Not just physical traits or traditions, but patterns of thinking, habits, and ways of responding to life. Some of those things are beautiful and life-giving. Others may be patterns we wish had stopped long before they reached us.

As I have grown older, I have started to recognize some of the beliefs, habits, and patterns in my own family that have influenced my life more than I once realized. Some of them shaped me in good ways. Others made me pause and think, Is this something I want to carry forward? Is this something I want my children to inherit from me?

The truth is that actions speak louder than words. Children absorb far more from what they see than from what they are told. They learn from what is modeled for them, often unconsciously. The way we respond to challenges, the way we speak, and the way we pursue God all leave an imprint.

Because we live in a broken world, the effects of sin often travel from one generation to the next. When unhealthy patterns go unchallenged, they quietly continue through families.

But Scripture reminds us that this is not the end of the story.

Exodus 20:5–6 says that God is a jealous God who punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate him. But it also says that He shows love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

This reminds us that one generation has the opportunity to change what the next generation inherits!

Yes, sin can be passed down. But so can faith. So can obedience, healing, and transformation. God’s redemption has the power to interrupt patterns and begin something new.

When one woman chooses growth, generations can change

One of my favorite things about working at Radical Mentoring is hearing the testimonies of women after they complete the 9 to 12 month mentoring journey.

Many share how their own lives have changed through the process. But what often stands out even more is how their families begin to change as well.

This transformation begins to affect the rhythms of daily life, shaping how they respond to their children, approach marriage with humility and intentionality, and lead their homes with a deeper commitment to Christ.

These changes rarely stay contained within one life. They ripple outward into families, friendships, and churches.

This is the generational impact of mentoring.

These women made a decision not to remain in the default patterns they grew up with or the ones shaped by culture and sin. Instead, they chose to pursue growth, to be in community, to have accountability. They chose to intentionally pursue God alongside other women.

When a woman commits to growing in Christ and investing in other women, the impact rarely stops with her. It touches her marriage, her children, her friendships, her church, and the generations that come after her.

A decision that echoes through generations

If you have ever wondered how your life could influence future generations, mentoring may be one of the most meaningful places to start.

When women invest in women, they are not just encouraging someone for a season. They are helping shape families, communities, and faith legacies for years to come.

If you feel called to invest in other women through mentoring, and be part of a generational impact, I would like to invite you to learn more about Radical Mentoring for Women and how you can begin leading a group in your church.

Your “yes” today may impact generations you will never meet!

The post Generational Impact: What Happens When Women Invest in Other Women appeared first on Radical Mentoring.

John Richie was the catalyst behind that kind of multiplication. He played a key role in helping Regi Campbell grow his organic, roundtable mentoring groups in Atlanta into what is now Radical Mentoring, a national and international ministry. His influence continues to shape the way we mentor today.

If you had met my dear friend, John, you might not have immediately thought “movement builder.” You would have noticed something quieter.

He leaned in when you spoke, asked questions that made you think, and made you feel known—sometimes more than you knew yourself. And if you sat across the table from him long enough, you would have realized something else.

John wasn’t just investing in you. He was building something that would outlive him, because his life was rooted in something beyond himself.

A Mentor Brought In From the Cold

John often described his life with a simple phrase: “in from the cold.” As a child, moving frequently across continents, he knew what it felt like to stand outside the circle, looking in. 

Belonging didn’t come easily. So he learned to achieve. To perform. To prove.

But everything began to change when Jesus became more than an idea and became personal. At a pivotal moment in his faith journey, when John risked sharing something vulnerable, an older man pulled him aside, looked him in the eye, and said: “Son… you got it. Don’t let anyone take it away.”

It was a small moment. Easy to miss. But for John, it became a picture of how Jesus meets us—personally, intentionally, and right on time. It showed him the power of being seen, the impact of a timely word, and the difference one faithful voice can make when it reflects the heart of Christ. He never forgot it.

A Life Surrendered, Not Just Redirected

Years later, after a successful career and the sale of the company he led, John made a defining decision. He chose to give himself away, not out of obligation but out of calling.

