Paintball, TERMINATOR STYLE! We had over twenty-five men and youth and played RAMBO for 3 hours. Our men at Christ Church International (including our male staff) shot it up at MN Pro Paintball. I have over 15 paintball welts on my back (pictures of THAT coming soon).
(far left: BIG TONY V., middle left: Marquel M. (worship pastor), middle right: Thomas "HITMAN" (youth pastor), far right: ME (aka. 80's Rambo man).
Mentor defined: a trusted friend, counselor or teacher, usually a more experienced person. The student of a mentor is called a protégé or mentoree.
We have a need in our current culture for next-generation mentoring. Whether in schools, community centers, colleges, or churches, mentoring relationships is lacking, particularly, men mentoring men.
Think about a person in your life who has mentored you...who comes to mind? When I think about a person in my life who has mentored me, very few come to mind...which at times has been very painful for me. It is been said that through pain, passion is birthed. I have lacked certain mentors in my life, however, I have decided to passionately embark on the mentoring process of the next-generation.
Think about a person in your life you are truly mentoring...who comes to mind? As mentors, we bear the responsibility for providing emerging leaders with the things they cannot get on their own. Mentoring people will take a personal investment, and it requires our time, energy, and prayers. However, if we decide to pay the price to mentor someone it will all be worth it in the end, because, we will have the privilege to see that person go to a whole new level in their life.
Things to think about in a mentoring relationship:
Many of the world's most successful people have benefited from having a mentor including:
"A gossip is one who talks to you about other people. A bore is one who talks to you about himself. And a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about yourself." - William King
Have you ever been around people that had a way of "subtracting" from you? On the other hand, have you been around people who "add" something to your life? It seems as if those who add to us, draw us to them, and those who subtract, cause us to withdraw. Have you ever been around people who are constantly searching for ways to make themselves look good (they rarely give you their full attention, they are always talking about themselves, never asking questions about other people, rarely giving apappreciation or affirmation to others, etc.). And conversely, there is nothing like being around those who search for ways to make others look and feel good (they give attention, affirmation, and appreciation to others). I have been around both kinds of people in my life.
I started to do some reflective thinking, and I challenged myself with the question, "Do I subtract or add to people'?" I believe I am one who adds to people, however, I have also found myself spending time subtracting as well. Things that subtract like tearing people down (gossip), and not always taking the time to give affirmation when I need to (how about starting at home?).
I wonder what kind of environment we could create if we continually gave people the Triple A Treatment? The Triple A Treatment consists of giving people--attention, affirmation, and appreciate within the first 30 seconds of contact with them...what positive, encouraging thing can I say to each person I will see today? These kinds of questions are at the center of my heart lately.
How well do you give attention, affirmation, and appreciation to others? And when you do, how do you do it?
I love movies about mentoring relationships. Good Will Hunting and Dead Poet's Society are two of my favorites mentoring movies. Other great mentoring movies: Finding Forrester, Freedom Writers, Mr. Holland's Opus, Karate Kid, and The Man without a Face.
Think for a moment the people that has invested in you? I have had a few significant people invest in my life and leadership in my adult years. However, I grew up with very few positive role models who really took the time to invest in my life. What kind of perspective do I have now when it comes to investing in the lives of others? A very good one. Spending time and mentoring young leaders is a passion of mine (sometimes passion is birthed out of pain). I have made a lifetime commitment to mentoring young leaders. I have realized that mentoring takes time, listening, patience, and commitment. I have also realized that when leaders are not mentoring younger leaders of tomorrow, your organization/business/church is headed for trouble. Time and time again, research shows that mentoring works and really makes a difference. I believe it is a leaders job to breath life and passion into young leader's by encouraging them to Carpe Diem or Seize the Day.
Helpful Hints for Mentoring (from John Maxwell):
