Jim Hale, Founder & Executive Director
"In 2007 I interviewed leaders from more than 30 faith-based agencies providing services to men and women coming out of addictions and incarceration. Although all these programs are built on the foundation of spiritual renewal... moral breakdowns and high recidivism and relapse rates are prevalent. Something is clearly wrong. It saddened me to see a great investment in peoples' lives resulting in a return to bondage. One need these leaders continually expressed was "mentors."
Most of the mentoring I've seen is driven by the person in need – that is, in an effort to be a friend and a supportive, caring person, the mentor responds to the wants of the mentee. However, I believe the kind of mentoring needed to transform a man's being (and not just perpetuate the cycle of transitions and failures) is a discipleship model – where the mentee is led and encouraged by the mentor.
My heart and life's purpose for 25 years has been to help others overcome personal difficulties. This is the result of key men who walked with me in my personal process of renewal and recovery. They showed me discipleship in action. I know I couldn't have overcome these major life issues on my own.
My friend, mentor and former Minnesota Governor Al Quie has helped me accept that, in this season of my life, I have been called to make a difference in God's Kingdom here on earth through mentoring. Mentor Corps will recruit and train Christians to be discipleship mentors – for men (and in the future, women) who have accepted God's gift of salvation in Jesus Christ and are walking in the redeeming power of the Holy Spirit. A key word in this process is surrender. Those desiring a mentor must have surrendered to God's way of living, believing in the power of the Holy Spirit and the help of a mentor to guide them to wholeness."
