Titus 2Mentorship
for
Missionary Women
12 week mentorship
for spiritual growth
in the
Spiritual Disciplines
ABWE
CEIM
MENTORSHIP OF WOMEN – Titus 2
GOAL OF TITUS 2 MENTORSHIP FOR MISSIONARIES: To help the missionary woman develop the knowledge, skills and practices necessary to model godliness as a servant of Christ in participation with a more mature woman of God.
MENTOR QUALIFICATIONS: Godly, mature, experienced woman (involved in lay or career ministry) who can assist the missionary woman in her spiritual development; address the stresses and perspectives needed when one is called to “live and grow in public”.
MENTOR RESPONSIBILTIES: To agree to provide the guidance through personal sharing and praying, as described; to meet 12 times in a 12 month period. Some flexibility is allowed here due to scheduling difficulties related to prefield ministry.
METHOD: To meet together for 2 hours per session for a minimum of 12 sessions, to discuss the workbook assignments and candidly talk and pray together. Issues discovered during this process should be noted and addressed in future sessions.
Each session should include prayer and specific goals to be implemented during the month. Suggested reading recommendations, seminars or counseling may be made by the Director of missionary care based on reports or phone calls by the mentors or missionaries. Material is available for each session as an on-line attachment for printing free of charge.
Session 1 –Loving God – being a woman of the Word – bible reading and journaling
Session 2 – Loving God – being a woman of the Word – part 2 – bible memorization
Session 3 – Loving God – being a woman of the Word – part 3 – bible meditation
Session 4 – Loving God – being a woman of the Word – part 4 – bible study methods
Session 5 – Loving God – being a woman of prayer – adoration & thanksgiving
Session 6 – Loving God – being a woman of prayer - part 2 – intercession & supplication
Session 7 –Loving God – being a woman of prayer – part 3 – prayer ministry with others
Session 8 –Loving others – being a woman who cares – caring for fellow believers
Session 9 –Loving others – being a woman who cares – part 2 – caring for unbelievers
Session 10 - Loving others – being a woman who cares – part 3 – caring for the family
Session 11 – Loving others – being a woman who cares – part 4 – self discipline and orderliness
Session 12 – Loving others – being a woman who cares – part 5 – resolving conflicts
Required/Suggested Reading
Disciplines of a Godly Woman – Hughes
Loving God – Jill Briscoe
Lies Women Believe - Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Lord, Heal My Hurts – Kaye Arthur
6 MONTH MENTOR REPORT:
How many times did you meet together in the last 6 months?
Which sessions (#) did you cover?
What positive changes have you observed in her life?
What areas of concern do you have regarding her that should be addressed more thoroughly?
What recommendations would you make to assist this woman in her marriage and family relationships?
Session 1 –Loving God – Being a woman of the Word – Bible Reading and Journaling
I. Disciples Abide in God’s Word John 8:31,32 “… If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
A. Read daily from God’s Word for yourself!
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” II Tim. 3:16,17
All Scripture … is profitable
Choose one of the 66 books from “God’s library” and read systematically through each book (even Leviticus)!
Pray and ask God’s Spirit to be your teacher.
Do not substitute devotional books for Bible reading.
All Scripture… is profitable … for doctrine (truth by which we live)
You will know the truth and the truth will set you free… (John 8:31-32)
set free from anger, fear, worry, sin, guilt, shame and depression… as you learn the truth about God, man, sin, promises, principles, commands, choices & consequences.
All scripture… is profitable… for reproof (shows us where we are wrong)
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly… (Psalm 1)
Ungodly counsel leads us into ungodly reasoning and unbiblical behavior!
Be careful what voice you listen to!
All scripture… is profitable… for correction (to make wrongs right)
The N.T. epistles are filled with instruction for godly living Put off ------> Put on
All scripture… is profitable… for instruction in righteousness (what pleases God)
“(God’s) divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him … (and His Word). II Peter 1:3,4
Do what God says to do, no matter how you feel, no matter what you think! Trust and obey! “Without faith it is impossible to please God!”
FACT FAITH FEELINGS
Facts in God’s Word are to direct, empower and lead my life
Faith connects God’s Word to my heart and life
Feelings will follow my heart choices
If I allow my life to be controlled by feelings instead of truth, I will derail.
Scripture Meditation and Memorization Put on the armor
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8
Mediation on the Scriptures is prayerful reflection with a view to understanding and application. The goal is to conform my life to God’s will by prayerfully deciding how to apply God’s Word to my daily living. More on this later.