He became an executive coach, a mentor, and a developer of men. Because he believed something deeply rooted in the Gospel: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

And for John, that giving wasn’t generic. It was Jesus-centered.

He met men across tables, week after week, year after year. He asked better questions than almost anyone and created space for honesty, repentance, and growth.

He reminded men that their identity was not in performance but in Christ. But his greatest contribution wasn’t just the men he mentored. It was what those men did next.

From Calling to Multiplication

In 2007, John helped expand a small mentoring effort into what would become Radical Mentoring. The vision was simple but bold: what if people could be transformed through Jesus-centered mentoring?

Today, that dream has reached nearly 32,000 people across the U.S. and 14 countries. But the real story isn’t in the number.

It’s in the multiplication.

Because John didn’t just mentor men. He equipped them to follow Jesus and help others do the same, building what would become the legacy of a mentor multiplied through others.

The Moment That Changed Everything

John’s ability to create belonging for others was forged through his own encounter with grace. For much of his life, he quietly believed he was on the outside for a reason, that he didn’t fully belong.

Then, in a small group of men he chose to trust, John did something courageous. He told the truth. The unfiltered, unpolished truth about himself. And instead of rejection, he experienced something profoundly Christian: grace.

He was loved more, not less.

In that moment, Jesus brought John “in from the cold.” And from that point forward, John gave his life to helping others experience that same kind of belonging—not just with people, but with God.

A Legacy You Could See

At John’s memorial service, there was a moment in the eulogy that captured his life’s impact in a way words never could.

I asked those who had been coached or mentored by John to stand. Of the nearly 900 people in attendance, roughly 200 men rose to their feet.

From the stage, I’ll never forget the feeling of that moment shaking the stage. Different stories, different seasons of life, but all connected by one man’s faithful response to Jesus’ call.

It wasn’t just a powerful moment. It was visible fruit.

And what made it even more meaningful? Many of those men are now doing the same for others. Leading mentoring groups, developing leaders, and pointing others toward Christ.

The ripple had become a movement.

The Legacy He Leaves

John’s legacy isn’t found in titles or accomplishments. It’s found in people. This is the legacy of a mentor—men who lead differently because someone showed them Jesus. Leaders who now prioritize people over performance. Communities where grace replaces isolation.

And most importantly, mentors who are multiplying what they received.

It’s easy to admire a life like John’s. It’s harder to follow it. Because multiplication doesn’t start with scale or strategy. It starts with surrender.

John didn’t begin with thousands. He began with one table, one relationship, and one decision to invest in someone else for the sake of Christ.

Ripples That Continue

Today, John’s influence continues to grow, not because he’s still here, but because what he built was never dependent on him alone. It was anchored in Jesus.

You can see it in the men he mentored, in the men they mentor, and in the generations still to come.

That’s the power of a faithful mentor. Not just to change a life, but to participate in a story God keeps writing.

The post From One Life to Hundreds: The Multiplying Legacy of a Mentor appeared first on Radical Mentoring.

When we talk about mentoring, it is easy to focus on experience. We assume that someone who has walked with Jesus for many years automatically has the wisdom to guide others. While years matter, fruit matters more.

A mentor is not simply someone who is older or further along in life. A healthy mentor is someone whose life reflects spiritual depth, humility, emotional maturity, and a growing dependence on Christ. Age alone is not a reliable measure of health. Wisdom is formed through surrender, refinement, and faithfulness over time.

Mentors shape more than the individuals sitting across from them each month. They influence the culture of the church. When mentors are spiritually and emotionally healthy, they create environments marked by trust, grace, and honesty. Conversations go deeper. Accountability feels safe. Growth becomes sustainable. Over time, that health begins to spread.

This is why healthy mentors help create healthy churches. The formation of even a few leaders can strengthen the spiritual fabric of an entire congregation.

So how do you cultivate healthy mentors?

At Radical Mentoring, we walk churches through a process that goes beyond simply recruiting volunteers. We help you identify the right people and equip them well. 

When mentors are trained, supported, and encouraged throughout their journey, the result is stronger leadership, deeper relationships, and a more connected community rooted in respect and trust.

