“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.”
Acts 2:17
During our Youth Sunday service a few weeks ago, we explored the practice of the Old Testament prophets, who would pass their mantle, or cloak, to the next prophet as a sign of God’s anointing. Specifically, we looked at the mentoring relationship between Elijah and Elisha. Elisha would follow Elijah around, observing him, learning from both Elijah’s strengths and even his weaknesses. Eventually, Elisha was ready to receive the anointing of God’s spirit, literally picking up Elijah’s mantle, which was left on the ground when Elijah was whisked away into a whirlwind to heaven. The work of Elijah didn’t stop; it continued on through all Elisha had learned from him.
Such is the work of mentoring relationships today. While studies show a steady decline in the church attendance of millennials and even middle-aged adults, those same studies reveal that young people who are empowered into leaderships positions in church and have the gift of being in relationship with older adults stay and thrive in the church. As an added bonus, this same mentoring relationship is predicted to improve church retention and involvement with older adults too.
Enter Generation Spark. Generation Spark is a new church mentoring program developed by the Center for Leadership at Hope College. Six churches have been selected to pilot this program, allowing researchers to study and learn from official mentoring relationships that will occur over a period of 12 weeks. Hope Church is one of the 6 churches that have been selected for this program! I have begun the process of pulling together a leadership team, mentors, youth ages 16-24, and prayer partners to begin this potentially life changing program, which will launch on April 15. I attended a training program several weeks ago and was greatly impressed by how thorough, well organized, and specific the program is. Mentor/mentees meet weekly for two hours to go through guided exercises and devotions, as the younger person also explores a challenge in the church or community they’d like to study and even imagine solutions for. Our Hope Church Generation Spark exploratory committee, made up of youth and adults, was energized by the possibilities this program brings to enrich and expand our church community.
So how can you be a part of this excitement? There are several ways. If you see yourself as a strategist, consider joining the leadership team. This team will meet monthly before the program launches and during the 12-week run of the program. Especially consider being a mentor! No experience with young people is required, only curiosity and a desire to make a new young friend. For each of the 6- 10 mentoring relationships, we also need a prayer partner. Someone who commits to regularly praying for the pair and checking in with them on occasion to offer encouragement and take any specific prayer requests they might have.
This is a program for all of us! Just like the picture in Acts 2, a robust vision of the church is one where the gifts of younger people and older people alike are celebrated to bring vibrancy and healing for the world. How will you pass on your mantle?
Blessings,
~Pastor Beth