Mentor's Manual

124 For the Nex t Generat i on: The Urban Mi n i s t r y I ns t i tute ’ s Mentor Manua l

(Moses, Jonah, David, Paul, Elijah). All these and more in Scripture faced challenges and were all victims of chronic, difficult dis- couragement. As the saying goes, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” The leaders of God’s Church worldwide are facing challenges, and so will they. You will need to help them manage their studies in order to assist them to combat stress and discouragement. This is not easy, but will prove terribly rewarding; your role as mentor is to help them to organize their efforts in such a way as to stay ahead of the deadlines, in tune with the assign- ments, and always open to the Lord’s leading, even in the midst of their studies. For the discouraged and stressed-out student, there is always hope, because it is truly not by power nor by might but always by the Spirit of the Lord (Zech. 4.6). Don’t hesitate to monitor the hearts and spirits of your students, and constantly offer words of encouragement and support for those who, for whatever reason, seem to be discouraged or overwhelmed by their studies. A clear word of counsel and acknowledgment, given at the right time and in the right way, can make all the difference with a student who finds himself deflated and overcome by the rigors of tough-minded intellectual work.

in the Classroom

Dealing with Difficulties