Would You Like to Initiated The Faith-Based Mentoring Program at Your Church

FAITH-BASED MENTORING PROGRAM

The Faith-Based Mentoring Program is a partnership between two men, one more experienced and one in the early stage of his career that allows the younger man to benefit from the wisdom and experience of someone who has “been there and done that.” This initiative is designed to engage and empower young professionals (mentees) so that they can live in a way that impacts their workplace and marketplace for the cause of Christ.

WHO: The mentors involved in this program will be individuals who currently have or have had successful careers in the business, medical, legal, teaching, coaching, political, financial, law enforcement, military, computer/technology, agricultural, engineering, media/communications, insurance, trades, banking, etc, fields. Mentors do not have to be “experts,” but must be strong, mature Christians who have experience, knowledge, and skills in a particular field, as well as time they are willing to share with mentees. Mentees have no requirements other than a desire to learn and grow. There are no formal age requirements, although mentors will typically be ten to forty years older that mentees. Ideally, the mentor and mentee are matched by occupational area so they can share specific insight to their professional field as well as general truths about life and work.

WHAT: Mentoring is not teaching; there is no curriculum and the mentor will not “lecture” the mentee. The mentee shall set the agenda for the meetings. He will develop a list of goals and objectives for their relationship. The two of them will develop a plan for reaching them.

HOW LONG: Mentoring does not involve a significant time commitment. The program is designed to last nine months, meeting as a minimum of once per month for one hour, typically over coffee or a meal. The mentoring pair may choose to meet more frequently, if they so desire. Often mentor/mentees choose to continue meeting after the nine-month partnership, but this is entirely optional.

WHY MENTORING?
Young professionals are increasingly interested in connecting with individuals who can be positive influences, serve as resources for personal development, help them “learn the ropes,” provide experienced input for answering life questions, and walk beside them during the peaks and valleys of their early professional lives.
On the other hand, many mature Christians are experiencing a desire to pass on the knowledge that they have gleamed over the years in their chosen professions to those who are in the early stages of their vocations. The lessons that they have learned relate not simply to job skills, but also to navigating workplace politics, locating resources for professional growth, developing appropriate social skills, and connecting to people who can expose them to new concepts, and how to integrate ones faith in the workplace.

WHY FAITH-BASED MENTORING?
Christians have a special obligation to be the best that they can possibly be in their field of work because they are instructed to perform as a direct service to Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:23). They are also warned that only fools ignore advice, whereas the wise seek out the counsel of others (Proverbs 12:15). Faith-based mentoring is a way for men to tap into that wisdom in order to grow in their ability to honor Christ. Christians often face challenges at work related to sexual temptations, ethical dilemmas, and sharing their faith. It is very important for young professionals to connect with a mentor who has a faith-based worldview.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER OF THE FAITH-BASED MENTORING PROGRAM
Bill Elder’s recent retirement brought to close a forty-year career as a Hall of Fame college basketball coach and administrator. Since retiring, he has become a published author and is currently a member of the Alabama Coalition’s Board of Directors. Bill and his wife, Vivian, are members of the Frazer United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Alabama where Vivian serves as teacher of the Women in Christ Sunday School class. They have two married daughters, both living in Chicago, who have given them five grandchildren. Bill’s experience of being thrust early on in his career as a head coach at the college level without a mentor has given him a passion to connect men to those who can “coach” them both personally and professionally.

Sign-Up
If you are interested in initiating the Faith-Based Mentoring Program at your church, please contact me at williamtelder@charter.net.