Ode to a Mentor

There are those rare people in your life that you can say you would follow them into a burning building.

When I started at WKU it took no time at all to hear about Living Hope Baptist Church, a prominent local church. Living Hope was doing some major ministry on the campus and you could see the Lord at work through them.

At the time, the College Pastor was Jeff Carlisle. Jeff had started as an intern, became Children's and Youth minister, the Junior High and College pastor, then Jr High, College and Missions, then College and Missions and now he is the Missions pastor. Quite the job description for one person. All that to say, he has experienced a lot in church ministry and brings a wealth of wisdom to his current role.

When I was a sophomore, I became acquainted with Jeff via a ministry I was co-leading called Alive. Jeff became a great source of counsel for the ministry, and began a strong relationship with me. Soon after, during my junior year, I started to intern at Living Hope. Jeff and I would have times where I was laughing so hard my belly hurt, and 3 hour conversations where we are nose to nose disagreeing on all matters of subject, where I was usually wrong but isn't that the way it's supposed to be?

He would confront my sin but would also be the biggest encourager in my life. He and his precious family, including wife Mary Beth, daughter Annye and Maddie(I probably mispelled please forgive me), would invite me over weekly for meals, movies, and always great conversations. He helped me buy my first suit, used mentoring meeting as times for us to labor beside one another physically and ministerially,called me when I was on my first date with Abby just to see how it was going, presided over our wedding ceremony, took me on my first hospital visit, and taught me how to study the Bible. Through his mentoring, I have mentored others and they have mentored others and they have mentored others. The legacy trickles down and through his influence (and more so the Holy Spirit's prompting) we are here in Fargo and Living Hope is supporting us every step of the way.

He continues to mentor me even today. While time and distance changes some things, he doesn't hesitate to call me out on issues, but is always the first to call to see how we are doing and to encourage us. Even today, he and I corresponded via email on different issues.

What are the Church planting implications of this?

Through the obedient work of a mentor, the Lord worked to have Abby and I come to Fargo. We need mentors and we need to mentor. You don't have to go through some class to do this, you don't have to go through a 3 week training. Love God, love people, hold tightly to the scripture, and seek out those that you can raise up in the faith. This can be done by sharing the Gospel with non-Christians, seeing the Lord draw them unto himself, and calling you to be pivotal in raising them up. It could be a new Christian, an immature Christian, or someone who wants mentorship for you to mentor.

Check out www.livinghopewired.com ,specifically the missions page.