Pass the baton

She was only thirteen when she began to question God’s purpose for her life. Being a pastor’s daughter surrounded her with church activity, but it was not enough to give her life meaning. Something deeper was stirring. So, she began searching for mentors.

She reached out to people she respected, asking for help to grow spiritually. No response came. Life unfolded. She struggled, made mistakes, and endured pain that might have been avoided with guidance. By God’s grace, she eventually found her way back and went on to live and serve God with passion and alignment to his purposes.

The silence she encountered was not rejection. It was something deeper; mentoring was simply not something many people had learned to do. Yet, Scripture presents mentoring as central to God’s design: “What you have heard from me … entrust to faithful people who will teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).

A generational relay

The mission of God is like a river flowing through history – each generation steps in for a time and is then replaced by the next. Whether by intention or by the natural course of time, the younger generation will soon lead missions on the continent. The critical question is, will they be ready? For lasting impact, the passion of youth must be anchored in the wisdom of those who have gone before them. Our greatest contribution is not measured only by what we accomplish in our lifetime, but by what continues after we are gone. Moses understood this when he prepared Joshua (Deut. 31:7-8). Elijah did the same with Elisha (2 Kgs. 2:9-15). Mentoring is not optional. It is essential. “One generation shall commend your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts” (Ps. 145:4).

Mentoring effectively

1. Identify those who are ready: Mentoring requires discernment. We must seek God to identify those who are not just present but prepared in heart to be formed. Jesus demonstrated this clearly. Before choosing his disciples, he spent extended time in prayer: “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve …” (Lk. 6:12-13).
2. Build trust across generations: In many African contexts, cultural hierarchies create distance between leaders and young people. This distance often prevents meaningful relationships. Trust grows when people feel seen, valued, and safe. Mentoring cannot thrive without trust. Barnabas modelled this when he stood by Paul and gave John Mark a second chance when others had rejected him (Acts 9:26–27; Acts 15:37–39). Because of that investment, Mark later became “useful for ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). The responsibility to initiate trust lies largely with the older generation. They must intentionally close the gap and create space for authentic, life-on-life interaction. Young people, in turn, must respond with humility, openness, and a willingness to learn.
3. Create space for growth, not control: A common mistake is when leaders try to “fix” or control those they are mentoring. True mentoring is not control – it is cultivation. Jesus exemplified a different approach. He created space for his disciples to engage, fail, learn, and grow. Their growth was shaped by their response to him. Even among the twelve, outcomes differed based on individual choices. Mentors must resist the temptation to produce compliance and instead, nurture maturity.

The urgency of now

Africa is uniquely positioned to lead in the decades ahead. But without intentional mentoring, a great loss will occur. The wisdom, experience, and spiritual insight of the older generation may be buried with them. The younger generation will then be forced to relearn lessons already paid for, delaying progress and weakening impact.

The stakes are high. The mission of God, which has flowed through history and will continue long after us, demands that we get this right. Now is the time to ensure that the next generation is ready to carry the mission forward.