Engage

Why should I invest in mentoring relationships with teenagers? Do they even care if I take interest in their lives? The answer is: because Jesus set the model for you. Because the Bible and history are littered with examples of how mentoring relationships made a difference in individual lives and societies. Because this generation of young people longs for passionate adults to believe in them and show them the way to hope-filled and meaningful lives. Mentoring is at the core of any strong ministry. If you want to make an impact on a school, a community, or a nation, it starts with investment in one student by a caring volunteer who believes in the potential of that one. Mike Harder, a 25-year youth ministry veteran, has invested his life in imparting to others what he has learned about following Jesus and living according to his mission. The pages of this book flow from his experiences. Getting young people in the doors may be a great feat, but being part of Gods work transforming their lives is a greater one. If we are going to impact young people today in our churches we need to be willing to go beyond surface relationships and invest in their lives. It will be hard and time consuming, but the impact will reach beyond what we could imagine.