{"id":258281,"date":"2022-11-07T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-07T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.navigators.org\/?p=258281"},"modified":"2023-09-21T13:18:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T19:18:26","slug":"how-to-be-a-spiritual-mentor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.navigators.org\/blog\/be-spiritual-mentor\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Be a Spiritual Mentor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Matthew\u2019s* early years as a strategic sealift officer and civilian mariner with the US Merchant Marine, he eagerly sought out The Navigators Military<\/a> ministry in every port where his ship docked. San Diego was his home port, but he only lived there for a few months a year. When his ship took him to other ports, he says, \u201cI\u2019d check in to see if there were any Navigators and try to meet up with those groups.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Three years into his naval career, in 2011, Matthew married, while still taking various sailing positions as an assistant engineer. Then, in 2017, he reported for duty at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida, where he could \u201cput down some roots.\u201d As a Navy port engineer, he handles all off-ship maintenance while his ship is in port.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After he arrived, he continued growing in his faith and reaching out to others with the gospel, yet he felt underequipped. At the same time, he sensed that his personal life \u201cwas being held together by a thin thread.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answer the Call to Discipleship<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Navigator Larry Hutson met Matthew when he visited Jacksonville, considering whether to launch a Navigators Military ministry there at Mayport. \u201cMatthew was hungry for discipleship,\u201d Larry says, \u201cand hungry to figure out how to disciple others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he prayed about the decision, Larry says, \u201cMatthew was calling every week and asking, \u2018Are you coming here yet?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Larry called Matthew \u201cmy Macedonian man,\u201d referring to Acts 16:6-10, where a man appeared to the apostle Paul in a dream, begging him to come to Macedonia to preach the gospel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Larry indeed moved to Jacksonville in 2017, and he and Matthew started meeting weekly. As part of their Life-to-Life\u24c7<\/sup> discipleship<\/a>, they spoke of what God was doing in their lives and how He was speaking to them through the Bible. They talked intently, too, about marriage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy wife, Kristen, and I were having real problems communicating and not meeting each other\u2019s unspoken expectations,\u201d Matthew says. \u201cWe were probably heading for divorce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLarry came alongside at a critical point with good, godly counsel, telling me the things I needed to hear instead of what I wanted to hear. With biblical marriage counseling, we got our marriage back on track. Larry helped keep me on the mission field here at Mayport.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Share Your Passion for Jesus <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Matthew and Larry also started a Sunday evening Bible study group that walks through the \u201cEvery Man a Warrior\u201d Bible study<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Larry truly \u201cfanned the flame\u201d of disciplemaking for him, Matthew says. \u201cGod has commissioned me to go [into all the world, Matthew 28:18-20], and as I\u2019m going, to make disciples of all nations and people groups.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His life verse for this season is Revelation 7:9<\/a>: \u201cAfter this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, he explains, \u201cThere\u2019s a big party we\u2019re making ready for, and our prize is Jesus, and it\u2019s up to us to gather every tribe, tongue, nation, race.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew is passing along to others his passion for that big party. One sailor in particular has begun meeting with both Larry and Matthew and has started bringing others with him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sailor also attends church with Matthew, who says, \u201cThere are times he\u2019ll fill a pew\u2014bring all his friends from his work center. It\u2019s good to see him growing spiritually and intentionally inviting others to grow in Christ, during conversations after church.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Equip Others to Lead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For a few years, Matthew has led a Saturday morning Bible study. COVID-19 brought challenges, but by using Zoom<\/a>, they continued meeting, even inviting other Navy men from other parts of the country: active duty, reserve, and veterans. Now some of those men are ready to lead it. \u201cI don\u2019t need to be the one-man band,\u201d Matthew says. \u201cIt\u2019s not about me; it\u2019s about generations<\/a>. I\u2019ve led for a season, and it’s time to let others lead it and bear fruit that way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew is passionate about his unique mission field\u2014a place that not just anyone can access. \u201cAnyone can go on a mission trip. But not just anyone can walk onto a US warship,\u201d he says. \u201cOn my daily walks I\u2019ll talk with everyone from the captain to first- and second-class petty officers, seamen, and firemen. I have unfettered access to the sailors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spiritual component he brings to those conversations is crucial, especially in an environment where constant travel means isolation. \u201cThey go out for a few months and come home for a few months, do some maintenance, then go out for a few months more,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s really hard on the crew as things are breaking, people are breaking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing on a ship can be a dark place. When you\u2019re away from friends and family, either the best or the worst of people comes out. It\u2019s very hard being away from people who love and care about you. You start hearing the whispers and the lies. We come alongside folks with a good listening ear and offer hope and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor now, this is where God has me planted, and I\u2019m seeing a lot of fruit starting to blossom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to his life\u2019s legacy, Matthew mentions Acts 11:22-24<\/a> (ESV) and the name of Barnabas, who was called \u201ca good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere will be a day,\u201d Matthew says, \u201cwhen someone will get up and talk about us after we\u2019ve gone to be with the Lord. There will be a marker with our name, birthdate, death date, a little dash and something like, \u2018loving husband, loving father.\u2019 I want to be remembered as: \u2018He was a good and faithful man, full of the Holy Spirit, and many were brought to the Lord on his account.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Name changed<\/sub><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discipleship Tip:  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n

Matthew persistently called Larry asking him to be a spiritual mentor in his life.<\/p>\n

Is there someone already in your life who you need to call and ask them to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus? Pray for God to lead you to someone who can help you build a spiritual legacy\u2014even if that means you need to make the ask.<\/p><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\t