Maybe you’re looking for someone to walk with you, invest in you, and disciple you; that is, you’re looking for a “Paul.” If so, here are some suggestions to help you find that person:*
- Pray for a mentor. God alone crisscrosses lives in such a way that both lives are strengthened. Ask him to reveal those intersections in your life.
- Look around. Pay attention to believers whose lives you trust. Look for those whose walk with God you want to emulate. Pray about asking one of those people to disciple you.
- Ask . . . and keep asking until you find someone to disciple you. Consider asking someone near you or someone who might be available only via electronic means. Don’t stop looking and asking until you find somebody. Even a regular lunch together is a start!
- Be grateful for whatever another believer might offer. Even if your potential disciplemaker cannot give you all you want, be thankful for what you get. One hour with the right mentor is worth weeks of waiting for the next meeting.
- Invest in somebody else yourself. Even while you are seeking someone to disciple you, you may have something you can teach somebody else. You might find that God will direct you to a discipler after you begin discipling others.
*Chuck Lawless, Disciple: How to Create a Community That Develops Passionate and Healthy Followers of Jesus (Church Answers Resources) (p. 52). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.