ASSIGNMENT
Keep a devotional diary (journal).
Read God’s Word with a pen in hand.
Write down the truths that God teaches you as you spend time alone with Him.
Ask the questions:
What?What does it say? Write the verses in your own words.
So What?What do these verses mean; and apply personally to you?
Now What? What is your plan of action to “do the Word”?
Look for truths about God, Man and sin.
Look for promises, principles, commands, choices and consequences.
Write out two short prayers:
Lord, thank you (for what you’ve discovered)
Lord, please (pray it into your life)
Testimony: “It has been my practice for nearly 30 years to read through the Bible annually. I try to change the reading plan and version, and I also journal during my reading, answering the questions, “Who are you Lord?” and “What would you have me to do?” (Acts 22:8,10) This helps me in my worship and application of Scripture.” (BBC President Jim Jeffery)
Testimony: I accepted the Lord as my Savior as a young child. But it wasn’t until I was in my teens and early twenties that I began to understand the importance of having a consistent, daily quiet time with the Lord. It was a growing process for me, and I struggled with keeping my quiet time consistent. I also struggled with what I was supposed to read…should I use a devotional? Should I read from Genesis to Revelation? It wasn’t until fairly recently that I was introduced to my Bible as being a library of 66 books. I had the freedom to go to “God’s library” and choose any book I wanted to read. As long as I was reading from “God’s library,” God would speak to me and show me things I needed to learn. About this same time, I was introduced to journaling. I have learned that by journaling, my quiet times have become much more meaningful. The truths that God is opening up to me are becoming deeper truths that stick with me and impact my life and service for Him.
From my perspective, there are several benefits to journaling. The one that stands out to me immediately is the fact that by writing things down, I am more likely to remember them. This principle is suggested in Proverbs 7:2-3, “Keep my commandments and live, and the teaching as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” I need visual stimulation in order for my memory to be effective…in other words, if I don’t see it, I won’t remember it! For this reason, I have taken notes in every church service I attend for years! Going through the process of writing down what I hear makes me go through it a second time. I have carried that over into my quiet times as well. As I read from God’s Word, I spend some time writing down what I read, and what it means to me personally. It forces me to go through what I have read a second time, and as a result, I remember it much longer! It becomes a more permanent part of my thought processes.
Secondly, as I am writing, I am also thinking about what I have just read. This is often referred to as meditation. Psalm 119: 97says, “Oh how I love Your law! It is mymeditation all the day.” The next few verses talk about how meditating on God’s Word makes us wiser than our enemies, gives us more insight than all our teachers, and more understanding than the aged. Verse 102 tells us why this is so when it says that God Himself teaches us. God uses this thinking process to speak to me about specific things He wants me to see in His Word. He also speaks to me about things in my own life that need to change. As I write these things down, I am committing to God to make those changes, and I have it in writing as my own reminder to stick to that commitment.
Psalm 119: 18 says, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law.” Sometimes, as I am reading my Bible, I find questions that would go unanswered if I didn’t write them down. In writing down those things that stir my curiosity, I am enabling myself to do some deeper study to find the answers to those questions. Some of the treasures God has given to me have been discovered as I dig a little deeper in His Word.
Psalm 119, along with the rest of the book of Psalms, is a written conversation between the psalmist and his God. Journaling gives me this same opportunity to respond to God concerning what I have read. I am free to write out my thoughts, feelings, frustrations, joys, etc. to God in prayer. By writing out prayers to God, again I am putting extra thought into what I am saying, and the words on my page serve as a constant reminder of my time with God. Many times throughout the day, I “see” in my mind’s eye those things that I wrote out to God in my journal. What He has taught me literally goes with me for the day!
We all struggle with too much information to process throughout any given day! We have our “To Do” lists, shopping lists, long-term project lists, etc. We make those lists because we know that if we try to remember everything on our own, something will be left out! God wants so much to speak to our hearts, to draw us into a loving relationship with Him. What He has to say to us is so very important! Journaling gives our heart and soul a way to remember what He has told us, so that we can allow His Word to continue the perfecting work He has begun, and promises to complete! (L. Ford)
Session 2 – Loving God – Being a woman of the Word – part 2 – Bible Memorization
“Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” Ps 119:11
“I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies, I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments.” Ps 119:59,60
Scripture memorization done with a yielded heart will transform your thinking and change your life.
