The three phases of mentoring are inviting, investing, and empowering. First you invite someone into a relationship around a topic that matters to them. Then you invest in them over time as you pursue God together. Finally, you empower them to turn around and mentor someone else. It’s the same pattern Jesus used with his disciples, and it’s how every believer can help make disciples who make disciples.
Phase 1: Inviting
Mentoring starts with an invitation, and that’s usually simpler than people think. You don’t need a polished curriculum or a seminary degree. You just need to notice someone God has put in your path and find a topic that genuinely matters to them, whether that’s marriage, parenting, anxiety, money, or questions about faith.
Jesus modeled this kind of low-pressure invitation when two curious followers of John the Baptist started tagging along behind him:
John 1:39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
Jesus didn’t hand them a commitment card. He invited them to spend time with him. Your invitation can be just as relaxed: coffee, a short group, or a conversation around a single topic. Start by making a short list of people you could invite, and pray over that list before you reach out.
Phase 2: Investing
Once someone says yes, the investing phase begins. This is where the relationship deepens and real growth happens over weeks and months. A good next step is to walk through a 101 series from one of the PursueGOD start pages together, and at some point make sure you cover Faith 101, which lays out the foundational “full circle” pursuit of God.
Mark 3:14-15 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.
Notice the order in that verse. Jesus called the Twelve first to be with him, and only then to be sent out. Investing is about presence before performance. You’re sharing life, answering questions, praying together, and modeling what it looks like to follow Jesus in everyday situations. Expect this phase to take time, and be patient with the people you’re investing in.
Phase 3: Empowering
Here’s the danger: a lot of mentoring relationships get stuck in the investing phase. They’re comfortable and encouraging, but they never multiply. The goal of discipleship isn’t to keep someone dependent on you. It’s to help them become the kind of believer who can lead someone else.
2 Timothy 2:2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
Paul pictured four generations of disciples in a single sentence: Paul, Timothy, reliable people, and others. When your mentee is ready, empower them by working through the Training 101 series together, then encourage them to start the cycle again by inviting someone of their own. That’s when mentoring turns into a movement.
The Takeaway
The three phases of mentoring are inviting, investing, and empowering. Invite people around topics that matter to them, invest in them patiently as you pursue God together, and empower them to mentor others. Don’t stop halfway. The goal is disciples who make disciples.
