Becoming Dinosaurs

A couple of years ago, we had the opportunity to attend a Mission Canada Summit at Humber College, in Guelph Ontario. The keynote speaker talked to us about Reverse Mentoring.

We often think of mentoring in terms of the older and experienced, teaching or showing the way to the young and inexperienced. The fact of the matter is that mentoring in todays world needs to go both ways.


In reality anyone over 40 needs to have the humility to realize the younger have alot to teach us. We need their perspective on the social and cultural nuances of the age we are living in. So when it comes to reverse mentoring I have found the best way to approach it is to 'just ask'. Be prepared to learn, be prepared to have your values, your prejudices and your world view challenged and altered. It's not about staying young, being hip and cool it's about realizing that things move faster than ever before. It doesn't take 80 years to become a dinosaur anymore.

Prayer Rooms

This week I had a conversation with a pastor who took on a significant challenge. He cleaned out the church basement. Among his findings was a small room piled full of junk. On the walls were some maps and other items that made him realize that people used to pray in that particular room. During those years it would seem the church grew and things went pretty well.

Over the years the little room that people used to pray in became a storage room. I am sure it all started innocently. However, as the junk increased in the prayer room the spiritual junk increased in the church.

Something to think about.

Is Honour still in?

Jim Molloy, in a recent article he wrote in his Districts newsletter says, "There are a few areas where I think we have departed from the way things used to be--to our detriment. One of these is the way we honor one another and those in authority among us. From child to parent, parishioner to pastor, peer to peer, employee to boss, dishonor is rampant in our society. We live in a culture of dishonor. Roasting and lampooning leaders is a common practice. Often we are experts at faultfinding. We think we are helping by pointing out these flaws but it has harmful effect."

Molloy goes on to say, "the way in which we speak about, or act around another person testifies of whether or not we honor them. I believe that honor should be given to everyone: including those we work with, work for, and who work for us."

Well said.

Indeed we live in a culture where we falsely believe the playing field is level and we are all equals or peers. I don't think this is consistent with what the scriptures teach. Romans 12:10 reminds us to "honor one another above ourselves". I Timothy 5:3 tells us to honor widows, honor elders (vs 17), honor the elderly (Lev. 19:32) and we are told to honor our parents (Eph. 6:1-3).

Is dishonor rampant in society? What do you think?