Conversation Guide
A reusable one-page structure for Barnabas meetings.
Before you begin: you do not need to use every prompt. Choose what fits the conversation in front of you.
Meeting Structure
1. Check in
- How are you arriving today?
- What has taken most of your energy since we last spoke?
- Is anything urgent enough to replace the planned topic?
2. Look back
- What did you intend to do or consider?
- What happened? What helped or got in the way?
- What did you learn?
3. Choose a focus
- What conversation would make today useful?
- Where are you stuck, uncertain, or avoiding something?
4. Explore
- What do you think is happening?
- What assumptions are you making?
- What might you be missing?
- What values, people, or consequences matter here?
5. Choose the support
Would listening, questions, perspective, advice, direct feedback, accountability, prayer, a resource, or an introduction be most useful?
6. Take one next step
What will you do, test, practice, ask, or reflect on before the next meeting? Keep it realistic and chosen by the mentee.
7. Check the relationship
- Was today useful?
- Is the balance of listening, advice, and challenge working?
- Anything we should change next time?
Need A Topic?
Faith and spiritual growth, purpose and calling, work and career, relationships and family, friendship and community, habits and accountability, decisions and discernment, character and values, leadership and service, difficulty or transition, wellbeing, or the mentoring relationship.
Useful mentor question: "What would be most helpful right now: listening, questions, perspective, advice, accountability, prayer, or a connection?"