Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/805155
I WES ROBERTS GRADUATED FROM DENVER SEMINARY IN 1976 WITH A MASTER OF ARTS IN COUNSELING. HE HAS SINCE LIVED OUT THE MISSION OF GOD THROUGH MENTORING AND LEADERSHIP. MARRIED FOR 50 YEARS, HE AND HIS WIFE, JUDY, LIVE IN PARKER, COLORADO AND ATTEND SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN CHURCH. THEIR DAUGHTER, SHANNON, LIVES IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. It was in the midst of a New Testament class with Donald Burdick back in the mid-70s when our whole-life mentoring processes began. I discovered the importance of who a person is, not just what they do. And that focus continues to this day. We call our mentoring model "The Circle of Life," and we explore each life mentored through a grid of eight dimensions, from a life-enhancing, Trinitarian perspective. Leadership Design Group (LDG) was born in my first "holy assignment" right after graduation in 1976 while I was on the staff at Faith Presbyterian Church in Aurora, Colorado. Since the early 80s, with the care-filled and creative guidance of a national board of directors, we have mentored men and women from five continents (in person and via Skype and FaceTime) in ministry, business, nonprofits, education, and the arts from 18-year-olds to those in their late 60s. We also train mentors annually from a growing number of organizations. Now that I'm in my mid-70s, people are always asking me when I am going to retire. As kindly as I can, I suggest that "retirement" is not easily found in the Bible. I've never been more alive in my calling than I am today. A majority of those I'm currently mentoring are Millennials or in the Generation X/Y category. They are deep thinkers, hungry to grow, and eager to learn. However, no matter their age, it is a pure delight to help those I mentor explore and discover their own reasons for being alive at this moment in time. Our mentoring model reaches across all ages. Working with an international care organization years back, I was both humbled and delighted to find that our model also easily translated into other cultures. A key belief informing our model is that our Father-Son-Spirit God longs for us to live out through every dimension of our lives and into all our relationships, no matter our age, education, ethnicity, or gender. Even as I write this, I'm smiling over the memory of those who are now fully alive after experiencing LDG's mentoring model. For them and for all who are yet to be mentored, I give deep thanks to our God. And that thanks began way back in my New Testament class. ENGAGE 15 MENTORING Stockbyte/Thinkstock Stockbyte/Thinkstock THE SACRED, VIBRANT, LIFE-GIVING MISSION OF MENTORING A call to multi-dimensional living.