This episode covers the foundations of biblical mentoring and why the mentor's posture matters more than expertise or authority. Robert and Steve are joined by Ada Babajide, founder of Christian Women Mentoring Network and a member of the global leadership team at MentorLink International, to unpack practical mentoring basics, warning signs of abuse, and how to discern a mentee’s real needs. Ada shares how her mentoring approach grew out of weekly prayer gatherings for women in Lagos, Nigeria, and how it evolved into a structured training that helps older women serve younger women with wisdom, humility, and spiritual care. Key topicsAda Babajide shares how her mentoring journey began with a weekly prayer meeting for women that naturally evolved into mentoring.She explains how her ministry, Closing Gaps Kingdom Outreach, supported missionaries and ministry leaders through trauma healing, counseling, and ministry setup.The conversation distinguishes mentoring from discipleship and coaching, with mentoring described as a relationship aimed at helping someone become who God wants them to be.Ada outlines the core of the basic mentoring training, including active listening, intercession, ethics, mentoring as a lifestyle, and transformational mentoring.She discusses negative mentoring, using Diotrephes from 3 John 9 as a biblical example of control, domination, and relational restriction.The episode highlights real-world abuses in mentoring, including manipulation, financial pressure, isolation from other leaders, and silencing younger voices.Ada explains how her training includes reverse mentoring, where older women learn from younger women, especially in areas like technology and current life skills.She shares how to find mentees through relationship, prayer, vulnerability, and authentic storytelling rather than through authority or status.Ada uses Naomi and Ruth as a model of healthy mentoring marked by persistence, guidance, discernment, and a desire for the mentee’s flourishing.She gives practical advice for assessing mentee needs through active listening, open-ended questions, and consistent prayer.Ada describes this as “AOP” - active listening, open-ended questions, and prayer.A story about one mentee shows how mentoring can redirect hurt, control, and disappointment into renewed purpose and Kingdom service.The episode closes with a call for mentors to pour out the deposits of grace, wisdom, and revelation they have received.