It begins with intentional selection. Look for men and women who are humble, authentic, respected, and willing to model both grace and truth. Health is often revealed in how someone listens, handles conflict, responds to correction, and cares for others.

But selection alone is not enough. Mentors need clarity, encouragement, and ongoing support as they lead.

We offer several ways to equip mentors based on your church’s needs:

• On-demand video training
  A flexible, pre-recorded training that walks through the Radical Mentoring process and best practices. This option can be paired with a follow-up call with your RM Guide. 
• Live online training
  An interactive experience where mentors receive practical coaching, real-time Q&A, and encouragement as they prepare to launch their season. 
• In-person training at your church
  A live session led by a Radical Mentoring Guide where we cast vision, explain the mentoring rhythm, and equip mentors with clarity and confidence.

The support does not end after launch. We encourage churches to hold internal quarterly mentor gatherings to listen, encourage, and address challenges. Some even send simple monthly feedback forms to maintain consistent communication and continual growth. When mentors feel supported, they remain healthy, and when they remain healthy, the entire mentoring culture strengthens.

If you are considering launching mentoring in your church or strengthening what you already have, we would love to walk with you. Creating an account with Radical Mentoring is a simple first step. From there, you can explore resources, training options, and connect with one of our Guides to discern what mentoring could look like in your context.

Investing in the health of your mentors is an investment in the future of your church. And that kind of investment leaves a lasting impact.

The post Why Healthy Mentors Help Create Healthy Churches appeared first on Radical Mentoring.

 I still vividly remember our commissioning service at the end of that first nine-month journey. We invited our Senior Pastor, Tyler McKenzie, to speak. The atmosphere in the room was filled with a sense of accomplishment. 

It felt like we had reached the finish line. We had read the books, completed the homework, memorized Scripture, and walked through the journey together.

Then Tyler said something that completely shifted the room.

He told us, “You have studied Scripture, read books, memorized Scripture, done the work, and shared life together in community. This should be normal. This is what every Christian should be doing every day.”

The mood changed because he was right. That moment helped us realize this wasn’t the finish line, it was just the beginning. It challenged us to see mentoring not as a program, but as a standard for discipleship across our church. 

That realization launched our church into a deeper mentoring journey intentionally investing in people and equipping them to lead. Our tagline became clear:  Discipled to Make Disciples.

The long-term impact of a church mentoring program

Over the past six years, it has been an incredible journey filled with countless stories of life change. We truly love mentoring because of the impact it has had on our church. In six years, we have taken 450 people through mentoring, which represents 20% of our adult congregation.

Our worship department set a goal for 90% of their volunteers to go through mentoring. I love that our worship leader, Corbin Marshall, isn’t just focused on building talented teams but on shaping the hearts of leaders who step onto the stage.

One of the biggest reasons mentoring has been so successful at our church is because of the incredible mentors who have embraced the vision. They understand this is not a small group, Bible study, or book club. It is an intentional and challenging leadership development journey. 

Our goal is to develop disciples who are excited to serve. Serving isn’t optional — it’s part of who we are. God has uniquely wired each person with gifts and abilities to lead, and our mentors help mentees discover how they are called to serve.

Every participant creates a Ministry Plan, which answers two simple but powerful questions:

1. Where do I plan to lead and serve?
2. What are my next steps?

While the document itself is simple, developing it often takes months of prayer, reflection, and discernment.

At the final meeting, each participant shares their Ministry Plan with their group. We do this for two important reasons: accountability and encouragement. One of the outcomes we have seen is how excited people become when they hear others share their calling. Often, they feel inspired to join and serve alongside one another.

I am so thankful for our Radical Mentoring Guide and the whole Radical Mentoring team. Because of mentoring, we have seen people step into ministry, launch new initiatives, and serve their communities in meaningful ways.

If your church is not currently using mentoring as a discipleship pathway, I would strongly encourage you to consider it. It has truly been a game changer for us. 

The post How Mentoring Transformed Our Church Culture: A Pastor’s Story appeared first on Radical Mentoring.

