Iron Sharpening Iron: The Biblical Call to Mentoring
- Alexandria Sinnamon
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Article by: Tim Nelson
Mentoring Program Director
Cornerstone Conference IPHC
The wisdom writer declares in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” In another passage, he writes: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
The wisdom writer made it clear: life and ministry are not meant to be lived alone. These verses show the vital role of spiritual mentoring and stress that every Christian needs a mentor to grow. Intentional mentoring helps both mentees and mentors grow spiritually and personally within the Christian community. S. Joseph Kidder said, “Early New Testament leadership created a culture of mentoring in the church so that the next generation could learn from their example, experience, wisdom, and fortitude.” He added, “This should also be done today through intentional training and teaching.”1
A mentoring relationship requires intention from both mentor and mentee. The mentor makes themselves available to help the mentee mature, sharing wisdom and insight in both formal and informal settings. The mentee actively seeks guidance or support from the mentor.
We see this example in Jesus. He intentionally focused much of His ministry on mentoring the disciples spiritually and in ministry. The disciples also dedicated themselves to following Jesus. They focused on understanding the One they were called to and their purpose.
The Apostle Paul desired to create a culture of mentoring in the church so the new believers could learn from the example, experience, wisdom, and fortitude of the more mature and seasoned followers of Christ. Paul understood that this should be done through intentional training and teaching. He confirms this purpose in his letter to Titus, where he admonishes older men to mentor younger men and older women to do the same for younger women in character, conduct, and self-control.
2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. 6 Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, 8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Titus 2:2–8 (NKJV)
The wisdom writers, Jesus, and Paul, all teach that intentional mentoring is key to personal and spiritual growth. These relationships benefit mentees and enrich mentors as both fulfill their callings in Christ. The Cornerstone Conference mentoring ministry creates opportunities for reciprocal faith-sharing, where mentor and mentee grow together in understanding and living God's word.
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