defended the Bible »» He lived a Saintly life »» After all this, I decided to put into practice some of these things in my life. Truly, I was blessed walking with this man of God and being mentored by him, who influenced some of my thinking and gave me new values to follow. Historical Mentoring: Some steps Select a biography Select bigger biographies, which give more details about the person. Select the biography based on your need or calling. For example, if you are a Bible teacher, search for a biography of a Bible teacher like John Stott or Martyn Loyd Johns Read the book Read it slowly and many times; read it analytically, devotionally and for application. Make a timeline noting the key developments and events. What are some of their spiritual experiences? What are some of their habits? Contd on P. 17 16
Students
Corner
Students’ Perspective on Mentoring
A
mentor is a trusted teacher or adviser. Christian mentoring is a dynamic, intentional relationship of trust in which one person enables another to maximize the grace of God in their life and service. Mentoring has always been an integral part of UESI’s ministry. This is how our values and principles are caught more often than they are taught. Below are some thoughts and ideas we students would like our mentors to know and understand. Role Models We learn more from how you live your life, than from what you tell us. It is such a privilege to see our mentors model their lives after Christ, so we can follow them even as they follow Christ. Transparency Be open with us. Share what mistakes you’ve made in your lives, so we can learn from it. It is difficult for us to open up to someone who paints a flawless picture of their life. 17
Christina Pauline
Availability We understand it is a fast-paced world and that you’re busy with your family, work and other commitments. But we would be grateful if you could show your support by making your presence felt in our camps, retreats and other meetings. Thank you also for bearing with us when we barge into your homes at odd hours in desperation, with or without prior intimation. Listening Listen to us, please. Don’t cut in while we’re still talking, don’t complete our sentences for us. Sometimes we need you to listen to us more than we need your advice, because in those times, we need to know you’re concerned and that you care more than we need a solution to our problem. Confidentiality What we share with you is not the prayer point in your EGF. Kindly be mindful of us, we need to face all those graduates in every EU
meeting! Patience Don’t judge us when we make mistakes. We’ve already got the rest of the world doing this for us! We might be leading Bible studies in our campuses and holding portfolios in committees, but we’ve got our own areas of weaknesses. So, be patient with us. We make mistakes and we learn from them. After all, God’s masterpiece is still in the making! Accountability Hold us accountable. Don’t just let us get away with everything we do, or you’d become just another person, not a mentor. Sensitivity We may not be able to openly share our biggest struggles like financial, health and family problems with you. We would be grateful if our mentors could be sensitive, read between the lines and help us in any way they can. Contd from P. 15
What are some of their mistakes? What are some of their insights from the person’s life that can be learned? What are some of the major contributions of his/her life? An action plan for your life to put into practice what you have learned. We all need mentors for fruitful
Thoughtfulness When we open up, we make ourselves vulnerable to you. So every seemingly small deed of kindness- that SMS you send on the morning of our semester exam, that pat on the back when the results (good ones, phew!!) come out, that call on our birthday, that encouraging word when we needed it the most-everything makes a difference to us. And we are very grateful! Last but certainly not the least. THANK YOU, dear mentors!! For everything you do for us! For sacrificing your time, energy, careers and family responsibilities to be there for us. We could never pay you back for what you invest in us. We only hope and pray that someday we will be able to live the life of faith and commitment you live today! C L Pauline is an active EU Committee member of Vepery ICEU, Chennai and student in Madras Vetrinary College.
