Page 7 - Glory & Grace Issue 11: Why?

Why Mentors? Why Mentors?
At first, some were concerned that having more adults present would only drive the kids further away. Others doubted its practicality, saying, "how will you recruit all those people?" Now over a decade later, we can see the fruit that has been produced. We can tell stories of not only kids sticking around, but adults as well. We can celebrate that we have been given different gifts, but when those gifts work together for the glory of God, incredible things happen.
Some mentors serve for a year and then move on to serve elsewhere. Some mentors bless us by sticking around for the long haul. Whether it is through being silly, listening deeply, watching the cell phone pile (see below), or showing up for a new and unusual idea (youth group via Zoom?), KOG's mentors have again and again embodied the love of Christ. Through everyone offering a little, our kids have been blessed a lot. By surrounding young people with affirming, authentic, and available adults we pray that each person would know how treasured they are by God and that as life unfolds, all might know that God's church has a place for them.
2012: The very first mentor team @ KOG
In 2012 King of Glory piloted its first "mentor team." With a hunger to pass on the love of Jesus to kids, but recognizing the trend that young people weren't staying in the church, KOG committed to be different. Understanding that youth ministry is a ministry of the whole congregation, not that of a specialist, KOG dared to try an experiment with the 5th- 6th grade Sunday School class that fall. Rather than begging one adult to teach a group of 5th-6th graders, we said, "let's get six adults."