Because. . .

• It provides the student with a laboratory to test the theories and concepts of the classroom.
• It provides the student with certified experience to meet the work experience requirements of the Mission Boards.
• It provides the student with a qualified and trained mentor to provide on-the-job training over a 2-year period.
• It provides a student with the opportunity to develop leadership skills.
• It enhances the student's job placement potential.
• The students test their call to the ministry in a field work experience to determine its validity.
• Mentoring provides models for effective ministry in a non-threatening environment.
• Mentoring focuses on the Student Minister as a person, majoring on personhood issues.

MENTORING ENROLLMENT IS BY FACULTY APPROVAL ONLY - come in or contact the mentoring office

Monday – Wednesday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 817 923-1921 ext. 4335, dmills@swbts.edu.

The most effective period for Mentoring is the last two years of your seminary education, usually the second and third years. This gives you time to adjust to Seminary life and for your family to adjust to a new environment. Also it gives you time to explore churches and work opportunities. However, some students enter seminary with extensive ministry experience and they may wish to enter the program the first year.

The selection of a Mentor should not be rushed but much thought and prayer should be given to this selection.

Mentors are selected by the student based on the following requirements:

• A masters degree from a seminary or college; exceptions must be approved by the Director of Mentoring.
• Extensive ministry experience – 8 to 10 years is preferred.
• Must be willing to give the time to mentor the student, usually 16-18 hours in a 15-week semester.
• The student will select the mentor that the student feels will provide the best mentoring experience.

The student’s will submit the request for the approval of the mentor and the ministry project will be submitted to the Director of Mentoring

READ

Allen - The Primer for New Mentors

McCarty - Supervision: Developing and Directing People on Mission

A Commitment of TIME …Approximately 20 hours a semester with the student mentoree:

• 2 hours – initial interview
• 2 hours – to establish a covenant
• 1 hour - weekly for 15 weeks or

2 hours – bi-weekly

A Commitment to view mentoring as a PERSONAL MINISTRY, hopefully will lead to a long term commitment to work as a mentor with students.

A Commitment to PREPARE AS A MENTOR through self studies and reading appropriate authors on the subject

Provide the student an opportunity for supervised training in the area of the mentor’s expertise.

Provide a laboratory on the field for growth and development.

Provide needed workers for Southern Baptist Convention mission projects and churches:

• Serving as church planters and spiritual leaders to people groups around the world
• Filling positions in the churches
• Extending the ministry of the church into the community.
• Starting new churches

Assist the student in the fulfillment of his/her personhood and professional goals in Christ.

WORK RELATED ISSUES

These issues should be discussed in the mentoring session as soon as it is perceived to be an issue.

ATTITUDINAL ISSUES

Care should be taken not to neglect this issue. The desired action would be to assist the student to see himself/herself as he/she appears to others. Christ should be their model. Philippians 2:5-8

CHARACTER ISSUES

These issues, while vital, may have to be dealt with over a long period of time. The trust level between the mentor and student will improve during the mentoring process.

Some issues cannot be delayed.

MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Management issues concerning time, finances, accountability and authority should form a regular part of the mentoring process.

• Once approved, the mentor and student will meet in an orientation session to become familiar with the syllabus material.
• The mentor and student will mutually prepare a covenant for the semester.
• They will schedule the mentoring sessions which will be from one hour weekly or two hours on a bi-weekly schedule allowing approximately 20 hours for the semester.
• Content of these sessions is based on the covenant goals and objectives.

The 7 report forms provide a format

• for the mentorship sessions. It must be filled out and signed by both mentor and student. It is the student’s responsibility to submit them.
• The mentor should inform the office of the student’s progress, issues, problems and concerns.
• The mentor coordinates with the host entity all matters relating to the student. He is viewed as the primary contact between the seminary and the field.
• The mentor will submit a mid-course report and an exit review for each student each semester.
• Four semesters of mentoring are required for the MDIV Church Planting degree; three semesters for the MAMISS degree. The courses serve as electives in all four schools.
• The mentor will discuss with the student any contractual, financial matters, policies and other items of concern.

Mentors will provide a structure and have an opportunity to . . .

• passing on the knowledge and experience to the next generation of Christian leaders
• providing opportunities to extend their ministry by developing leaders for the next generation
• an opportunity to model creative and redemptive leadership as a part of the seminary team
• the opportunity to assist both students and churches by sponsoring the careers of worthy students