lives. There is no excuse to say “I don’t have anyone to mentor me.” Pick up one biography and get mentored. In this New Year, decide from whom you want to be mentored. C L Shibu K. Mathew edits Ethne magazine and blogs at Christianlife.in. For any help regarding historical mentoring he can be contacted through, editor@ethne.com 18
coffee with
T
A Graduate’s take on Mentoring
he students of the present I.T age (as we prefer calling) are a herd without a shepherd. With growing infatuation and indolence, garnering students’ trust is even more improbable. With worldly mechanisms of offering perks, suitably bribing or even being servile making students more farther from nearer. There needs to be done a serious evaluation of our approach towards embracing students to Christ and His ideals of living. The most important or rather quintessential fact we forget is a one-on-one interaction with the students. We need to comprehend that Mentoring must be the sole goal of a senior in building up an amateur. I (Kenneth) have a wonderful mentor Mr Vivek Ekbote to guide me in almost all my major decisions and life circumstances. It is my 19
privilege to have interviewed my own mentor on ‘Mentoring’. Kenneth: What, according to you is Mentoring? Vivek: A mentor is an able guide and help in the areas a student needs. It’s all about placing oneself in the shoes of students and making them feel comfortable for a transparent relationship. Mentor takes efforts to understand a SWOT of the person. It’s imperative for a meaningful relationship. Kenneth: That’s splendid anna. What is your methodology of Mentoring? Vivek: First of all, a reasonable classification is absolutely necessary. I try to understand the students’ perception, openness, seriousness, involvement, and other key aspects. then relate it with them through my past at the same juncture. If I am with a 10th
std student, I adjust myself to his thinking process. If I’m with a final year Engineering student, I step up my gears into more of practicality and intellectual stimulation. In its long process, my first step is to get as close as possible to the student through starters like talking informally about about Quiet Time, fellowship. Then slowly I share from my past experiences, too. Kenneth: That’s purely sacrificial! What are your expectations after Mentoring a student? Vivek: After a few meetings with them, an increase in sense of seriousness & eagerness are what I look forward, as I do. I would expect them to be frank and confide in me as they share their lives with me. I admire those who keep timing. In the later stages, I wish to see them mentoring other students. Kenneth: What are some of the gravest challenges you’ve faced as a Mentor? Vivek: Primarily, I see clash of commitments, work pressure, family to care for, and other demands have always been on my back. But Praise God for my wonderful wife and children, they totally understand my calling. Keeping confidentiality is also a challenge as the mentor has to be careful not to even outline their mentees’ weakness to others. Kenneth: Who was your first mentor
and how did he impact your life? Vivek: My very own brother in Christ, Dennis Devaraj, an EGF member in Belgaum, is my mentor. He has been with me even in the smallest of events and also in major life altering happenings and decisions. He’s still my mentor. We now follow peer mentoring process amongst ourselves. I am blessed through all his hard work. Now when I mentor students, I can really feel how he mentored me. While mentoring students this makes the job smooth. Kenneth: Any concluding note you’d give to our readers? Vivek: Just be patient with the students, they will surely open up if you tap the right side of the coconut shell. It is very important that more time be put in mentoring students than other activities we have for them. Gaining their trust sets the ground. Even our physical appearance, our dynamism, and our smiles reflect a lot about us. Be a student to get a student to Christ is all I’d say. Kenneth: Thanks anna. I personally am privileged and blessed to have learnt a lot from you. C L Kenneth Mirajkar & Vivek Kenneth is a final year BE student, is also the treasurer in the Hubli ICEU, Karnataka. Vivek works as a front office executive manager in a Hotel. His wife & he are blessed with two beautiful kids, Nikita and Jaden. As a family they involve with the Hubli EU and EGF. 20
Corner
Students
FATHER’S LOVE
C. Christal Jeya
I
remember an incident from my childhood that my father used to love reminding me of. I was about a year and a half and playing alone in my room. As my mom was busy with cooking I managed to reach the front door unnoticed and went out. Standing alone outside I could feel the fresh earth under my bare feet. The breathtaking sight of the outside world is so thrilling when you stand alone without any adult to supervise! You might wonder what this little brat was doing outside. Well, I was on a mission: I was in search of my father. He was my hero and I was missing him a lot when he was away. He was my listener when I would babble my stupid stories that had no sense or structure. My stories would end with my nodding off to sleep close to his bosom. My tiny mind was filled with lots of questions: Where had my dad gone? Where could he have been? Was he at his friend’s home? I knew that Uncle’s home as I had been there before. I was very sure he had gone there; he might be talking about everyday happenings that adults generally talk about. But, how will I get there? My mom was taking a 21
shower after finishing her job of cooking and she would not notice if I went out now. So I went out in search of my father who is not just my father but my best friend too. Well, going all the way to that Uncle’s home was not easy but I didn’t care. My eyes did not see the stones on the way – they were filled with my father’s love that I longed to have again. Walking alone on the road, I was afraid, but I still did not wish to give up my search. There were people passing by who were staring at me. I wondered how I looked to them a child with head shaved, wearing a petticoat, stumbling on the roadside, perhaps with no mother or father to support it. “Oh! The sun is so warm today. I wish I could have stayed at home. The sun’s heat really burns. However when my dad comes he will buy me chocolates and cakes. It will pass away.” And so I still clung to the wall and walked toward my uncle’s home in hope of finding my father. Contd on P. 33
SHAPED BY T E C H N O L O G Y
I
f there is one aspect that has had the greatest impact on our time, it is technology. Whether we like it or not the human story has and is being radically transformed by technology. Well, some of you may say that it is not true of you. Really? We may label only the tablet PC, computer or smartphone as technology; but actually the cell-phone we use, the books and newspaper that we read and even this broadcast that you are listening to are the product of technology. It is just that every technology has its time and then another technology replaces it. There was a time when people used to read news on a broadsheet. . . which moved on to radio. . . and then to the television. . . and now for many news is accessed on the internet. And every technology has had its impact on us.