I am currently pregnant and just a few weeks away from welcoming my first baby girl into this world. It has been a sweet season, but also a stretching one. My husband and I quickly realized how expensive it is to prepare for a baby, especially knowing how much she will need in just her first years of life.

In the middle of that realization, God surprised us with generosity. One of my sister’s neighbors was giving away a gently used crib and a pack and play set for free. We do not know them. We do not live in the same neighborhood. And yet, they chose to give.

They could have easily put a price on those items. Instead, they released them freely. Because of their generosity, our baby girl now has a place to sleep when she arrives.

The same has been true with family and friends who have blessed us with things we need. It cost them something. Some of them may never be a constant witness to how our daughter grows. Still, they gave anyway. Their heart was simply to bless our family.

Generosity That Bears Fruit We May Never See

Their generosity made me reflect on how often giving works this way. Being generous is one of the most beautiful virtues a woman can have, and also one of the most challenging. Extending generosity with our time, our money, and our resources can feel sacrificial. It requires trust, especially when we may never get to see the full impact of what we have given.

Money can feel particularly vulnerable. Sometimes we hold back because we are afraid we do not have enough. Other times, it is because giving requires us to release something that costs us. Without realizing it, we may miss the opportunity to be part of how God is blessing someone else’s life.

As I reflected on this, I could not help but think about those who choose to donate to Radical Mentoring. Some have experienced the mentoring process themselves and seen how deeply it shaped their lives. Others simply believe in the mission. 

What they share in common is this: many may never witness firsthand how the lives of others are being transformed. And still, they give. Donors fuel change even when the impact remains unseen.

Hebrews 6:10 reminds us that God is not unjust and that He will not forget the work and the love shown as His people continue to help others. God sees generosity that may go unnoticed by people, and He honors the heart behind every gift.

Just as our family has been blessed by generosity we did not earn and may never fully repay, Radical Mentoring is sustained by people who give with open hands and trusting hearts. Many may never fully see the fruit of what they have helped make possible, yet their confidence rests in the belief that God is working far beyond what is visible.

If you are a woman who feels a quiet nudge to be part of this mission, we invite you to prayerfully consider giving. Your generosity helps carry the work of Radical Mentoring forward in ways that may never be visible to you, but are deeply seen and honored by God.

The post How Donors Fuel Change They May Never See… but God Does appeared first on Radical Mentoring.

That has been my experience with Radical Mentoring. I have known many men who have participated in the process, and to a man, they describe it as truly life-changing.

This mentoring journey helps men understand their true identity in Christ while exposing the lies they have believed about themselves. It builds a bond of community with other men that can last a lifetime and points men toward living a purposeful and God-honoring life.

For those reasons, I am truly honored to be an investor in the mission of this ministry. The impact extends far beyond the men themselves and into their families, friendships, churches, offices, and entire sphere of influence.

There are countless stories of restored relationships, renewed faith, and transformed lives. It is exciting to be a part of those stories by supporting this work.

Why this matters right now

I also support Radical Mentoring because I know the struggles men face, often battles they carry alone. I am a father to two young men in their 30’s, and it is clear that many men feel isolated or unsure of who they are and what they’re called to be.

This ministry provides something deeply needed: a place where men can grow in community with other men, share their stories, learn from each other, and grow together. It helps shape men who are confident in their identity in Christ and grounded in God’s purpose for their lives.

As the CEO of a manufacturing organization, I appreciate the concept of Return on Investment (ROI). Frankly, I don’t know of another ministry with an ROI like this that touches all facets of a man’s life the way Radical Mentoring does.

Mentor-led discipleship is meeting a real and urgent need in today’s world by helping men navigate the complexities of all areas of their lives while uniting them in true Biblical community. I enthusiastically support the ministry’s mission to equip and guide mentors as they awaken mentees to their unique design, belonging, and purpose in Jesus.

Another reason I’m so passionate about this mission is the new generation of leadership behind it.  The new President of Radical Mentoring, made an uncommon and courageous decision, trading a successful climb in corporate finance at the highest levels to pursue his passion: helping men grow in their faith and become the leaders God created them to be. As I’ve heard him say on a couple occasions now, he made this change because his own Radical Mentoring journey changed the trajectory of his life 25 years ago. What an example!

