Thank you for being willing to mentor one of our amazing MS kiddos!! Here you’ll find some useful information for you as you mentor your mentee! We’ll start with some basic info and then move on with some resources.

THE GOAL OF MENTORING

BUILD A TRUSTING AND APPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR STUDENT

One of the primary goals we have for you as a mentor is that you would work hard at building a trusting and appropriate relationship with your mentee.  And as you likely know, this can be hard work…especially with teenagers! They are entering a period of developmental growth where they are internally focused.  Most everything is about themselves…and they’re doing this because they are learning what it means to be an individual.  They’re forming their own personal identity, they’re looking to find places to belong, and they’re starting to wonder what their purpose in life is.  BIG questions to work through! The privilege you have is this, you get to walk with a student for a time as they are navigating these questions. You’re not telling them what to think, how to live, or what to believe…you’re giving them a safe place to process life and help them see how and where God is active in their lives. If you ever get a questions about the Bible or God that you’re not sure of the answer, please be honest with the student and tell them you’re going to find the answer for them. Use me, Janet, Phil, Steven if you get stuck.

I think the most challenging part of your role will be in finding ways to get to know your student.

So, to do this:

LEARN TO ASK GOOD QUESTIONS

  • Show genuine interest in what interests them

  • Use your students’ life as the jumping off point and ask questions about their likes/dislikes

    • If they like a certain band or app or video game, dig into it with them!  

  • Use Scripture as a foundation for discussion (you’ll see a reading plan below)

  • I have Question Cards and Photo Cards for you to use with your kid that will spark discussion if you get stuck. Let me know if you need them!

  • As you’re asking questions, feel free to answer it as well…and give your student opportunities to ask you questions too

LEARN TO LISTEN WELL

  • Please, don’t do all the talking.  As a mentor with a younger person, you will naturally be doing more of the talking and facilitating, but make sure to allow your student time to process and share.  SILENCE IS OK!  

  • Listen with the intent to ask follow up questions about what they’ve said.

  • It may take several meetings before you feel any progress or connection happening. Please give it time!

BIBLE DISCUSSION  

Use this reading schedule as a way to open your Bibles together and talk about scripture. Most students are familiar with the approach to reading and discussing scripture you see below.

1. READ the passage together

As you read, have your student do these 3 things (and you do them too):

  • Underline the WORD that sticks out to you

  • Underline the SENTENCE that sticks out to you

  • Underline the PARAGRAPH that sticks out to you (if the passage is long enough.)

2. DISCUSS what you just read. Use the underlined words, sentences, and paragraphs for discussion with one another.

Listen deeply to what they notice and find ways of asking follow up questions. Yes, share what you notice too! But don’t do all the talking :)

3. REFLECT deeper. After the reading and discussion, take a few moments to reflect on these questions in a journal:

  • What is the most important thing I learned from this reading

  • How can I apply that to my life?

  • What questions do I have after reading this passage?

I’m not expecting you to get through all of these passages, and please go out of order if you want to read a passage that meets a need on any given week.

  • Week 1 - The Birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-20)

  • Week 2 - The Baptism of Jesus (Matt 3:1-17)

  • Week 3 - Jesus and Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)

  • Week 4 - The Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:17-48)

  • Week 5 - Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand (John 6:1-15)

  • Week 6 - Jesus Walks on the Water (Matt 14:22-36)

  • Week 7 - Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind (John 9:1-25)

  • Week 8 - Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:1-15)

  • Week 9 - Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

  • Week 10 - Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

  • Week 11 - Woman at the Well (John 4:4-30, 39-42)

  • Week 12 - The Triumphant Entry (Matt 21:1-11)

  • Week 13 - The Last Supper (Matt 26:17-30)

  • Week 14 - The Death of Jesus (Mark 15:16-47)

  • Week 15 - The Resurrection (Luke 24:1-12)

  • Week 16 - The Ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:1-14)

  • Week 17 - Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47)

  • Week 18 - Saul's Conversion (Acts 9:1-22)

  • Week 19 - The Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-21)

  • Week 20 - Have the Attitude of Christ (Phil 1:1-11; 2:1-11)

  • Week 21 - Love is the Greatest (1 Cor 13:1-13)

  • Week 22 - Faith and Deeds (Jam 1:19-27, 2:14-26)

  • Week 23 - Great Examples of Faith (Heb 11:1-12, 11:32-12:3)

  • Week 24 - Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor 5:11-21)

  • Week 25 - Jesus is Coming (Rev 22:7-21)