WHO WAS THAT PERSON FOR YOU?

Who was the most important adult influence in your life growing up?

For many, a parent comes to mind first. But beyond that—who else is on your list?

A youth pastor? A teacher? A coach? A family friend?

Whoever they were, their presence mattered. Whether they were in your life for years or just a season, they left a mark—sometimes in ways you only came to realize years later.

That’s mentorship.

Any time an adult invests meaningful time into a young person, mentorship is happening.

It’s not a new concept.

It’s woven all throughout Scripture.

There were Moses and Joshua. Paul and Timothy. Jesus mentored His disciples—teaching them, walking with them, preparing them for the work ahead.

Mentorship is one of God’s key designs for shaping character, passing down wisdom, and

building a foundation of faith.

And yet—somewhere along the way in our culture—it’s faded.

One study found that four out of five young people have never had an adult mentor who wasn’t a parent.

Even more staggering—most young Christians can’t recall a single meaningful relationship with an adult from their church.

We are missing a vital part of spiritual formation.

That’s one of the key reasons we prioritize mentorship in every student's Marketplace Internship Program at Made4More.

Yes, students gain valuable real-world experience.

But the real power is the people they walk alongside.

It is so rewarding watching a student step into the real world with a working professional—

seeing firsthand how someone can love God and serve others through their everyday work.

Mentors show students how to integrate faith Monday through Saturday—not just on Sunday mornings.

And students take notice.

Here’s what a few of our interns shared this summer:

“I got to see how my mentor uses her work to help people and show her faith through that—not just by saying she's a Christian, but by showing it.”

“Something meaningful I learned from my mentor was you don't always disciple others with your words. Sometimes it can just be your actions at work.”

“My mentor helped me see that my work is meant to bless others.”

That’s the power of modeling.

When students SEE faith lived out—when they walk beside someone seeking to glorify God in their work—something shifts.

Research shows teens need at least five non-parental adult mentors to help their faith and identity thrive.

And when they get that?

• Their faith deepens.

• Their purpose sharpens.

• Their vision for life expands.

You get a student who starts to understand their calling—

who begins to believe their life is made to matter.

And for that student, it changes everything.