PRACTICAL FAMILY MENTORING

Pastor Lai Ling Lim (Diploma in Counseling) shares some essential biblical principles on "Practical Family Mentoring"

Parents fulfil a myriad of responsibilities for their kids: cook, room keeper, cab driver, coach, medical officer… you name it, you have it! However, there is one role that has often been overlooked: being a mentor.

Video Interview with Pastor Lai Ling Lim

Parents, do you see yourselves as a trainer of disciples? In Matthew 28:19, we have all been called to “make disciples of all nations.” Your family is your number one responsibility. Ephesians 6:4 exhorts us to “bring (your children) up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”. Have we been doing that?

Our children learn a huge amount of important things in life from us, as their parents. They look at how we relate to others, how we show love to one another, how we respond to situations around us. Our actions and our words are being observed, evaluated and stored in memory by all our wonderful offspring. Hence the Bible instructs us to share and live out godly values in our homes and everyday living (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).

Good old mum and dad, we are the main mentors in our children’s lives! Children will acquire spiritual knowledge from children’s church etc but we as parents, make the biggest impact upon their lives because they hang out with us the most!



May I encourage you to plug your children into God. The greatest model is found in our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s look at Jesus’ way of mentoring.

• Firstly, be clear on the goal. Are you clear about what you want to build into your children in spiritual matters? What kind of a relationship with God would you desire to see your children have besides getting saved in Jesus? I encourage you to train your children to walk with God and to obey Him.

• Secondly, be clear in your plan and strategy. Have you thought about how to accomplish those spiritual goals for each of your child? It is a good idea to write down some objectives and review them annually to see how things are progressing.

• Thirdly, keep repeating. May you continue to encourage and exhort your child over and over again to keep their hearts secure in God. Let this conviction become an inner value of their lives. It becomes like a second nature to them, standing for who they believe in, why they believe in Jesus.

• Fourthly, establish standards and accountability. Mentoring includes consistent and appropriate discipline. As our kids grow up, as parents we need to continue to work on the basics; the fruit of the Spirit, character issues etc. Children need to have boundaries set before them. This will help them understand the need to be respectful and be responsible for their actions and lives.

Well, what can we practically do in mentoring?

• Have daily devotions and/or weekly family nights.

Read God’s Word on a daily basis to your children. Encourage them to ask questions. Help them see what they can learn from God’s Word. Practically live out God’s Word in everyday life.

• Look at going for short term missions trips with your older children.

This is an invaluable opportunity for children to look at the world through the eyes of Jesus. You can even volunteer yourself to help out in the neighbourhood for example cleaning elderly people’s homes. Bring along your children to help out.

• Participate in church camps and conferences.

These are golden opportunities for children to learn God’s Word along with other children from other churches.

Let me encourage you as parents to be the spiritual mentors of your family as God has designed for you to be. Let’s lean on God’s strength and power to spiritually enable us to be effective mentors in our family! *

Be encouraged!

* Write to Pastor Lai Ling for information on Family or Counseling issues.

**Email: lailinglim1@gmail.com

Pastor Lai Ling Lim

Hope Brisbane Christian Church

Source: This article is taken from Inside Hope