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I have two questions for you
Question #1: Who is your mentor?
I met my mentor, Willie George, in 1978 when I was attending Bible College.
God used Pastor Willie to pioneer the ministry of the “children’s pastor.” I’m sure Willie George wasn’t the first guy to think of the concept, however there is no doubt that God used him to bring the calling of the “children’s pastor” to the forefront in the body of Christ.
Willie George is also responsible for pioneering Christian television for kids. In 1981 he launched The Gospel Bill Show, along with his sidekick Nicodemus.
I’m not sure at what point I felt called to be a children’s pastor. I just knew that I needed to learn everything I could from this man – Willie George.
One day after class I approached Pastor Willie and said, “I’d like to get involved with your kid’s ministry.”
“Come watch me in children’s church for four weeks” Willie said. “Then I will assign you to a class.”
After the four weeks Pastor Willie said to me, “Mark, I want you to help in the Preschool class at the 11:00am service.”
I started serving in the preschool class, but I missed watching Pastor Willie. After serving for several weeks at 11:00am, instead of going to the sanctuary for the 9:00am service, I went to children’s church to watch Pastor Willie.
I remember once during a training session, Pastor Willie looked at me and said,
“You are a wise man, Mark Harper.”
I never really thought about it like that. I was just following my heart. I wanted to learn everything I could from this man, however I’ve come to see the wisdom in what I did.
Do you have a mentor? A mentor is someone you are watching closely.
Find somebody that is doing it really well and watch him or her.
Proverbs 20:5 says it like this, “Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.”
I am so grateful to Pastor Willie for everything that he put into me. I will always be indebted to him, but how do I pay him back?
I pay him back by taking the time to mentor others.
Question #2: Who are you mentoring?
If you are not mentoring someone you should be. Find a young leader who is hungry and pass on to him or her what was given to you.
“Freely you have received and freely give.”
It is one way to keep the fire burning.
This is excellent advice.
Amen Mark. totally agree!:)
I remember when I first started out – took over a CM with no plans – no curriculum being used, no policies, very little volunteer base and lots of emotions due to the revolving door of CP’s before me. I knew God had called me to CM since I was 15 – and I was excited as I could possibly get – and even more nervous because I knew nothing!
One of the first things I did was clean out a storage closet and found an enormous stack of Willie George’s School of Ministry cassette and VHS tapes, and old workbooks that someone had attended of their school and I took them home and read, watched everything I could get my hands on….and then I moved on to Jim Wideman’s Leadership Club, and I read every book that he wrote, that you wrote, as well as Craig Jutilia. It wasn’t easy – having to start from scratch – and having to implement what I learned to a ministry that had very little to no structure – but I was so thankful for all the lessons that I had learned from those VHS, cassette tapes, books, workbooks and sitting in as many of the conferences of the men I considered my mentors. I have the deepest respect for them all (you included!) and I was so proud to hear that some of those that I had trained are now working in CM in other churches…..(and it makes me happy that my son is a part of Pastor Willie George’s church) Thanks Pastor Mark, for sharing your wisdom and being someone that I could learn from…and continue to learn from!
Bobbie, your post was just the shot in the arm that I needed. Thank you for posting your experience. My children grew up on Willie George and I will look up some of the names that you mentioned! Praise God for those that understand how vital CM really is! Glory to God!