That kind of conviction is contagious, and the clarified mission and vision have me truly excited for this next chapter. If you’re looking for a high ROI ministry that produces real fruit in the lives of men, I encourage you to consider investing in Radical Mentoring and joining what God is doing through this mission.

The post The “Why” Behind Investing in Radical Mentoring appeared first on Radical Mentoring.

I have always loved to learn. I remember being five years old and begging my mom to teach me how to read so I could spend my time buried in books. So when I grew older and began discovering what a relationship with Jesus looked like, it made sense that I gravitated toward reading Scripture, Christian books that helped me understand God better, and doing all the assignments everyone else seemed to dread.

Those things shaped me. But my deepest growth did not happen alone.

It happened in mentoring communities.

When I first joined a small mentoring group, I had so many ideas about what I wanted to do to share the Gospel through online platforms. But I remember my mentor sitting me down and gently telling me that this season was about being poured into, about learning before I started pouring into others. Looking back, that wisdom changed everything. It reflected the way Jesus modeled discipleship by teaching His disciples first and then sending them out.

That was just one of the many ways my mentor guided me. There were seasons when I needed advice or was trying to make a decision, and instead of giving me quick answers, she consistently directed me back to Scripture. Over time, she taught me how to rely on the Bible as the foundation for everything I did, shaping not just my choices but my posture before God.

That kind of guidance did not stay confined to one relationship. It naturally extended into community.

How mentoring communities create space for real growth

One of the most formative parts of mentoring communities has been the friendships. These women were not just learning alongside me. They lifted me up with Scripture in hard seasons, celebrated small victories alongside me, and challenged me to grow with honesty and love.

I remember once bringing a struggle from my marriage into the group. I appreciated the advice, prayer, and encouragement I received. But what impacted me most was being in a room where I felt safe enough to be vulnerable and truly heard. That kind of space is difficult to create when growth happens in isolation.

Personal study is good. A mentoring community does not replace it. But together, they create something deeper. Mentees change faster in mentoring communities because:

• Growth is no longer pursued alone. 
• Belonging is created out of an environment where women feel known, supported, and steady enough to face hard truths. 
• Encouragement reinforces what God is already doing in a woman’s heart, helping truth move from knowledge to conviction. 
• Accountability turns intention into action through shared rhythms and follow through. 
• Spiritual direction keeps growth anchored in Scripture, offering guidance that is both relational and rooted in truth.

Mentoring communities create spaces where transformation feels possible, safe, and sustained. And in that kind of space, growth does not just happen. It takes root.

If you are longing for deeper growth, consider starting your mentoring journey. That might look like stepping into mentoring communities at your church or taking the first steps to lead one yourself. You do not need to have everything figured out. You simply need to be willing to grow in community and allow God to shape you alongside others.

The post Why Mentees Change Faster in Mentoring Communities appeared first on Radical Mentoring.

Michael Wekall had all the markers of success. As a video director at Johnson Ferry Church, he was telling amazing stories and doing meaningful work. By most standards, he was thriving.

But beneath the surface, something was missing.

“Even though I made some of my best friends in my life working at the church, I still didn’t have anything or anybody that was really pouring into me,” Michael recalls. “Working at a church was work. It wasn’t being in community or worshiping. It was work.”

Michael was working in ministry, but he wasn’t living in community. Without intentional investment, even meaningful work became hollow. Burnout came gradually through spiritual dryness and creative exhaustion. Eventually, he left his position and spent years drifting, struggling with depression and anxiety.

Then a friend invited him to a Friday morning Bible study. That simple invitation became a turning point in his story. For the first time in years, Michael felt spiritual healing and reinvigoration. He was moving in the right direction, but he knew he needed more. He needed intentional mentoring from men further along in their faith journey.

The Transformation Begins

Pete Buhls, the men’s minister at Johnson Ferry, approached Michael about Radical Mentoring, and the timing felt right. “I knew I wanted something challenging. I knew I wanted something tough,” Michael explains.