ASSIGNMENT
Select at least two verses a week to memorize. Have your mentor commit to memorizing at least one verse a week. They may be the same verses, but it is not necessary. Some suggestions follow, but you are free to select verses that most apply to your present needs. You may even want to begin with an entire chapter like Romans 8, Philippians 4, Ephesians 4 or Colossians 3; or even an entire book like 1 John.
Psalm 1
Psalm 119: 9, 11
I Corinthians 6:19-20
1Corinthians 10:13, 32, 31
Romans 12:1-3
Philippians 2:1-13
Philippians 3:1-15
Philippians 4:4-13
Romans 14:1-14
Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 16:15
Luke 24:47-48
John 20:21
Acts 1:8
2 Timothy 2:1-9
Ephesians 4:1-16
Romans 8
1 John 1
1 John 5:11-13
Matthew 18:15-22
Matthew 5-7
Hebrews 12:1-15
Psalm 46
Psalm 27
There are numerous methods that work. Choose one that works best for you. Try several to see which one you like the best.
Method 1 – Write the verse out on a small card by hand, every day for seven days.
Read it out loud slowly five times before you write it down each day.
Method 2 - Read the verse out loud 20 times the first day. 15 times the second day. 10 times the third day. 5 times the fourth day. Twice the fifth day. Twice a day thereafter for days 6 and 7. See how soon you can say it out loud without looking. Most people can do it by day two.
Method 3 – Read the verse out loud 5 times slowly. Break it up into phrases. Say each phrase by memory 5 times. Then add a phrase by saying it five times from memory. Connect the phrases until you have the verse complete.
Method 4 – Read the verse out loud five times. Read a phrase, shut your eyes and quote the phrase five times. Read the next phrase, shut your eyes and quote it five times. Complete the verse this way. The next day read the verse out loud five times slowly, then work on it phrase by phrase until you have it memorized.
The goal of scripture memorization is to capture your heart with the truth so you can defeat the lies that surround us. Begin you day by quoting the verse to the best of your ability as soon as you wake up in the morning. Quote it just before you go to sleep. Quote it before you have your devotions. Quote it when you bow your head to pray at meals. The more often you get into the habit of quoting your “verse for the week”, the more it will capture your heart.
Session 3 – Loving God – Being a woman of the Word – part 3 – Bible Meditation
Meditation is an essential but often forgotten spiritual discipline.
Meditation is the practice of mentally focusing on a passage of scripture and seeking to understand its meaning and application your present life situation.
Meditation requires unhurried silence before God.
ASSIGNMENT
Meditation allows us to take each phrase, each detail, each mental picture in the text and ask ourselves questions like…
What does this mean;
how does this fit into God’s larger story;
why is this important;
where else is this taught in the bible;
what bible character illustrates this truth;
how have I experienced something similar;
what biblical principle is demonstrated;
what attribute(s) of God is (are) revealed in this passage;
what truth has God impressed on my heart through this passage?
Using a hymnal or chorus book, select a hymn or scripture chorus that flows from the text and sing it back to God. If you are so gifted, make up your own spiritual song and sing it back to God in worship.
Write in your journal the things you are discovering as you read and memorize and meditate on God’s word.
Thank God for the truths you are discovering and ask Him for the strength to obey the truths you are discovering.
Share the truths you are discovering. With your mentor, as you recite your memory verses together.
Scripture memorization will allow your meditation to expand and develop. Ask God to help you keep His word in your mind all day long.
Session 4 – Loving God – Being a woman of the Word – part 4 – Bible Study Methods
“For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Ezra 7:10
Pursue holiness… humility… harmony! Philippians 2; John 17
“(Study) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15
Is the Lord well pleased? Is my heart eager and prepared for the Word?
Is the work well done? Have I studied it carefully?
Is the Word well used? Have I responded in eager obedience to what I’ve seen?
A few simple tools will help you become a better student of the Bible.
Study Bible: MacArthur Study Bible is excellent
Two translations: NIV, ASB, ESB, NKJV
One paraphrase: The Message
Power Bible CD – to use for word studies & as a concordance
(Study tools show up in KJV translation)
Commentaries are very helpful.
But use commentaries after you have searched the scriptures for yourself.
You areto be a student of the Word. Learn the joy of personal discovery.
Good commentaries can keep us from going stray into false teaching.
But we are still responsible for studying the Word for ourselves.
ASSIGNMENT
Choose one of the following for a study for this week.
Word studies… all, love, joy, peace, trust, eternal, everlasting, Rock,