As a pastor I have a great concern for the youth of our congregation. I want them to remain faithful to Christ and be an active part of His church. I want them to find some worthwhile life work and find a special person with whom they can share their life-if God leads them to marry one day. I also pray they will avoid the common mistakes of their age and find true fulfillment and contentment in their work, home life and faith.

Last summer, in preparing a youth service, I tried to think of a way to reach out to our youth with a message of godly counsel and advice. I realized they might be tired of me preaching to them, so I tried to think of another way to gain their attention. I decided to ask the Mt. Calvary Adult Bible Class to fill out a questionnaire on nine topics related to youth. The purpose was to solicit their comments, thoughts and words of advice in these nine areas and to share them with our youth. I felt the words of mature Christians they already knew and respected would be more meaningful than anything I could say in a sermon.

The adults took the task very seriously and many took the forms home for additional thought and consideration. I received over 50 forms back. As I read them, the care people showed in what they wrote moved me. I could see they wanted to help our youth and mentor them so they could learn from their experiences and not make foolish choices. Many writers included Scripture verses in their comments and shared personal stories both touching and heartwarming.

I compiled the comments into a small booklet entitled, "Words of Advice and Encouragement From Those Further Along Life's Path." The idea was to share the advice of older Christians who were further along life's highway with those just starting out on the Christian path, to help them in their Christian journey. The booklets were prepared for our Fall Youth Sunday and were handed out to each person that day. Copies were also sent to each college student and those serving in the armed forces. Many people requested additional copies for their children or grandchildren who were not there. The booklets were favorably received and are still being distributed.

Mentoring, or providing personal guidance and direction, is a current emphasis in many circles. Sometimes it is hard to find a personal mentor, but by writing out their thoughts, the adults of the Bible class were able to serve as mentors to all of our youth.

Included here are the nine topics and some of the comments members shared.

Faith and Relationship to God

• Be a dedicated Christian. Read your Bible. The world has many distractions so you need to stay focused on Jesus and what He has done for you.
• Read daily Bible devotions. Listen to and sing Christian songs.
• Keep your Bible busy-at home, at Bible study classes, when you are away from home, at all times. Never forget all the blessings God's Word has given you.
• Keep your faith growing. Regularly partake of the Lord's Supper. Pray continuously.

Church

• Don't forget your church. On Sunday morning do not sleep in. Get up.
• Attend church on a regular basis. It is important to be in God's house every Sunday with fellow Christians. Also be active in church work and witnessing.
• Attend regularly. Participate. Keep your eyes on the cross.
• After marriage stay faithful and bring your family to church. Go!

Education

• Get as much education as possible. It can never be taken away from you.
• Stay in school. It is your future. Finish all assignments. Turn them in. Do all your research. If you fail, learn from your mistakes and try again.
• The opportunity to learn does not always happen in a formal school setting. We are able to learn from those around us. Be open to all avenues that increase your basic knowledge.
• Stick to it!

Work

• Dedicate yourself to do the best job and always work hard.
• Show up for work on time. Be dependable. You will be rewarded.
• Wake each day eager to fulfill your duty to God, family and community.
• No matter if it's paid or volunteer work, do it in service to the Lord.
• Make Christ your partner in any work you do. Share your wages in the Lord's work.

Dress and Appearance

• Look your best. Even though you cannot afford expensive clothing, be neat.
• Your dress should reflect you. The only way others are going to form an opinion of you is by your appearance and conversation.
• Always dress in an appropriate manner in reverence to God.
• Modesty is the key word.

Dating and Marriage

• It is important to date and marry a person of your own faith, otherwise problems could result in the future.
• Pray about your relationships and keep them Christ-centered.
• Remember your body is a temple in which the Lord lives.
• Save yourself for your spouse.
• Ask yourself: "Do I really care for this person? Is this person ready to share my faith? Does this person respect my church? Does this person respect both my family and me? Does this person get along with other people?"

Family and Parents

• Your family and parents are most important. Your family wants the best for you. Listen to their advice. Many youth get in trouble when they rebel and go against their parents' advice and instructions. Respect your parents and obey them.
• Be kind to brothers and sisters. Remember you will all grow up and it's really nice to be friends with your siblings. It makes for happy times.
• A loving relationship between family members will develop if there is respect for God and for each other.

Life in General

• As a young person, you may think you'll live forever, but actually life is short. Live every day to the fullest. Start and end each day with prayer and devotion. Do not be distracted by the world, but remember you are a child of God and live accordingly.
• Look for the best in people.
• Always look to the Lord and the Word for help and advice.
• Include and acknowledge God in all you do.
• Tell people you love how much they mean to you.

The members of the Mt. Calvary Bible Class, in sharing their comments, gave our youth the collective wisdom of hundreds of years of Christian life and experience. It is mentoring on a big scale, in a form that is always available to those who will read and heed it. Their comments closely parallel the Bible in so many ways.

From the positive comments and response of the people of Mt. Calvary, I can see that this project met its desired goal of helping God's people in their daily walk with the Lord. That is what Christian mentoring is all about, however we do it.

Rev. Kim DeVries is pastor of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, San Antonio, TX. He is a frequent contributor to Lutheran Woman's Quarterly.