Cyril Georgeson
Take the time when people used to get their news only on the newspaper. They would wait for the newspaper delivery boy to know what happened in their locality yesterday, the country a couple of days ago and the world in the last few days. With the advent of the television age the delivery boy did not play such an important part in our lives - we just had to gather around the television at the time of the evening news and pronto - global news was downloaded on us!! But with the arrival of the internet age, we can access news when it is convenient to us ‌ and not only that - we can even post our own views on Twitter, put our photographs and personal news stories on our Facebook pages and guess what - we are not just consuming news - we are also ‘the news’. . . At least for those to whom it matters. 22
Is that not really a paradigm shift? From the newspaper delivery boy bringing news to us, to yourself being newsmakers in a world of our making. Looking back at history we see this with every technology that has come our way – like the simple wrist watch on our hand. The mechanical clock, which came into common use in the 14th century, provides a compelling example. In the book ‘Technics and Civilization’, the historian and cultural critic Lewis Mumford described how the clock “disassociated time from human events and helped create the belief in an independent world of mathematically measurable sequences.” Sushil lived in the 12th Century way before the invention of the mechanical clock. He would wakeup when daylight poured in through the windows. His life followed a pattern. After a leisurely breakfast he headed out to the fields to a day of work returning for lunch and a siesta when it became very hot. Today, Aditya, a descendent of Sushil wakes up to an alarm, rushing through a sandwich-breakfast to catch a train that leaves at 7:57 to reach office before 9. He has a great appetite normally but he cannot eat till his lunch break at 1. Our natural bodily responses and signals have now been made subservient or tuned to our clocks. 23
The “abstract framework of divided time” has became “the point of reference for both action and thought.” The clock’s methodical ticking helped bring into being the scientific mind and the scientific man, but it also took something away. Moses who lived around 40 centuries earlier led his people from a land of enslavement to freedom. While they were escaping he suddenly found that their enemies were following them and the Red sea ahead. Miraculously the Red sea parted so that they could escape through it. "Nine-year-old Danny came bursting out of Sunday school like a wild stallion. When he got home his mother asked him what he had learned in Sunday School. 'Man, that story of Moses and all those people crossing the Red Sea was great!' His father looked down, smiled, and asked him to tell him some more of the story. 'Well, the Israelites got out of Egypt, but Pharaoh and his army chased them. So the Israelites sped fast as they could on their SUV’s until they got to the Red Sea. The Egyptian Army on their armoured carriers were gettin' closer and closer. So Moses got on his walkie-talkie and told the Israeli Air Force to bomb the Egyptian lines. While that was happening, the Israeli Navy built a pontoon bridge across the red
sea. They crossed over to the other side and then the air force knocked out the pontoon bridge too so that the Egyptians could not follow them to the other side!'
God did not send an internet profile, e-mail, or an sms, but sent His Son who lived among us. That is the incarnation and that is what we are called to. We can surely use the cell phone, internet and other tech devices to complement the need for reaching and touching lives, but we cannot allow those to replace our lives in the real world.
