TruthBook Religious News Blog

March 8, 2008

A mentoring minisry

By Ann Greenleaf Wirtz
Special to the Times-News

"As young moms we admired the mature spirituality we saw in the older women, especially since many of us were in those early seasons of motherhood, with all the challenges of parenting coupled with taking care of our husbands," Reid said.

"We wanted an experienced, Godly perspective on how they had raised their children to adulthood and survived," Reid smiles. "They had wisdom to share and it was encouraging to hear their stories.

"It was 2003, and Betty Brown had the vision to begin a mentoring ministry. She has since moved, but she left behind the program she started from a ladies' tea and a survey to determine interest. We ended up with enough older and younger women to do a test run," Reid explains.

The test run has turned into a continuous, five-year blessing for all who've participated in the ministry. The model is designed for a mentor and mentee to share concerns, Biblical counsel, prayers and fun throughout a six-month commitment.

Many needs met

Lisa Nelsen, who recently became a mentee, confirms the needs this ministry meets. "My mother lives in California, and my husband has to travel some with his work. We have a son who's 4 and an adopted 2-year old daughter from Guatemala. I have a wonderful family, but I felt the Lord pushing me to become involved because I was feeling alone at times and very busy with the children and needed someone close-by to talk to."

When the decision is made to participate in this ministry, a profile card is completed. Information about hobbies, interests, and essential beliefs are listed, as well as the desire to be either a mentor, a mentee, either, or both.

Martha Roach, who heads the prayer warriors, describes the matching process. "We cover the entire ministry in prayer, from beginning to end. Once we have the profile cards, we sit down and pray for the Lord's guidance in matching mentors with mentees and the prayer warrior who will be assigned to them. We believe if the Lord doesn't build the house, it doesn't stand. We are sensitive to his leading, his nudging, and we give him all the credit for the success of the matches."

Relationships continue

"Sometimes, however, the mentoring situation doesn't seem to work out," Funk says, "for whatever reason. More often though, the mentors and mentees want to continue their relationship beyond the 6 months because their interactions have been so beneficial."

"I've definitely been given a God-match," Nelsen says, "because my mentor, Penny (Oesterling), has been in similar situations, and her advice and spiritual beliefs have been such a help. I want to be where she is. I've started reading the Bible more to gain that close relationship with the Lord that shines in Penny.

Penny Oesterling began a mentoring ministry at her church in Rochester, N.Y., and after moving to Hendersonville several years ago, has continued her commitment to helping younger women by joining the mentoring program at First Baptist. "The Lord instilled this desire because of an experience I had with a friend who was 12 years older. While that's not a lot of difference, she shared parenting advice; helpful because I didn't have any relatives living nearby.

"We became close, even as couples," Oesterling said. "They mentored the Christian life to my husband and me. My friend never realized the extent of her impact until years later when I started the mentoring ministry, inspired by our relationship.

"We're always influencing others, either positively or negatively," Oesterling says. "It's important we train women to love God, to help them understand how to love their husbands and children."

Woman to Woman Mentoring at First Baptist is called "A Titus 2 Ministry," based on Titus 2:3-5, "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

On her profile card, Oesterling wrote that she wanted a mentoring relationship "led by the Lord in which he can use me to be a Titus 2 woman." He has done that through her relationship with Lisa.

Labels: Ann Greenleaf Wirtz, mentoring, ministry, women