Friday, March 22, 2013

Our Church's Mentoring Program


Our church has been doing a mentoring program for many years.  I joined it about four years ago.  The first night, all the mentors and mentees gather in a large circle and have three minutes to share a little bit about their lives.

The next day, the leaders get together, pray, and match a mentor with a mentee.  A few nights later, we all gather again and are matched with our mentee.  We agree to meet for six months with our mentee, mentoring them on things of the Lord.

The leaders have agreed to give me more than one woman since my passion is teaching the younger women to love their husband, love their children, etc.  This time I have three women.  I have mentored many women through this program and love it!

I have decided this is the only ministry I want to put my time into.  There is such a huge need for older women to be mentoring younger women.  It seems the majority of women are floundering in their marriages, in the process of getting divorced, or divorced.

I have mentored young women in their early twenties all the way to women who are almost 60 years old.  I have mentored women whose husbands were having an affair, deeply involved in pornography, wanting to get divorced, and women who simply wanted to improve their marriages.

Not one of the women I have mentored in the past ten years has gotten a divorce.  I am not saying this to brag about my mentoring ability but to brag on God.  His ways work.  He commands the older women to teach the younger women.

When I showed up the night after we all shared our three minutes, one of the leaders came up to me and told me they wanted to give half of the mentees to me.  There is SUCH a need for older women to teach the younger women...such a need.

I would encourage any of you who have a desire to start such a program at your church.  Both the mentor and the mentee learn so much from the experience and I am sure it pleases the Lord.

That they may teach the young women to be sober,
 to love their husbands, to love their children, 
to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, 
good, obedient to their own husbands, 
that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Titus 2:4,5

Gratituesday
 

Comments (18)

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This ministry needs to be offered at every church! Much needed....God's ways work! We all need to learn and it's a gift to have a mentor! It is a much needed ministry. Our marriages, families, children and community benefits from an intact & happy family. Thank you Lori for serving!
1 reply · active 615 weeks ago
You're welcome! I love doing it.
Wish I could visit with you in person, Lori, but your blog does the job for me here in Wisconsin! I love older women! All my best friends have been older women, ever since I was a teenager. Today I spent the day with my mom and aunt. Then, I got to come home to our Joanie, who works for us as a home helper. She is an older, godly woman. I can't wait to be an older lady to someone someday...
1 reply · active 615 weeks ago
You are being very well mentored, Kath! You are blessed and will someday make a GREAT older mentor.
LisainVermont's avatar

LisainVermont · 615 weeks ago

I wish I had this. I'm trying to become a better Christian and wife by muddling through on my own, but it can be exhausting and confusing. I wish I had someone that I could ask questions of without feeling stupid or judged.
1 reply · active 615 weeks ago
We all need to be mentored by someone older and wiser than us. I finally was mentored by some great books and teachings by older women. Blogs help also but there is nothing like a real live person, sitting across from each other, and looking into each other's eyes. Pray for an older mentor. God hears the prayers of the righteous.
The need is indeed great! I am having difficulty finding a proper "mentor" because so many of the older women at my church have a more "secular/feministic" idea about being a wife and marriage; others are too shy or just don't want to "interfere" or "hurt someone's feelings", or even bother with it. It is sad.

Blessings,
Marcia
1 reply · active 615 weeks ago
It is very difficult to find an older mentor who teaches biblical standards. It is a very sad commentary on the state of the church.
An important ministry. I'd love to know how you mentor--are there guidelines or bible studies you do or is it more friendship oriented?
1 reply · active 615 weeks ago
I have been using Created To Be His Helpmeet for the past 10 years. It is by far my favorite marriage book. We read 2 chapters a week and go over points that meant the most to us. I spend a lot of time listening to them and then encouraging them. I try to use a lot of Bible verses in teaching them so I am giving God's opinions and not my own.
Stopping by from Titus 2 Tuesdays. What an awesome program! Our church is very small right now, but this is something that would be such a great ministry once we get a little bigger. Thanks for sharing!
Love mentoring! I have this book. This is definitely a difficult subject. I have attempted in the past to start mentoring programs and failed.
Visiting from the UBP! I wish I had someone who would do this with me. After having a mom who doesn't care about me, I know I could use the direction of someone wiser. Thanks for sharing!

Jenn http://treasuringlifesblessings.blogspot.com/
Mentoring is my passion too! I mentor international students. Love the quote at the top of your blog!
This is so needed. I've found a group of older women in my small town. They are teaching me about submission and respecting my husband. I'm visiting from UBP13 and liked your facebook page so I can follow you in the future! Look forward to getting to know you!

Lauren, RunHoly.com
I love this ! I think we should do this at our church as well. I know I have gained so much wisdom from my grandmother's along the way and miss them dearly. I am so glad I found you through the UBP13 and will be back to hear more. This is awesome what God is doing!
Hi visiting from UBP. I just love it when we can fulfill our calling.
I am in the process of starting a mentoring program at our church and ran into your page. How exciting to see others doing this. I am doing mine with men and women. Of course pairing them up with the same sex. I don't think a young man wants me telling him how to be a husband. lol. God bless you sister in Christ.

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