By now dad was shocked. 'Is that the way they taught you the story?' 'Well, no, not exactly,' Danny admitted hesitantly 'but if I told it to you the way they told it to us, you'd never believe it, Dad.' With childlike innocence the little guy put his finger on the pulse of our sophisticated adult world – a world where technology has replaced God. Technology has definitely made it easier to get closer to God, but often it is the other way around. The Bible was available only on scrolls and parchments, and they were very few and also bulky to port around. With the invention by Guttenburg of the printing press the Book could be multiplied easily and also carried easily. Today we can have the Bible, and as many other study resources not only on our laptops but even on our tablets and cell phones. The Apostle John tells something very profound: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God did not send an internet profile, e-mail, or an sms, but sent His Son who lived among us. That is the incarnation and that is what we are called to. We can surely use the cell phone, internet and other tech devices to complement the need for reaching and touching lives, but we cannot allow those to replace our lives in the real world. Maybe you want to end with resolutions you can take on not letting technology be your master? Ok! Here goes; 1. I will not have a conversation on the cell phone when I am with another person. At worst, I will briefly take the call and tell the person on the other end that I am with someone 24
and would call back later. Oh, yes I am pretty good with sms and can type one without looking at the keypad, but I will show respect by not doing even that. Yes, of course that includes ‘twittering’. And of course, iPods or mp3 players are a strict no-no! 2. Gosh! Caller id? That can sometimes be quite a nuisance. But Yes!, I will remember to call back, if I have not taken a call. I will treat all who have tried to contact me as of equal importance. 3. I will switch of my cell phone when at prayer, a meeting or sleeping. I can put my confidence in God - that He will not allow me to miss an important call. And, of course, I could also subscribe to ‘missed call alerts’. (Or at the bare minimum, at least on silent?) 4. I will surely reply to, or acknowledge every sms and e-mail at the earliest. Further, I will not send an sms or e-mail when I can talk to a person over the phone or meet personally. I will not put efficiency over intimacy. 5. Surely it helps to connect with friends using social web-sites. I will try to be personal and ‘myself’ in all my relationships when on these sites. I have not forgotten that my parents often used to tell me to ‘behave myself’ – and no better place than the internet to try it. I will not forge a false identity. Nevertheless, I will not assume 25
that because I have spent time on the networking sites (Facebook, Orkut, Twitter…) I have spent time with people. Lonely people and those who are ill still need my time and I would let them hear the sound of my voice, feel my touch and experience my care. Yes, it may include my close family and friends too who just need my time. 6. I take responsibility for every text message or e-mail that I send. I will not simply keep forwarding these if I do not think that it is of value to the other person. Also, I will not forward an sms or an e-mail without confirming the veracity of the claims it makes. I am embarrassed that I forwarded the messages that said that ‘Dara Singh of the Steins’ notoriety was taking baptism without cross checking. And, yes I have not forgotten that sms ‘about some Christian Missionaries who were about to be executed by the Taliban’. I will let people know that my word can be trusted and I will not be a rumour monger since my Lord has commanded me to let my ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and my ‘no’ be ‘no’. C L Cyril serves with RZIM as the Chief Training Officer. He has worked in the Information Technology and Airline industry prior to this and the family has lived in the cities of Nasik, Delhi and now Mumbai.
G.S.P. Dhas
ANATOMY OF MENTORING A
Mentor is a:
* Teacher: helping (a person) learn (how) to do something * Trainer: developing a faculty by methodical discipline * Trusted advisor: Counselling a course of action, Pro. 11:14; 2 Cor. 8:10-11; Admonishing for fault/ oversight, Eph. 6:4; Warning against possible danger / failure, Acts 20:29-31. * Coach: offering skills-oriented training * Role model: setting an example for others to follow (Phil 4:9) aiming at holistic and personbased development/growth. Christian Mentoring is the same as Christian Discipling. Matt 28:19, 20 and Col 1:28, 29 are key verses.
The Relationship Factor (PR) is a key ingredient to successful mentoring. John Wesley’s General Rules for Methodist Fellowships (Societies) released in 1743 included ‘Watch Over One Another In Love.’ This was the key to his success in retaining those who were converted through that revival. They cared for one another. In fact caring for and watching over one another (in love) is the essence of mentoring. A mere instructor is contrasted with a caring parent in 1 Cor 4:15. “People don’t care how much you know- until they know how much you care.” “A Christian mentor is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, a heart to care, and a life to watch.” 26
“Mentors are better listeners - 75% listening and 25% talking.” Let us look at 1 Cor 3:5-7: v. 5 - Human mentors are God’s ministers/ servants and servants have nothing to boast (Luke 17:10). They are entrusted and enabled by Him. (1 Tim 1:12) v. 6 – Without His input, even the combined labour of many mentors will be unfruitful (Ps 127:1) v. 7 - But for God, human mentors amount to nothing. Mentoring can be done in adverse circumstances and under limitations. The house-bound person may invite others to visit or mentor by phone/ e-mail etc. Paul in jail was mentoring Onesimus and others. Where there is a will there surely is a way. Paul had a passion for mentoring even those he had not yet met (Rom 1:9-13). We may mentor others of our level/ below our level/even above our level. No one is beyond the scope of mentoring until he/she has grown into the stature of Christ (Matt 10:25a and Eph 4:13). Mutual mentoring can go on. The Bible presents us with many examples. Jesus was the Master Mentor - mentoring all sorts of people at any place and at any time; Nicodemus (Jn 3), Zacchaeus (Luke 19), the nameless woman of Samaria (Jn 4) and the twelve disciples (Mk 3:14). Barnabas had mastered the art of encouragement which is absolutely necessary to effective mentoring. A great encourager may not be a great leader himself but may enable others to develop into leaders. Barnabas enabled Paul’s development as a leader. Even though Mark had failed once, Barnabas never gave up on him but patiently mentored him and 27
Mentoring is every believer’s calling and privilege. It can be done with varying degree of intensity depending on our unique natural talents, spiritual gifts, intellectual/ economic/social attainments and the peculiar needs of the mentees. We don’t have to compare with or copy others. There is no monopoly in mentoring since God reserves the right to use others alongside / to precede/ to succeed us.
