I’ve noticed something in this “New Era” we’re living in. Most of us deeply want to help others, but we often get stuck in the gap between meeting someone and actually discipling them. We convince ourselves that we need to offer a 10-step manual or present a perfectly polished version of ourselves, fearing that without a formula, we have nothing of value to give. But formulas don’t change lives—relationships do. As I wrote in My Bus, Our Bus, we tend to treat people as projects to be managed rather than as people to be loved. When we focus purely on function, we default to asking how we can “fix” someone or what rules they should follow, which only creates a hierarchy. But the Father isn’t interested in your perfection; He is interested in your presence. Real mentoring isn’t about being a superhuman expert with all the answers; it’s about having the vulnerability to be a realistic guide, simply willing to walk alongside someone.
I learned this most profoundly on Christmas Day in 1984. As my dad lay on his deathbed, he called Crystal and me to his side. He didn’t hand me a heavy list of ministry instructions or a rigid set of rules to live by. He simply asked if we were doing what God had asked us to do. When we said yes, he looked at the rest of the family and declared: “Then leave them alone!” In that single moment, he gave me a true father’s blessing—a declaration of freedom, honor, and favor rather than restriction. That is the true “Father’s Heart.” It’s the profound shift away from the exhaustion of “doing” Christianity and religious laws and toward simply “being” in a branch-and-vine relationship with Jesus. It’s recognizing that God loves us exactly for who we are, not just for what we can become.
This new six-part audio series is all about closing the gap and making that relational shift. Together, we are going to explore how to stop just handing out answers and start asking the kinds of questions that draw out the wisdom God has already placed inside the person you’re guiding. We’re defining mentorship as a commitment to the long haul—prioritizing the relationship itself over any personal agenda. If you’ve ever felt unqualified to mentor because you don’t have it all figured out, you are in the exact right place. We aren’t here to build another formula; we’re here to learn the art of walking together.
I invite you to come join us as a paid subscriber to the Issachar Report to unlock this full audio training series, gain access to exclusive video calls, and much more. Let’s take this journey together.
