“Mentors shall be recommended by the cabinet, selected, trained, and held accountable by the Board of Ordained Ministry. There are two categories of mentor, each with distinct functions and responsibilities.”
Mentors and Mentees
The mentee is the person being mentored. Mentor refers to the person relating to the mentee.
Types of Mentors
Nature of Relationship
Trust is one of the fundamental building blocks of a successful mentoring relationship. A key factor in its development is a shared understanding of the degree to which communication between mentors and mentees is considered confidential, both by the individuals and by the annual conference structures. All participants in mentoring should be aware of the stated expectations and standards of the conference regarding communication between mentors and mentees.
Those serving as mentors are expected to exercise wisdom in helping create a safe place for reflection and growth. Clergy mentors should have maturity of faith and skills for helping shape a relationship in which intense reflection about the other person’s call and vocation can take place.
While all mentors are required to report about the person being mentored, the written report is shaped and shared in such a way that the integrity and safety of the mentor/mentee relationship can be maintained.
What the Mentor Is Not
The mentor is never a supervisor, expert, recorder, snitch, counselor, mother, father, fix-it person, or just a friend.
Portions of the mentoring section are adapted from the GBHEM Guide to Mentoring: A Manual for Commissioned Ministers, Local Pastors, and Clergy Mentors. 2008.