Supporting spiritual growth and mission experiences through community mentorship
This is a long journey of discipleship and it takes community to come around each SOAR participant to walk them through their experience and seek God’s call alongside them. Here is a mentorship covenant we encourage each participant coming on SOAR to find a mentor and meet with them both leading up to SOAR and after.
You will greatly appreciate having a mentor to help you through the various stages of SOAR. The following information about roles and qualifications will help you in choosing a mentor. You should get going on this as soon as possible.
One of the high school leaders at a church met with the church’s elder board, sharing that the young men in the youth group were looking for mentors. After his excellent presentation, one of the older men on the board replied, “But we’re not qualified. We don’t know how to mentor.” The young man responded, “Just take us to a ball game, pray with us, ask us if we’ve been in the Word. Be there for us if we need you, do things with us that you normally do. Ask us to help you around your house. Your life is already a teacher to us. Just be yourself. That is the kind of mentor we are looking for.” In other words, it is not necessary for mentors to be Bible scholars, teachers, or even leaders. They just need to live their lives in the presence of someone else and be willing to work at that relationship. Everybody can be a mentor as long as they have learned from God and are willing to share with others what God is teaching them.
Christians of all ages, committed to following Jesus, benefit from having a mentor willing to accompany them on their spiritual journey. They look for more mature people who are practically living out their Christian lives. They look for people ready to commit to love and pray for them.
Everyone needs accountability, someone to listen to them, someone to encourage and challenge them. A mentor can come alongside personally and walk through the transition from life before a short-term mission to a continually changing life after the program.
You should seek out someone you respect, who you want to spend time with, and who is willing to spend time with you. This person should be the same gender as you. They should be an adult committed/engaged in your local church, and with whom you feel comfortable. Spend time in prayer and ask God who should be your mentor and meet with this person.
You received the «Mentor Guide» by email. Give it/forward it to your mentor. It contains instructions and ideas so that you, the mentee, can benefit most from this missionary experience. Remember, at the heart of mentoring is friendship, accountability, and encouragement. So, make sure that you and your mentor have a great time whatever you choose to do!