Discipleship vs. Mentorship

Discipleship is  the process whereby one learns or follows a Master with the purpose of becoming like Him. A disciple can also be defined as a learner, a pupil, one who comes to be taught. The Greek word for it is mathetes. A disciple who has learnt of his master will one day become a teacher. One does not qualify to teach if he has not submitted himself to learn.

The motto for teachers in Latin is Disce ut doceas meaning learn so that you can teach. The relationship between the disciple and his teacher is not just that the student listens to his teacher, or that he is a passively interested listener. A disciple listens with attention and intention. He takes every word of his teacher seriously, marking every inflection of his teacher’s voice with an intense desire to apply what he has learnt.

Mentorship on the other hand, involves a process whereby someone who is wiser, more knowledgeable, more exposed and more experienced (mentor) takes up the responsibility of monitoring, tutoring and leading another who is naive, less knowledgeable, less exposed and less experienced (mentee) with the view to making the mentee get the best in life.

Mentoring is not limited to the Christian cycle alone, it is often used in other spheres of life most especially in business. Career-wise, it is often said that one needs a mentor to succeed. This is because someone who has gone ahead and have what another lacks is in the best position to provide leadership for those coming behind.

Discipleship and mentorship are all about relationship. While Christian Discipleship is deeply rooted in relationship with Christ, mentorship is deeply rooted in relationship with man. In Mark 3:14-15, we are told “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.” Jesus called His disciples to have a relationship witth Him first before commissioning them for other things.

Apostle Paul was a clear example of a mentor who remained a disciple of Christ together with his mentees. He mentored Timothy, Titus, Onesimus and so many people in the churches he planted. He said to the Corinthians “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” (1 Cor.11:1).

Discipleship is more than mentorship. Mentorship is part of the process of discipleship. But it does not equate with it. A mentor and his mentee must remain disciples of Christ. The role of the mentor is to help and encourage his mentee to always make the right decision. I have heard and seen so many cases that even the mentor fall from the grace because of ‘I have arrived’ syndrome.

Both the mentor and his mentee must never graduate out of the school of Discipleship. One who graduates from the school of discipleship ceases to be the disciple of Christ. This is the reason discipleship is more than any activity or program set up by any church. It is a life long journey. It is a path that must be followed through out one’s life in order to reign with Christ.

Discipleship is the process of becoming more like Jesus everyday and maintaining a solid relationship with Him, and reaching out to others with aim of making them experience what what we have experienced so that we all might develop as healthy believers who can walk by faith, share their faith and multiply their faith. Every Christian mentor, together with his/her mentee, should also be involved in this same process.