The transformation began early in the Radical Mentoring journey. During the story retreat, Michael examined his life and discovered a critical pattern. His highest moments were always connected to Biblical community, helping him name what he had been missing all along.

As he walked through his Radical Mentoring year, Michael encountered Tim Keller’s teaching on identity. “We aren’t our gifts. We’re given our gifts.” As a creative, he’d built much of his identity around what he could produce. Now, he reordered his priorities:

1. Son of God
2. Husband
3. Father
4. Creative/Story Teller

The Fruit of a Year of Mentoring

Over time, the effects of mentoring began to show up across Michael’s life. As his priorities shifted, he became more attentive to his faith, his marriage, and the relationships closest to him. Simple rhythms practiced throughout the year helped bring greater clarity, presence, and intentionality to the way he showed up at home and in community.

“One of the most key things we do is intentional prayer with our wives,” Michael shares. “When we’re doing that, our marriage is wide open in the best ways possible. When we aren’t, it just feels like something’s missing. I can see the difference clear as day now.”

Those changes did not stay private. Michael fell in love with his church again, not as an employee, but as a servant. He began showing up with renewed humility and purpose, rooted in who he was becoming. Recently, he was ordained as a deacon, a role that reflects the growth and faithfulness taking shape in his life.

What unfolded over the year was more than personal growth. It marked a mentee’s journey into community, clarity, stability, and renewed faith.

“To have those experiences of people pouring into you for a year,” Michael reflects, “it’s absolutely one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had.”

An Invitation to Be Rooted

This is what Radical Mentoring does. It’s not a self-help program or another Bible study. It’s intentional community where younger men are transformed by older men who genuinely invest in their spiritual formation.

Michael’s story points to the kind of impact this process can have when mentoring is lived out with intention. Over time, men grow more rooted in their faith, their relationships, and their sense of purpose.

The question isn’t whether mentoring makes a difference. The question is are you ready to begin a mentoring journey in your church or in your own life?

Click here to learn more and start your mentoring journey!

The post From Drifting to Rooted: A Mentee’s Journey into Community and Faith appeared first on Radical Mentoring.

When I first met Miriam, I felt an immediate sense of warmth and safety. Like I could open up and tell her my whole life story and feel seen and valued by her. It’s not hard to imagine the impact she had on the women she’s had the opportunity to mentor, and how their lives were transformed because she chose to obey God’s voice.

Miriam didn’t step into mentoring trying to impress or prove herself. Like many women, she felt the weight of the questions that often surface when opening your life to others.

“I think whenever anybody does this for the first time, they are immediately scared. You start thinking, ‘Can I do this? Am I smart enough?’” – Miriam Campbell

But mentoring quickly reshaped her understanding of what mattered. It wasn’t about having the right words or a perfected life. It was about offering what God had already formed through her own story.

“This is your life, the way you’ve lived it, the mistakes you’ve made. It’s not perfection that you’re going for. It’s imperfection.” – MC

Over time, Miriam walked alongside women through seasons of grief, loss, and uncertainty. Each group was different, and each gathering carried the unknown.

“You never know what’s going to show up, but if you know that God is there with you, you can trust that He has already gone ahead and worked in the heart.” – MC.

Rather than managing outcomes, she learned to remain attentive. Her role was to be present, to listen well, to be real, and to trust God to meet each moment as it came.

When a yes becomes a calling

Miriam’s ‘yes’ began decades ago in a season marked by loneliness and fear. In that place, she brought her pain honestly to God and encountered a peace that changed the way she moved forward.

“I just said, ‘God, if I know it’s from You, my answer is yes.’ And mentoring is a yes.” – MC

Because of that yes, Miriam began making room for others. Sometimes in groups, sometimes one-on-one. Over time, that willingness grew into a life shaped by hospitality and spiritual care.

She also began to recognize the gifts God had quietly placed within her. “The things you take for granted, those become tools that can help someone else.”

Often, Miriam didn’t realize the impact she was making in the moment. Those faithful, ordinary interactions were rarely marked as significant, yet they continued to bear fruit, shaping the lives of the women she welcomed and walked alongside.

