Jesus instructed His disciples both in group settings and one-on-one. He taught them by example as well as by precept, and His teaching was incidental rather than formal.

Jesus instructed His disciples both in group settings and one-on-one. He taught them by example as well as by precept, and His teaching was incidental rather than formal. He called them to be with him, to follow him. He told them to “come and see.” “Jesus made disciples by His life. One does not teach faith and love with words alone. Disciples’ hearts cannot be set on fire by theories. Fire kindles fire; iron sharpens iron; faith calls forth faith; life begets life.” (Roger Fleming in Rabey, 188) Learning was deeply relational and involved not only instruction, but guidance, counsel, imitation, affirmation, rebuke, correction, encouragement, and even friendship.

Jesus arranged retreats for special instruction, but the disciples’ characters were mainly developed in the highways of life rather than in isolation. They learned from their failures as well as their successes. Their experiences in daily life provided the opportunity for developing spiritual principles and values.

In today’s church we do almost everything in group settings. Our spiritual instruction is confined to classrooms, workshops, and videos. Learning about the Christian faith was never intended to be an academic pursuit, disconnected from family and life, taught conceptually and in abstraction to the masses. Waylon B. Moore in his book Multiplying Disciples: The New Testament Method for Church Growth provided 12 solid reasons in favor of individual discipleship (Rabey, 180-181).

Listed below are his 12 reasons for individual discipleship adapted to apply to spiritual mentoring
1. Anyone in the church can mentor. He simply shares with his protégé what the Lord is doing in his life, and leads him in the steps he has already taken.
2. Individual ministry already is modeled in the church by personal counseling to the lost, the sick, the bereaved, and others with expressed needs. It is equally logical to give personal time to people who desire spiritual growth.
3. Christ’s ministry was to love his disciples and to lay down his life for them. Working with an individual reflects the kind of commitment Christ had for each of his men.
4. Few people have the time or capacity to be intimately involved in the lives of a large number of individuals. Anyone can make time for working with one person.
5. Spiritual mentoring has the closeness of friendship and the precision of a teacher-apprentice relationship.
6. The method of spiritual mentoring is flexible in schedule and intensity. Training and Bible study assignments can be paced according to individual needs. Spiritual growth is thus more rapid and effective.
7. This method of spiritual mentoring is readily copied. We do unto others what has been done unto us.
8. Exhortation, correction, and admonition can be quickly and easily given in individual relationships.
9. The life of the mentor reinforces the truth of the message and can be closely observed by the protégé.
10. The needs of the protégé come to the surface in the privacy of individual ministry.
11. Both the relationship and the results seem more lasting in spiritual mentoring.
12. Mentoring on a one-to-one level is the most rapid way to develop spiritual leaders who can multiply disciples.