ChosenRebel's Blog

Monday Discussion

“Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.”
(Titus 2:2, ESV)

I recently had a conversation with a young man over coffee about the need for “spiritual fathers”  in the church.  Three days ago, one of my students was lamenting the fact that every time he thinks he has found a man to mentor him and invest in his life, he winds up being disappointed. Either they have no time or no vision for the investment he craves for his spiritual development.

It reminded me of a number of conversations I have had over the years with other young men longing for older men to mentor and coach them in their development as godly men and husbands.  So here’s an idea for a ministry in any church that only needs the will of one or two men to get started.

Men Mentoring Men

The vision of this ministry to link more seasoned Christian men with younger men who can help them grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

Target:

Any man who feels that being linked in an accountability relationship with another man would benefit his spiritual growth

How:

Men contact the ministry and declare their desire to be in a mentored relationship. The pastoral staff or elders assign a man to a mentor for the purpose of accelerating spiritual growth.

Process:

One on one; mutual accountability; raise the bar of what it means to be a disciple; the process is more important than the curriculum.

Suggested Curriculum: (One or more of the following)

Life Builders One to One Discipleship (Multiplication Ministries),
Cultivating a Life For God (Neil Cole),
One-to-One Bible Reading (David Helm) or
NewLifeDiscipleship.com (downloadable for free), the latter is  something  similar to CRU and Navigator material.
Every Man a Warrior (Lonnie Berger)   — Great 4 book series

Men Mentoring Boys into Men

The vision of this ministry to link godly men with boys in father-absent households for the purpose of helping young boys in their transition to manhood.

Target:

Boys whose father’s have died; Boys whose father and mother are divorced and the father is not a believer; Boys whose father has abandoned the family

How:

Mothers of father-absent households contact the ministry and ask for a mentor for their son(s).

Process:

One on one; mutual accountability; raise the bar of what it means to be a disciple; the process is more important than the curriculum.

Suggested Curriculum:

The Measure of a Man, (by Gene Getz) or
Man in the Mirror, (by Patrick Morely) or something similar
Disciplines of a Godly Man, (by Kent Hughes)

Run with it in your church. Adapt it for your church. Change the curriculum. But make the investment.  The young men of the coming generation need you to build into their lives.  And if you are a young man reading this, don’t give up. Keep looking for men who will build into your life.