Mark went on to write the fourth Gospel, the Gospel according to Mark! Some people sit dejected because of failure of a programme or due to serious strains in their family relationships, etc. They are bypassed/overlooked/rejected and they suffer silently - hidden in the shadows of the success of others for want of a Barnabas. Qualities of a good mentor: In order to succeed as a Mentor we must know ‘whose’ we are and what our strengths and skills are. We must be given to prayer and diligent study of the Word, be person-oriented, culturally neutral, unbiased, impartial, nonjudgemental, and trustworthy. We must maintain confidentiality as required, and manifest worthemulating behaviours, attitudes, values, mannerisms, etc. We must have a shepherd’s heart, be willing to make time for others, have a servant attitude to serve and help, and be patient with a long-range view. In the context of UESI ministry there must be suitable mentoring between staff, graduates and students. Graduates must be adequately exposed to the Word and the World, especially the ‘Student world.’ Students need to be motivated and guided in their studies and through examinations and interviews. Their individual needs must be discerned and responded to. Biblical doctrines and
other spiritual disciplines must be taught in order to develop student initiative and student leadership. They must be helped to know the prevalent false cults and practices. Their talents must be identified and appreciated; opportunities must be provided to exercise them. Graduating students must be kept track of - they must be encouraged and counselled to take up responsibilities in the ministry after graduation. Single graduates must be helped in finding suitable jobs, residences, and even life partners. Young couples struggling in family life can be suitably counselled by older couples. In our ministry we talk about ‘Lack of Follow-Up’ which is the same as ‘Absence of Mentoring.’ C L G.S.P. Dhas hailing from TN, served the Govt of India, posted in different N I states, before retirement on superannuation in May, 2003. He has been associated with the UESI ministry from the mid-Sixties, and has held different leadership roles at Regional and national levels. He and his wife are settled in Odisha in order to continue crosscultural Christian witness.
28
Dr Oby Cherian
TIMES OF I
n the last issue we looked at two Old Testament men and the difficulties they faced; and we learnt from their experiences. This time we will look at some New Testament characters and we will see what they have to teach us. The first bunch of people I want you to consider are the disciples on a stormy night on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8:22-25). It was not just mental stress; their boat was being tossed about like a cork. Matter and energy seem to have conspired to tear their vessel apart and send them floundering to a watery grave. What thoughts would they have had? What thoughts would you have had? We should not have followed this carpenter man. Doubt. Perhaps we should not have come on this trip. Doubt. When the storms of life assail our boat, waves of vicious doubt are sure to come pounding down. Where is the Lord in all of this? Doesn’t he care? Or maybe He is not in our boat at all; He is standing safely on the shore 29
- Part 2 shaking an angry finger at us! The disciples are not the first ones to try and wake up the ‘Ancient of days’ who neither slumbers nor sleeps! About a thousand years before them the sons of Korah tried to do the same thing in Psalm 44:23 ‘Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?’ The Lord had only one thing to say to them, “Where is your faith?” Note that He did not say, ‘You nitwits, you have no faith.’ He said, ‘Where is your faith?’ Bring it out, exercise it, and hold up your shield! Most often, it is not ‘work’ that makes us tired and stressed out; it is ‘doubt’ and ‘lack of confidence.’ It could be anything - a programme, a client we have taken on, or even the work we are currently engaged in. Nagging doubts drag us down. Should I be in this place? Should I have operated on this patient? It’s like driving with your handbrakes on; like driving with only some of the cylinders in your engine firing. There is something pulling you
back and everything becomes a drag!
said, ‘NO.’
That is why it is so important to do what David did . . . ‘Enquire of the Lord.’ You will find that he did this again and again before starting his campaigns (2 Samuel 5: 19, 23).