That quiet faithfulness was deeply known by those closest to her like her husband, Regi Campbell (founder of Radical Mentoring) who once wrote about the way she lived out her calling, describing a woman who consistently made room for others with humility, presence, and care. 

The warmth so many women experienced in her mentoring was simply the way she lived, day after day, out of obedience and love.

An invitation to say yes

If Miriam’s story stirred something in you, or if you’ve already been sensing God gently inviting you to make room for others, take time to sit with that nudge. Bring it to Him in prayer. Mentoring doesn’t always begin with clarity or a clear plan. Often, it begins with attention and trust.

Miriam’s story reminds us that a simple “yes,” offered in obedience, can grow into something deeply meaningful over time. God works through lived experience, through faithfulness in ordinary moments, and through hearts that are willing to respond when He calls.

Take the next step to start your mentoring journey.

The post How Mentoring Transforms the Mentor: Making Room for Others and Finding Your Calling appeared first on Radical Mentoring.

When Jonathan McCoy said “yes” to mentoring—ten years after his experience as a mentee in a Radical Mentoring group—he believed he knew exactly why he was doing it. RM had “changed his life.” 

As he says plainly and humbly, it saved his marriage, reshaped his parenting, restored his health, and anchored his faith in the person of Jesus. Saying “yes” felt like paying it forward and honoring the commitment he had made as a mentee to invest in other men.

What he didn’t anticipate was how much he needed this experience.

Jonathan stepped into mentoring in Atlanta, carrying assumptions that are common among leaders. He believed that because he had survived the season these men were in, he had wisdom to offer. He assumed they would want his guidance and would desire growth as deeply as he did. Very quickly, mentoring began to alter those expectations.

From Giving Answers to Creating Space

Rather than dispensing answers, he has learned that the mentor’s role is to create a container—a space that consistently points men first to Jesus, then to one another, and finally invites the mentor to walk side by side with the mentees. Not in front. Not above. Living that reality has proved far harder than talking about it.This is where growth through mentoring begins.

Along the way, another mentor offered a simple but life-altering reminder for Jonathan: a mentor’s obedience is a call to love the mentees before you even know them.

Some of the men are easier to love than others. That honesty matters. But he has realized the choice to love is his—not theirs. Scripture doesn’t leave much room for debate: “We love because He first loved us.” Loving these men is not a feeling; it is an act of obedience. When he made that choice, something shifted. He has watched the men respond—not to pressure or performance, but to presence and consistency.

Processing this with fellow mentors revealed a deeper truth: every meaningful relationship in Jonathan’s life began because someone chose to love him first—whether he was lovable at the time or not. As a mentor, he began to see his role clearly. “I have a set of souls in my home every month longing to be loved.”

Love First: Obedience Before Outcomes

Mentoring has also exposed areas where he still needs growth. Despite years of reading, studying Scripture, and completing the work himself, sitting across from men in pain has revealed that mentoring is “heart work,” not “head work.” To stand with integrity, he has had to deepen his relationship with his Heavenly Father, tend to his marriage, and grow in humility. His value is not measured by whether a man “gets it,” memorizes verses, or completes the curriculum.

His job is simpler—and harder: love first and trust God to work.

Looking back, he knows mentoring has permanently altered the trajectory of his life. Community and intentionality are now woven into the rhythm of his family. His wife has participated in and led groups of her own. His children are being raised in a life shaped by discipleship, presence, and love—even if they don’t fully understand it yet.

To the man unsure about stepping into mentoring, he offers this honest invitation: “I can’t promise it will change your life although I hope it does. But I can promise you a front-row seat to watch God work in the lives of men and their families.” Mentoring is a beautiful, messy experience as love often is.

A Radical Invitation

Mentoring isn’t about having the answers—it’s about obedience. It’s about showing up, creating space, and choosing to love the men God has given you.

If God is stirring something in you, don’t dismiss it.
Step into mentoring. Love first. Trust God with the rest.

Learn more or begin the journey getting access to our mentoring resources.

The post I Didn’t Think I Needed This: A Mentor Who Found His Own Growth Through Mentoring appeared first on Radical Mentoring.