Recently my bride Heidi and I watched a great documentary called Waiting For Superman. Written and directed by Davis Guggenheim the film underscores why America's public school system is failing. With a quick pivot Davis spotlight's what is working - charter schools - and Heidi and I quickly noticed why they are working. "Charter Schools foster students with highly qualified and highly motivated teachers as mentors."
In an instant, the answer to failing schools jumped off the screen. A highly interested, motivated and qualified mentor working with students for extended periods of quality time makes a difference. Giving students a total school life with great mentors gives him/her the advantage they need to succeed.
The same is true for men as mentors in the lives of men discovering new-found fatherhood.
Rewritten we could say - "A highly interested, motivated and qualified mentor working with new fathers for extended periods of quality time makes the difference in a father and family getting a 'fighting chance to make it'".
Yet, for us Christian guys looking to make difference in the world and the chance to impact a father, mother and unborn child what's some of the important stuff that's gotta be in the head and heart first, before we make a move to love these guys?
Take a good look at this: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Notice something? A guy who wants to be a mentor of young men in new-found fatherhood needs to possess a few traits such as:
1) His message is God’s good news (v.2).
2) His motive is not impurity (v.3).
3) He does not do his work to please people (v.4).
4) He works/serves/ministers to please God (v.4) .
5) His manner is not one of trickery (v.3), flattery (v.5) or a cover up (v.5).
6) Rather his manner is one of courage (v.2), gentleness (v.7), love (vv. 8,11), toil (v.9) and holiness (v.10).
But you say - "Kurt, that's impossible. I have been in sales, I have been in management, I have been in leadership and not many people really spread God's good news, right? Everybody tries to please people, not many people live to please God. I know you gotta use trickery, flattery and cover up watcha can!" C'mon, don't be so strict - we're all good guys just trying to help out".
As founder of Guys For Life, you know what I say to that, "Nope I am not kidding. This is EXACTLY who wants to be a mentor and why." Being a good guy, ignoring these core principles and helping guys like you want to may work for a while. Yet in the end, you'll run outta fuel trying to help, get discouraged and move onto something else.
So where do you find these kind of men?
Try here:
Till next time,
Kurt
In an instant, the answer to failing schools jumped off the screen. A highly interested, motivated and qualified mentor working with students for extended periods of quality time makes a difference. Giving students a total school life with great mentors gives him/her the advantage they need to succeed.
The same is true for men as mentors in the lives of men discovering new-found fatherhood.
Rewritten we could say - "A highly interested, motivated and qualified mentor working with new fathers for extended periods of quality time makes the difference in a father and family getting a 'fighting chance to make it'".
Yet, for us Christian guys looking to make difference in the world and the chance to impact a father, mother and unborn child what's some of the important stuff that's gotta be in the head and heart first, before we make a move to love these guys?
Take a good look at this: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Notice something? A guy who wants to be a mentor of young men in new-found fatherhood needs to possess a few traits such as:
1) His message is God’s good news (v.2).
2) His motive is not impurity (v.3).
3) He does not do his work to please people (v.4).
4) He works/serves/ministers to please God (v.4) .
5) His manner is not one of trickery (v.3), flattery (v.5) or a cover up (v.5).
6) Rather his manner is one of courage (v.2), gentleness (v.7), love (vv. 8,11), toil (v.9) and holiness (v.10).
But you say - "Kurt, that's impossible. I have been in sales, I have been in management, I have been in leadership and not many people really spread God's good news, right? Everybody tries to please people, not many people live to please God. I know you gotta use trickery, flattery and cover up watcha can!" C'mon, don't be so strict - we're all good guys just trying to help out".
As founder of Guys For Life, you know what I say to that, "Nope I am not kidding. This is EXACTLY who wants to be a mentor and why." Being a good guy, ignoring these core principles and helping guys like you want to may work for a while. Yet in the end, you'll run outta fuel trying to help, get discouraged and move onto something else.
So where do you find these kind of men?
Try here:
- Retired pastors (Your Pastor - they communicate with other pastors)
- Retired men (Your church, men in your life, fathers, uncles, etc.)
- Elders & Deacons not serving (Your church)
- Men who have experienced and unplanned pregnancy for the + or - (an agency you are connected with)
- Bi-Vocational Pastors (Your Church, seminaries placing pastors in your area)
- Seminary Students (especially those pursuing an M.A.C.S) (Seminaries in your area)
- College Students who have a practicum to fulfill in counseling (Communicate with all colleges in area)
- Christian Psychology majors (Communicate with all colleges in area)
- Members of churches that have strong and established Pro-Life groups (Your organization should know this)
- Men enrolled in Promise Keepers, Men’s Fraternity, Men at the Cross, The Timothy Project
- Young and budding churches who have a strong focus on outreach (inner-city) (Relevant magazine.com)
- C.B.M.C groups (Christian Business Men’s Committee) and similar groups
Till next time,
Kurt
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