1. MAN UP BIBLE SERIES IRON MAN 1 – A Call to Mentor Lesson One

2. The Real World Who are the people who have helped to make you who you are today? We all have them. They made that real difference at a critical time in our lives. It may have been a parent or an uncle. It this series we are going to be focusing on people outside your family who made those significant contributions to your life. I can remember a man who had this kind of influence in my life. His name is Randy John and I am a Christian because of him. I came from a rough home. As a teenager I could have easily gone the wrong way. Randy was the youth pastor and he made me want to be a Christian by the way he lived for Christ. I played tennis and so did Randy! In fact he beat me soundly in our first matches and from then on where Randy was, I followed. His practical faith caused me to give my life to God. He gave me good Godly counsel during my teen years. He changed my life. Lets look at this call to be a mentor. If you are a mentor, God Bless You! If you need a mentor God will bring one into your life. He may even call you to be one.

3. The Real Word Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) “ As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” “Have you been sharpened against the whetstone of another man’s Wisdom and Character?”

4. Real Talk Below make a list of people who had a positive influence on your life: Your Age Who (Name) How did they influence you? 0 – 10 10 – 20 20 – 30 30 – 40 40 – 50 50 - 60 Who are you influencing in a positive way?

5. Real Steps Where did the word Mentor come from? “When Odysseus went off to fight in the Trojan War, He left his Son, Telemachus, in the care of a trusted guardian named “Mentor”. When Odysseus arrived 20 years later he found that Telemachus had grown into a man. All thanks to the wise tutelage of his trusted friend, Mentor. “ What is a Mentor? “A mentor is someone who functions as a father figure, a life coach, a man who fundamentally influences the development of another man. “ A mentor; Nurtures the soul, Shapes our character and call us to be complete men.”

6. Time to Close Wherever you turn today Men are looking for someone to help them. They come in different names: Guide, Life Coach, Advisor, etc…. The list goes on and on. In essence man are looking for a mentor. As we have gone through this study you may have realized that you have never had a mentor in your life. If that is true it is never too late to let someone influence your life. Mentoring knows no limits in terms of age or experience. I bet the reverse is also true, if you have no mentor, you probably are not a mentor to anyone. Why are we stressing this by writing a two part series? It is because men do need someone close to talk to. A man who knows what is all about in today’s world. A man who can hold a confidence. A man who really cares about you. A Mentor is all of that and more. Look for one, be one… Time to MAN UP!