"And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." - 2 Tim. 2:2
As I approach my 50th birthday this week, I am grateful for those who have invested in me. This week I'll be reaching out to 50 people who have made a significant impact on my life. These are, roughly speaking, the top 50 people who have taken the time to help shape me into the person and leader that I am today.
Some of these 50 are like the Apostle Paul in my life. They came alongside of me as an emerging young leader, a leader with potential, and spent time helping me grow into the person I am today. Others are more like Barnabas who are roughly in my same life-stage or sphere of influence and we have walked deeply together or influenced each other along the way. Some, are more like Timothy that I have invested in but in many ways they have shaped me as reverse mentors.
We at A3 believe that all of these roles are important in the emergence of a leader. Each of us should have a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy in our lives. I hope you do. It's part of what we at A3 see as critical in leader formation, life-on-life mentoring.
Life-on-Life Mentoring
It's not just a matter of giving leaders the right input. To develop leaders, God uses circumstances, events and other leaders in their lives. So in our model, life-on-life experiences are as important as solid training material. Mentoring and coaching are as essential as great curriculum and excellent faculty.
This week I celebrate these people for the impact they have made on me. They are a treasure trove of wisdom and I am grateful for each and everyone of them.
- Who is your Paul?
- Who is your Barnabas?
- Who is your Timothy?
Contact them today and say: "Thank you for investing in me!"
"We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives."
— John F. Kennedy
Joe Handley