“Father, whose life is within me, and whose love is ever about me,
Here is Dr Ida Scudder’s prayer:
Grant that this life may be maintained in my life today and every day,
Before you start something pray long and hard over it; wait on the Lord for guidance. If you have assurance about what you are doing, then when doubts come you are better prepared to handle it. If you breeze into something impulsively without a prayer, then doubt will add to your stress when the going gets tough.
That with gladness of heart, without haste or confusion of thought,
The next person I want you to consider is our Lord Himself. He had a lot of stress; at several points in the ministry He did not even have time to eat. But in relation to stress I want to reinforce the fact that Jesus was selective about taking on projects. He knew when to say ‘No.’
And in the sense of Thy presence may I walk
In Luke 12:14, somebody wanted Him to chair an arbitration committee. Jesus said, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” In John 7:3-5, Jesus’ brothers tell Him, and I paraphrase, “You are not going to become famous sitting in this hole. You’ve got to go to Jerusalem. That is where all the action is. And let us give you a piece of advice - do it during the big festival. You’ve got to catch the attention of the crowds.” Jesus
I may go about my daily tasks, Conscious of my ability to meet every rightful demand, Seeing the larger meaning of little things And finding everywhere.
beauty
and
love
Through the hours, breathing the atmosphere of love Rather than anxious striving.” You will notice that she says ‘every rightful demand.’ There are some demands on us that are unreasonable. Every need is not a calling! The last person we can learn from today is St. Paul. In 2 Corinthians 11 we read about his troublefilled life, his sufferings and his anxieties. If anybody had stress - he did! One of the shipwrecks he endured is recorded in Acts 27:18-19. I would like to point out one or two things we can learn from this passage. ‘We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day 30
they began to throw the cargo overboard. The third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.’ The sailors lightened the ship by throwing out the things that were not necessary. Difficulties give us an opportunity to reconsider our ways. Are we doing what God wants us to do? The answer may help us change direction or it can reconfirm a calling. You might remember the lithotripter I spoke about and what it does to inflexible stiff-necked calculi. If we don’t change we might crumble to pieces like the kidney stones that crumble under the stress of shock waves. How did Paul come through this shipwreck and so many other troubles? He tells his fellow passengers on the deck of that doomed ship, “Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong, and whom I serve, stood beside me.” The God to whom I belong. That is the key. Paul was not his own. He was always lost in the love of God, always lost in that great presence. Paul had no agenda of his own; neither the ship wreck was his idea nor the viper that bit him when he came ashore. Galatians 2:20 puts it so well; “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” ‘My old self has been crucified with Christ.’ These words which he lived out moment by moment were the secret of his irrepressible life. When our old self rules our life we want our way. We want to avoid suffering. We want things to fit into our timetable. 31
Times of stress give us an opportunity to take an inventory of our lives and throw out the things that are not necessary. It may be a habit, an activity, a friendship, or a way of life. Difficulties give us an opportunity to reconsider our ways. Are we doing what God wants us to do? The answer may help us change direction or it can reconfirm a calling.
We feel everything depends on us. No wonder we feel stressed out when a bend in the road is not on the map we have drawn up for our day. “The life that I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” He loved me and gave himself for me! When troubles befall us what matters is that God still loves us. We can be out of His will sometimes but we can never be out of His care! Through all the storms of life if only we can continue to believe that God loves us, we are safe.
when all else swayed and shook around him it held secure. That’s why he could say in Romans 8:35,37 - ‘Who can separate us from His love, yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.’ When the stress and strains of life threaten to drown you hold on to this one thing - God is faithful, He loves you, and he always will. Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” C L Dr Oby is an urologist working in Christian Fellowship Hospital, Ambilikai,TN.
