I don't know who to ask to mentor!

Let's be honest, it can down right difficult to recruit within the church, especially when the job at hand requires any sort of teaching. The fact of the matter is, the strength of the SALT program rests largely on the shoulders of the mentors. The brave men and women who take up the challenge to come along side a teen for 10 months and love on them.

The best mentors however, may not be the people who readily come to mind. Allow me to offer to you a group of individuals that most every church has, that I believe can make for some of your best mentors.

They are called by a variety of different names; senior saints, gray hairs, old folks, or grandma/grandpa. Whatever title they go by, the truth is, here lies a valuable resource that often times can easily be overlooked. What's so special about this section of our congregations that they would make for great mentors? Well, a couple of thoughts come to mind. The most obvious is that they've lived life, a lot of it in some cases. At the heart of mentoring is the desire to pass on what we've learned to the younger generations. Who better to do this than our older individuals? Not only do they bring a wealth of life experience to the table, but many times they bring the grandma/pa spirit; simply put, they know how to spoil. What teenager wouldn't enjoy this? They have time. Often retired, this group of people has the time necessary to do the work of a mentor. The list really goes on and on.

I would encourage you, as you hunt for mentors, to not overlook those of the gray hair persuasion within your congregation. I think you may be surprised at what they can offer you and your students if given the opportunity to serve as a mentor.

~YAC
(Ryan Smith)