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Over my thirty-three-plus years of being a high priest and working with
high priests as a colleague and administrator, I have learned that a
constant concern about being a high priest is defining the role. Most
other priesthood roles, including the special ministries of high
priests—bishop, evangelist, apostle, president—have clearer and perhaps
narrower definitions. The broad role of high priest can be so many
things to so many people. I suspect this is so because a high priest
by definition is not a functional role but rather a calling reflecting
depth of understanding and relationship. A high priest has a deep,
wide-ranging understanding of the gospel and the church, a passionate
commitment to follow Jesus Christ, and an abiding sense of the love and
presence of God. Expression of that under-standing and relationship can
occur in numerous ways, depending on the circumstances and the
particular experience of each high priest.
Being a mentor is perhaps one of the roles in ministry that most high
priests can do. In fact, I want to suggest that it is a ministry that
all of us should attempt to provide if only for what it will do for our
own ministry. I’ll get back to that later.
Jesus modeled this ministry with his disciples. A significant portion
of the years of his ministry was devoted to the teaching and preparation
of his disciples. They all knew with certainty that he could do far
greater things than they could ever hope to accomplish. So often, they
were simply astonished at the teaching, the miracles, and the wisdom
that came forth from him. Then he astonished and confused them by
declaring that he was going to leave and the ministry would be entrusted
to them. He declared that they and other believers would be able to
accomplish greater things than he had accomplished because he was going
to the Father. He promised the strengthening, affirming presence of the
Holy Spirit would be with them.
Likewise, each of you giving ministry out of your depth of passion
and understanding, and out of your extensive experience, could likely
accom-plish more than most of the less experienced priesthood members
around you. Greater foresight would suggest, however, that your gifts
can be multiplied and your ministry magnified by others whom you mentor.
Together they will accomplish more than you could ever hope to do.
Individually, they will bring their energy and their understanding of
the world, expanded by the insights and strengthening that you provide,
and they may do greater things than you have been able to do.
The dictionary says that a mentor is a wise and trusted counselor.
Mentors have always been present in every society and organization.
Often though, wise and experienced ministers haven’t perceived
themselves as mentors, and others who have needed mentoring have
struggled along without the enormous benefit that mentoring provides. We
believe it is vital for this principle to be intentionally lived out in
our congregations and mission centers if the church’s ministries are to
thrive.
I am especially conscious of the many younger men and women being
called to priesthood service, and also to new responsibilities in church
leadership. They value and honor the sacraments and teachings of the
church but many have not yet wrestled with the meaning of them or the
subtle nuances of the powerful impact they have in people’s lives. They
often have excellent knowledge of systems and technology in the modern
world but surprisingly little detailed knowledge of the procedures of
the church and the underlying rationales for those procedures. They are
frequently very willing but have had little opportunity in their
formative years to stand alongside experienced ministers. They need your
presence and wisdom to accompany them on the journey.
I was fortunate as a young priesthood member to have had such
mentors. One of our conger-gational leaders took me every week for
almost a year on a home visit to one family, prospective members who
eventually chose to be baptized. We traveled some thirty miles each way
and often stayed as long as two to three hours. We had lively chats to
and from each visit, and those chats, combined with the actual visits,
were formative for me.
Then in my mid-twenties, the high priest/ appointee in our area,
Brother Jack Imrie, approached me to share his sense that it was time
for me to consider offering myself to be pastor of our congregation for
the coming year. I was shocked. More than half the members of the
congregation were my relatives, many of them experienced priesthood
members. What had I, a relatively inexperienced priesthood member, to
offer to this congregation of my family elders? Would they not be
critical and dissatisfied with what I could offer?
In the end I was chosen as the pastor and survived through some very
difficult and some very good times. The congregation also survived! The
key, however, was the constant mentoring from Brother Jack. He
instructed me thoroughly in the basics. He was always available to talk
things through. Most important, when he noticed some issues developing,
he took the initiative to raise them and discuss possible responses with
me. Many others had a lot to say to me, but occasional outbursts or even
occasional well- measured counsel do not necessarily stick. The words
that made me more effective were mostly from this high priest as he
listened, coached, urged, and generally was there for me. The keys were
his commitment to be there in a long term way for me, his evident
knowledge and wisdom, and my awareness of his commitment in support of
my growth.
We had opportunity to serve together in later years when I was also
an appointee. In those days it was more of a mutual mentoring that we
provided for each other. A deep respect and affection marked our
relationship as colleagues and friends. Years later, at his memorial
service, I was able to offer the message, lifting up his life of service
in ministry.
This is the kind of bond and the kind of experience that is available
to each high priest. Somewhere in the circle of your influence is an
individual who is deeply desirous of being a worthy minister and servant
but who needs a mentor. That person who is new to priesthood or new to a
particular responsibility needs someone who will perceive possibilities,
offer challenge, coach and teach, and be there in support.
It’s not as easy as I am portraying here. Most experienced,
successful people get great satisfaction out of doing things themselves.
Likewise, in the church, it is too easy to simply say “I’ll do it.” I
know many of you at this point are saying: “Yes, but we actually do need
a few more people who will agree to do things in the congregation and I
need to do my share.” My answer is a “yes, but.” No congregation needs
the same people doing the same things for many years on end. Fresher,
younger ones need to be brought into ministry and leadership. Such
individuals will be more effective with good mentors. This means,
however, that you and I have to learn how to defer to others and then
assist them. That’s no easy task for most of us. Let me take this a step
further.
Deferring to others and then choosing to be there for them, and in
the meantime seeing responsibilities in the congregation sometimes
handled less well than we could do, is frustrating and difficult to
accept. Let’s face it, we are used to being self-starters, resourceful,
and reliable. Being a mentor may bring with it inner conflict and
restlessness. We are not comfortable being in a position where our
satisfaction is dependent on the actions of someone else. Maybe there is
a silver lining here.
Learning to cope with a more dependent, rather than independent,
position takes trust, prayer, discernment, and believing in the one we
are mentoring. It is in some respects an expanded version of the
parental role. If you can exercise the spiritual disciplines that will
help you get through this, you will find a new and deeper spirituality
emerging in your own life. You will be more sensitive and more patient
with others, less sure at times of your own rightness, but more open to
the presence of God’s voice within you. Others will increasingly enjoy
being in your company and will seek you out, because in your presence
they will discover more clearly who they are and what their life is
about.
All of this may seem to you something of an oxymoron – high
priest/mentor who is not always as certain about everything as in the
past. After all, high priests are traditionally called to lead and
preside. I want to suggest that in the midst of all that leading, being
a mentor may lead you to wonderfully fulfilling places in your own
ministry. There is much more to it than I have indicated here. There are
skills to learn and materials available to assist that learning.
However, it is essentially about choosing to be that wise and trusted
counselor and then getting on board for the journey. You won’t know for
sure where it is going to take you but most certainly you will discover
new depths and new friends. (2006) |
