As Navigators, we all know the value of Life-on-Life® partners in discipleship. Most of us do that as part of our jobs. It’s our joy, our privilege, and our ministry, as we pass on to others the discipleship and knowledge and love of Scripture we have received. We all need someone to walk with us.
But a journey to deeper Christlikeness has many seasons, and sometimes it may be helpful to lean into a different kind of “alongsiding helper” who has a different focus and way of doing Life-on-Life®.
Here are some questions you may want to consider to help you discern what kind of alongsider might help you in your current life stage.
- Do you want to grow in a specific skill or knowledge set? You might want a mentor or discipler!
- Do you want to grow professionally or personally in overcoming obstacles and thinking creatively? Or maybe there’s a tough situation and you need a sounding board. You might want a coach!
- Do you want to overcome the ways your life experiences or personal traumas are impacting your daily life and relationships? Do you need to process your emotional responses and learn from them? You might want a therapist or pastoral counselor.
- Do you want to become more aware of where and how God is moving in your life, practicing intentional discernment and creativity in your relationship with Jesus? A spiritual director might be the right partner for you.
The diagram below shows different “helping modalities” TDC recommends at different points in your journey. For reference, we include a Navigator model of disciplemaking under “mentoring,” because it includes planned content or “skill development” in things like quiet time and Scripture.
You can contact TDC for more information and connections for any of these!
