Serve by Design

I watched a heart-warming feature the other day on a local television news program. It featured a seasoned one-hundred-three-year-old teacher who had mentored a seventy-something year old teacher who, in turn, had impacted a younger next-generation educator! It was a mentoring stair-step of inspiration, instruction, and influence that continues to be celebrated in their small town of Assumption, Illinois! Mentors Add Value! Credit: clker.com There are names for this story. First, Helen Lehman, is the centenarian mentor who started her teaching career in the 1940’s. She is still active in her community and is often stopped by her former students at the local grocery store. They recognize her and appreciate the value that she has added to their young lives. When asked why she spent so many years teaching children, she simply replied, “I love children! You gotta love kids!” One of Helen’s mentees and teaching friends is Jane Shull. She learned so many lessons from this experienced teach...

I recently attended a regional equipping conference for men, titled "Iron Sharpens Iron". Ministers and laity were present. During the opening session, Dan Hyun, a church planter specialist and founding pastor of the Village Church in Baltimore, Maryland spoke about success. Hyun believes that success is measured by what comes behind us, our legacy. Therefore, he made this compelling appeal to join in the endeavor of mentoring the next generation of Christian leaders by simply saying, “Be who you needed when you were young!” Teaching and Mentoring Image credit: depositphotos.com Hyun’s comment about the lasting legacy of mentoring the next generation resonates with me. I have been committed to mentoring relationships for more than 20 years now. I didn’t plan on being a mentor when I was younger, but in my maturing, middle adult years, some of my younger peers started introducing me as their mentor. It sounded surreal at first and certainly made me feel older, but I could see ...

It is time for the area’s public and private schools to get back into session. Teachers report early to get ready for the new school year and students follow within days. As the doors open, everyone is sporting new clothing, book bags and a readiness to put the pencil to the paper or rather, the fingers to the keyboard! The summer vacation is over, and now, teachers will teach and learners will learn! So goes the calendar of educational development. "Teachers Serve by Design!" Image Credit: png.com The church has a similar cycle of learning. Teachers are elected for a new church year and September is time for promotion and a re-commitment to discipleship and growing in Christ. Our church has seen some changes this new year. One beloved Sunday School class has been shuttered after years of being together due to members who have passed or moved on because of death, health or other circumstances. The only remaining member has plans to relocate out-of-state to be closer to fami...