The love of God was the bedrock on which Paul’s faith rested; and
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Review
S
Book
PIRITUAL DISCIPLINES HANDBOOK writ-
ten by Adele Ahlberg Calhourn (published in 3 parts by IVP India) is an absolute treasure, full of warmth and wisdom. We live in a fast paced world where most of us crave for things we get in an instant -- instant coffee, instant success, instant career and the list goes on. Liberty is the “in” thing and we do not like “discipline” especially “spiritual discipline”. We are willing to throw money at the feet of some leaders and want to get instant joy, instant relief from disease and instant gratification. Seldom do we like to discipline ourselves, quieten our hearts, meditate and pray. Such practices can transform us and get us into a living relationship with our Creator. Spiritual Discipline Handbooks 1, 2 & 3 teach us precisely those disciplines. Book I has two chapters – Open Myself to God and Relinquish the False Self. There are some down-to-earth practical tips that will exalt us to the highest spiritual level. These books should not be read in a hurry; we have to go through each discipline at a slow pace in order to find it an inspirational and rewarding guide. Each Chapter starts with a quote followed by sub-titles such as desire, definition, scriptural references, 33
Ahalya Samuel practice and Godgiven fruit. Reflection questions are thought-provoking and are followed by spiritual exercises. We can read resources given at the end of each Chapter for further clarity. Book II talks about sharing our lives with others, hearing God’s Word and witnessing the love of Christ. The Bible teaches that we are accountable to one another and to God. This book expounds this principle and teaches us the intricacies of community living. ‘Prayer’, the most indispensable but unfortunately the most neglected discipline of a Christian, is dealt with in detail in Book III. There are many books on ‘Prayer’ but this book offers some practical and useful suggestions which will certainly improve the quality of a Christian’s prayer life. It provides patterns for attending to God throughout the day. These principles when practised are certain to transform one’s ‘prayers of tears’ into ‘prayers of praise’. Breath Prayer, Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, Conversational Prayer, Fasting Prayer, Fixed-hour Prayer, Inner healing Prayer, Intercessory Prayer, Labyrinth Prayer, Liturgical Prayer, Scripture Prayer, Prayer of Recollection and Prayer Walking are
the novel methods offered by the author to pray without ceasing. If one practises these suggestions, one’s prayer life would never be monotonous and mundane; but interesting and meaningful. Each Book imparts wise counsel and reflects the experiences of the author. We can have a life complete with fulfillment despite life’s interruptions. “Spiritual disciplines give the Holy Spirit space to brood over our souls”. Even as I finished the first chapter of Book I, I felt had I come across this book earlier in my life, it would have made a lot of difference in my spiritual life. We live in a busy world running all the time with no time to stand and stare. But we cannot give that excuse before our Maker. Dear reader, “He is still working on me, to make me what Contd from P. 20 My father was returning from work seated in a rickshaw and saw a lonely child sticking to the roadside wall trying to move on. Could it be some labourer’s child? Could it be any of the orphans left behind? The rickshaw was getting closer and closer and suddenly my father realized it was me, his child! He jumped from the moving rickshaw and took me in his arms covering me with kisses and hugs. I was in awe, full of joy, and only my laughter came out from my heart in response to my father’s love. My bare feet felt less pain; the scorching heat did not seem to
I ought to be”. When the Sovereign God is showing so much care and concern for a tiny individual, shouldn’t we develop some spiritual discipline to hear His voice? Read this book, ponder over the principles, you will gradually see a different “You” in your spiritual mirror. Title: Spiritual Disciplines Handbook – Books 1, 2 & 3 Author: Adele Ahlberg Calhoun Publisher: IVP India No. of pages: Book 1 – 106, Book 2 – 116, Book 3 - 96 Price: Rs. 70 each. C L (See the back wrapper for the offer details) Ahalya is a retired bank manager, actively invloved in ministry among women in UESI and church, besides contributing in UESI publishing along with her husband, Dr Richard Samuel.
bother me anymore. My little heart could only say - at last I found Him! Or did he find me? Our Almighty Father is much more concerned about us than our earthly father. He is our perfect father. He is our provider. He is everything! If we seek Him with our whole heart we will find Him. Home is where the heart is. Heart is where Christ is! C L Christal Jeya is a final year student of M.A. (English) in Karunya University. 34
Nanda Dulal
THE MASTER MENTOR
T
he ‘mentor’ is a character in Homer’s epic The Odyssey. When Odysseus, King of Ithaca, went to fight in the Trojan War he entrusted the care of his kingdom and his son to a person named Mentor. Mentor served as the teacher and overseer of Odysseus’s son, Telemachus. The Bible does not mention the words mentoring, mentor or mentee directly. The relationship between our Lord Jesus and His 12 disciples stands as the supreme example of mentoring. Who can be a better example of a mentor than our Master Mentor, our Lord Jesus Christ? Let us focus on a few of His attributes.
to the Twelve to heal the sick and cast out demons, and he sent them in twos as part of practical training in the mission field. Matthew 17 narrates how nine of his disciples were unable to heal an epileptic while the Master and three other disciples were away at the mount of transfiguration. Jesus healed the child instantly. Later He evaluated the failure of the disciples and told them the secret of casting out demons was prayer and fasting. He taught them, showed them, and allowed them to try it out themselves. He was a pragmatic coach who allowed every possible exposure to the disciples for learning.
