Mentoring-Leading for a non-sports guys

Anyone who knows me well knows that I do not know much of anything about sports.  I usually find out who is playing in the Super Bowl that morning at church by listening to folks talk up their preferred team.   All my kids have played some kind of sport so I should know the terminology but I sometimes get excited and yell "way to score a goal" when my boys make a basket in basketball.  At least I don't call out, "make a touchdown!"  I save that faux-pas for when they are playing soccer.  Several years ago when my twins started baseball, I asked a good friend to secretly teach me how to throw a baseball so I could throw to my boys, as this was a manly skill I was lacking, and we met many mornings at a field where I am sure I astounded him with my ability (yeh right) but he was faithful to work with me and not laugh (out loud).   I am continually amazed when my brothers, friends or really anyone can name every player and coach and former coach of any random team out there.  Myself, I am simply pleased when someone asks me which football team I like and I can remember to say "the Redskins" as that's the team my mom and bros root for.

So you can imagine my lack of real excitement when my church started promoting a men's discipleship course based on the book The Mentor Leader by Tony Dungy.  It was going to be great because it was written by Tony Dungy of course.  You know, Tony Dungy?  THE Tony Dungy!  Hopefully no one noticed my completely blank expression as I gave a weak grin when told this, repeatedly.   From the comments I finally figured out that this guy was some coach that I, being a male I guess, was already supposed to know of and revere.

So I hemmed and hawed because I dreaded the thought of sitting in a class with a bunch of guys where all these sports analogies and facts would be thrown around, which usually just makes me miserable because it makes me feel totally isolated.    But I finally decided to participate, in no way because of the book or this Tony Dungy guy, but because of 3 things.

1.  I want to totally support the man leading the class.   He is a good friend and a pure model of what a mentor/discipler should be, and I know I will learn from him.

2.  Biblically, I think mentoring is advocated and we need to be obedient in doing it.  Period.  But I think Christian men often abdicate this responsibility these days.  I want to make sure I continue to be reminded of this and challenged.   I have spent 20some years mentoring students, but have been lacking in mentoring other men (non youth) and feel convicted about this.

Some verses that have helped convict me (all from ESV):

Psalm 145:4  "One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts."

Psalm 71:18 "So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come."


2 Timothy 2:2 "And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."


Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."


Ephesians 4:15-16 "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped,when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

3. I believe our church really needs more men mentoring and training other men and keeping each other accountable in the important things.  Although there is some good mentoring happening, overall I see a weakness there and I think we need to instead turn this into a strength.

So, I read the first few chapters and looked for the wisdom between the "sports talk".  I went to the first session this week and, even though there were some references that I didn't relate to, we mostly talked about key mentoring principles that transcend sports.  There were 37 (or so) men from our church there and that was very encouraging.  Afterward, I felt good about it.

My deep prayer is that all the men who were there, including myself, do not just attend this class and then go back to "status quo".  I hope we are all obedient to put these principles into action and have the courage to become part of another man's life. And that's the right word, courage, because taking the first step is often the hardest.  But, as someone said that night, mentoring is not rocket science.  It can be learned, but it is worthless if not put into action.