One
She
Starts
With
By Beth Jordal,
Communications Department,
One Mission Society
photo: Valetta mentors OMS missionary
Beth Jordal. They discuss how God‘s
Word is applicable in all aspects of life.
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“If they aren’t interested, I’m not interested,” Valetta Steel Crumley stated as I
talked with her about mentoring. In discussing what she meant by that, she pointed
to the Scriptures and the people Jesus chose as his disciples. Why did Jesus
choose disciples in the first place? Jesus was the incarnation of God, and God
can do anything. Having history on our side, we know he chose men who
would carry on his mission once he was gone. Jesus knew his destiny, and
he wanted people who were, as Valetta calls them, F.A.T.—faithful, available,
and teachable. Valetta uses the same principle in deciding who she will mentor.
Jesus set the standard for mentoring. Learning from his example, we
can see Jesus did not mentor disciples in order to make good, moral
people. Rather, he took 12 men under his wing to witness his life and
ministry so that they could emulate it after they were spirit-filled and
they understood God’s plan for redeeming the nations. Valetta’s approach to mentoring is similar, although she starts with one. One at a
time, that is.
Taking me under her wing, Valetta became my mentor about a
year ago. When she began mentoring me, she showed me the value
of exponential growth. Instead of adding Christ followers one at a
time, she develops Christians who will, in turn, develop others. The
one becomes two, the two becomes four, four becomes eight, and
so on. The purpose at Valetta’s mentoring is not to turn me into a
“good Christian.” Rather, it is to help me see my potential for ministry and for me to go out and share my faith, trust the Holy Spirit,
bring someone under my wing, and show her how to do the same.
Valetta began her mentoring ministry while working with young
people at a church near downtown Indianapolis. Church attendance
was on the decline, and Valetta knew from experience that the key
to growing a church is to develop leaders. Churches need leaders to
teach Sunday school and to facilitate programs, but churches also
need leaders to live out and share their faith in view of the congregants so those people will emulate what they see. Developing such
a leader takes mentoring, which takes commitment and time. That
is why Valetta looks for F.A.T. people. Believing that God has ministry
for all believers, Valetta chooses those who are eager to learn and do.
Encouraging others to see their potential, Valetta wants those she
mentors to learn how to share their faith and trust the Holy Spirit in
order to build the church, locally and globally. She imparts more than
just biblical knowledge and Christian values. Fostering the application
of knowledge and values in ministry right away transforms a life from a
spectator to a participant in fulfilling the Great Commission. Jesus did not
command his disciples to go out and make converts; he said to make disciples. Valetta takes this command seriously and has the desire to introduce
people to Jesus. Then, she takes a step further by helping them to do the
same. This is true kingdom building.
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