As the Master Trainer
As the Great Shepherd
Our Lord Jesus chose only twelve disciples and He committed to mentor, disciple, and train them. He intently and personally taught, instructed, and demonstrated to them every aspect of God’s mission. The 12 mentees had ample opportunities to learn the deep secrets of the Kingdom of God and spiritual life as most of Jesus’ teaching, preaching, speaking in parables, and miracles were done in their presence.
The popular passages of John 10 and Psalm 23 describe the Lord as the Good and True Shepherd. Shepherd’ denotes both ‘mentor’ and ‘leader.’ The Master Mentor provided, gave rest and led His disciples with love, nurture, intimacy, and spiritual care. He corrected (the rod) and comforted (the staff) them. He was always available to give direction and guidance. He restored and renewed them (example Peter). As a mentor He was willing to
In Matthew 10, the Lord gives power 35
sacrifice everything for His followers. Jesus spent all his time with his disciples, and they, being ignorant and unlettered, were transformed into bold spiritual leaders who turned the thenknown world upside down! The impact of the mentoring of Jesus was significantly felt worldwide so much so the gospel reached all the continents in less than a generation. As the Master Role Model As a mentor, Jesus changed the paradigms of life and the mentees had to rewrite new definitions to conventional terms. As the Master, He set Himself as the role model among the disciples by washing their feet. ”If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you” (John13:1415). In John 13:34 Jesus gives a new commandment to his disciples to love one another as He has loved them. The Master modelled Himself as a servant and declared, For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, Mark 10:45. Therefore, He defined greatness as serving, and leader as servant, and exhorted the mentees, whosoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant, Mark 10:43. The needs of the younger generation are many and varied. They crave for a sense of belonging
and constant encouragement from their mentors. Every graduate and senior student can be a great blessing to the students as a mentor. Every believing student can stand in the gap in leading his fellow student to the light of the Gospel and to the Master Mentor. Let us assess ourselves, our position as mentors through the following checklist (just indicative): 1. Am I excited to extend my friendship to a new believer? 2. Do I devote time regularly to talk to my mentees on personal, professional, emotional and spiritual spheres of life? 3. Do I personally help new comers to settle down in the new place/ college/university? 4. Is my home/room a place for my mentees to come and share their happiness/sorrows? 5. How have I been supportive during their difficult assignments/ situations? 6. Do I share personal success/ failure stories and use failure stories as anchors of development? 7. In what ways my life can be an influence on younsters? Plato said, “Those who have torches will pass them on to others” C L Nanda Dulal is a graduate based in Cochin at present.
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Dr Samip Baruah
Wish You a Great & Happy New Year
W
e gladly accept the customary the all things is possible with God. responsibility of wishing all a Everything is possible for those Happy New Year 2013. who believe in God. What lies ahead, where, when and how should not be our concern. Jesus rightly says, How many of you can add a single hour into your life by worrying, Matt 6:27. Yes, in the new year we need to rejoice in it and surrender our lives into God’s Hands, that HE is with us is the source of our confidence. A story tells of a father and his daughter crossing a rope bridge. That journey on that bridge required more than ordinary courage, because it spanned a deep valley and there were deep gorges below the rope bridge. The violent wind caused it to sway and a sight below the rope would make anyone shiver at the great depths. The daughter’s immediate reaction was to hold her father’s hand. But the better arrangement was the father to hold her hand. The father himself knew that his daughter was going to be frightened. So she took her hand before she could ask for help. Yes, the Bible says, “He chose us first, before we chose Him” John 15:16. He will not let her go because the father chose the daughter to be saved. Yes, we need to hold the Father’s powerful Hand. Our God is a God of possibilities for being the way we need to drive 37
Seven keys to overcome the impossiblities which the Bible talks about are 1. God desires to deliver you from impossible challenges. Psalm 34:19 2. God is not bound by human limitations. Mark 9:23 3. All things have an eternal purpose. Romans 8:28 4. God’s grace is sufficient for all your needs. II Corinthians 12:9 5. God will answer your prayers. Mark 11:24 6. God will use you in His service. John 14:12 7. No matter what challenges you face, God promises you the joys of heaven. John 14:1-2. Let us depend on the Almighty, The God of Possibilities as we tread into the new year of 2013. Have a Great year ahead.
in India.
Dr Samip is the National Sales Manager for ITC brand of Classmate, Paperkraft, and Color Crew brand of stationery items in Modern Trade, Institutions, and Exports
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