3 Phases of a 'Paul and Timothy' Relationship

Baton passing
Do you have a 'Paul and Timothy' relationship with anyone? (IStock photo)

Every leader needs mentors and models—typically other leaders just ahead of where they are in their growth and journey. And every leader also needs to be mentoring and modeling those just behind them.

This is the only way for discipleship to take on the multigenerational nature described by Paul in 2 Timothy 2:2: “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others” (NLT).

In order to both mentor and be mentored effectively, it’s important to see how the relationship between Paul and Timothy developed over time. It unfolded in three phases.

Phase 1: Parenthood

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he addresses him as “my true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2). We first meet Timothy in Acts 16, when Paul is heading out on his second missionary journey. He stops in Lystra to pick up the young disciple who accompanies him, assists him and serves as a sort of apprentice under him. Timothy’s biological father was Greek, but no evidence is ever given that he was a Christian. So Paul filled the shoes of a spiritual father to Timothy.

My heart hurts as I look around at the number of young pastors and leaders who are enthusiastically serving with big dreams but who lack spiritual fathers in the generation ahead of them. The past is always part of our future. I recommend that at least 25 percent of a church leader’s reading be spent in pre-Reformation era writings and another 25 percent from the Reformation to the modern missionary age. Another 25 percent of our reading should be drawn from the generation just previous to ours and only the remaining 25 percent among contemporary authors.

We need a sense of parenthood as we mentor because it’s vital that we be grounded as we dream big dreams.

Phase 2: Pacesetting

The second phase of our ministry mentoring is pacesetting—being the example of what mature ministry looks like. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he points out, “You ... know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance” (2 Tim. 3:10). Paul sets the pace with his life and challenges Timothy to learn by keeping up and emulating his lifestyle.

You’ve probably heard people say that Christianity is always one generation from extinction. I think that might be oversimplifying it, but the fact is that no generation is exempt from the call to fulfill the Great Commission or to serve God’s purposes as fully as possible. The next generation is always watching, so we get to set the pace.

Phase 3: Partnering

Over in the book of Romans, there is a somewhat obscure reference that Paul makes to Timothy: “Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings” (Rom. 16:21). Timothy has gone from being a son to a student and now to a colleague and co-laborer.

We spend plenty of time desiring and praying for more laborers, but perhaps not enough time investing in those with the potential to become our partners in the mission. 

We serve today because of the repetition of this three-phase process for centuries. It didn’t stop with Timothy. The baton has been passed to you who are reading this, and it is our responsibility to be parents, pacesetters and partners with the next generation until Jesus comes!

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times best-seller The Purpose Driven Life. His book The Purpose Driven Church was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.

For the original article, visit pastors.com.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.


Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.

Charisma Leader — Serving and empowering church leaders