Three People You Must Have in Your Life

There are three types of people every Christian should have in his or her life. The Christian life is one lived in community where people are sharpened, encouraged, convicted, and edified by other people. One of the biggest ploys of the enemy is to get the believer alone, believing that his life is better off lived that way. Alone we atrophy; but in community we are pruned by the uniqueness of the other as we grow as the family of God.

With this said, each Christian should have at least one mentor, companion, and disciple in his or her life. To say it differently, we should have a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy to commune with in this earthly wilderness. Two of these are easy, while one is less so.

A mentor is someone you look up to. They are more seasoned in the faith. Their Christian life is one you admire and seek to exemplify. A mentor should not be a dead person or author. This would be a cop-out. Rather, he or she must be one who is in your life, who loves you and cares for your well being. Your mentor must be strong and intentional enough to confront your sins, address your weaknesses, and encourage your strengths. He or she should be able to lead you to the finish line of faith.

A companion is a little different than a mentor. Barnabas was a companion to Paul as Joshua was to Caleb. Companions are typically on the same spiritual plane as we are. The flow of benefits and needs tends to go both ways. While a mentor knows more about what it means to be [like] Christ, a companion knows more about what it means to be you. They can relate better and tend to know more about you than any other. Companions know all your junk and strive to address all of that junk redemptively. Mentors lead you to the finish line of faith, while companions carry you across.

A disciple is the most difficult person to have in your life. They are a Timothy to Paul, and a Joshua to Moses. They follow you, listen to you, and seek to exemplify things about you. To state it differently: you lead them, you teach them, and you live a life before them worthy of exemplifying. They are spiritual children. You must care enough to confront their sins, help their weaknesses, and encourage their strengths.

Mentors and companions tend to fill us, while disciples tend to drain us. This sounds more negative than it really should. There are enjoyable things we do that fill us (like eating); and there are enjoyable things we do that drain us (like playing a sport).

Quite honestly, if there is one person lacking in most people's lives, it is the disciple. We live in a culture that is overpopulated with the "married-without-children" social group. We like being fed, but often resist feeding others. We like being taught, but resist teaching others. We like choosing our biblical subjects, but resist learning what someone else needs to know. This whole Christian thing is great, as long as I don't have to be inconvenienced by the needs of someone less sanctified. Too many people believe they need to "enjoy their Christianity" before they have "christian children."

If mentors and companions fill our heads with theology, disciples tend to drag that theology into our hearts. Because this is a painful process of "losing one's life" and "carrying one's cross" we tend to neglect the disciple making process. Evangelism now becomes risky. What if they believe? If they accept Christ, they become a spiritual newborn we must feed, care for, and raise up in the faith.

Mentors and companions may tell us to get into the Word, but disciples force us to get into the Word. They ask questions and need answers. They need theology that is processed and more digested. Most disciples need the spiritual bread of good doctrine that has been baked in the oven of our own experience. Disciples do a great deal of keeping us in the faith. If we fall, they may fall. If we grow, they stand a greater chance to grow. Therefore, we cannot fall; we must grow.

This concept is nothing new. You may have read it in a book or heard your friend or pastor talking about it. Nevertheless, it is needed. I hope this encourages you.