Millennials Matter: Go And Make Discipling LeadersSample

Mentoring Character and Faith

Now is an unprecedented time in history, for millennials especially. Born between 1980 and the mid-2000s, millennials are entering a global economy that’s filled with challenges and opportunities beyond the imagination of any previous generation. It’s understandable that they’re filled with mixed emotions, ranging from fear to excitement, about making a positive difference in the world. This fear and excitement extend to their faith.

Many are looking for mentors on how to live out a 24/7 faith in our culturally and religiously diverse world. Your young leaders need your guidance. 

In the ancient world, a great patriarch, Moses, mentored another great leader, Joshua. As we look at today’s chaotic challenges, we know young Christian leaders, like Joshua, are needed. However, Joshua became a Joshua only because he had a Moses, someone who invested time pouring into him. We cannot expect an emerging Joshua to lead the charge into the future without there being a Moses to mentor, encourage, and disciple. 

It is our calling to build well-grounded young Christian men and women of character and virtue. You are being called to make a difference for them - to be a Moses. 

Who are the Joshuas in your life? Of course, there’s your family. In addition, is there someone you regularly interact with—at church, at work, at the gym—who is a Joshua in need of a Moses? It’s easy to overlook the Joshuas when we focus on our own lives. It takes intentionally to see the Joshua that God is placing near us in our sphere of influence.

For us to guide them in building their faith and influence in the world, we need fresh insight into how God wants us to mentor this generation. And here’s a secret. This Moses/Joshua mentoring stems from a courageous character core. A courageous core provides stable footing so a person can impart or develop a positive influence. Our core character impacts everything we do.

One’s character core will influence how he or she will handle relationships, tackle new responsibilities, and withstand tests of faith. 

DAKOTA is a tool I use to describe this mentoring process. 

• Determination


• Awareness


• Knowing


• Optimism


• Trustworthiness


• Accountability

I’ll provide details over the next six days. I hope it’s a useful guide as you mentor young leaders to develop a strong, courageous core of faith that will be positively influence, especially in the mist of our rapidly shifting world.