My first memory involving someone I know dying was in elementary school when a schoolmate and fellow church attender Chad Benson died. Maybe I had attended a funeral before his, I don’t recall, but it was the first time for someone I had known ALL my life (all 9 years). Sadly, I now own shoes with more years of tread, but at that age, time had a different definition than today. Somewhere in the recesses of my brain, I recall a step stool so children would have an opportunity to peer into the casket and view our friend. No more playing in the church hallways at Georgian Hills Baptist Church or kickball in the parking lot during physical education at Frayser Baptist Schools. Chad was just one day gone.
Although there was child-like innocence to the magnitude of the loss, I witnessed two Godly parents endure that pain and not turn away from the children at Georgian Hills who still needed them. The Bensons could not fathom how God was using them in this little girl’s life. I was unaware at the time how horribly difficult it must have been to serve us children, to watch us grow up when Chad never would. But they were faithful and continued to invest in us at GHBC. Asking the Bensons to describe their role in my life, it’s doubtful they would choose the term mentor but that’s what they did. For many children and adults, they demonstrated what it meant to be a Christ-follower, placing one step in front of the other, day by day, attending church month by month.
Never having the pleasure to experience parenthood, I still cannot comprehend the depth of their pain at losing Chad so early in his young life. As they’ve watched those Georgian Hills children grow older, I imagine they’ve wondered about Chad and what vocation he would have chosen, who he would have married, and other lifespan milestones most people experience.
This post is for those whose life did not unfold like they dreamed, those who have grieved and lost so much, and somehow imagine you have little of value to offer others, especially the younger generation. Let me dispel you of this myth! I’ve not had contact over the years with the Bensons. Most of us moved on at some point from Georgian Hills but the legacy of Christ that they left on this little girl’s heart is testimony that God uses everyone and every situation to draw us to Him. Please don’t diminish the influence you have every day in the ordinary flow of life to allow another person to flourish, even if you are never made aware of it. The Bensons created relational equity even when they were oblivious of their investment.
Many stories could be told about the wonderful, Godly people that influenced my life, but it did not happen by accident. I’ve been known to tease about our family being at GHBC every time the doors were open, but I was fortunate enough to have parents who were intentional about the role the church played in our lives. And by church, I do not mean the building where we attended worship, but the people who chose to follow Christ and serve in His name. The church, as a people, has a great opportunity to mentor others both within the building walls and beyond. I’m thankful for any of you who might be reading this post who rocked me in the nursery when I cried, who taught Sunday School, VBS, Church Training, GAs and all the other programs with unique names, and who prayed for me over the years. You made a wise investment in me and I can only hope to continue your legacy as I find ways to invest in others.
I will encourage you to share stories below of how the church has mentored you.
Flourishing @ Life 
Thank you for the post. 3 things remain with me at the end: allowing others to flourish, mentoring, and Chad. May God bless you for your sharing today.
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Yes. I absolutely agree with this. I would say that throughout most of my life, my big decisions were made in the right direction because of the advice and guidance from my mentors. I would also say that we should never take the little things for granted. Being married to a Youth Pastor definitely comes with mentoring responsibilities. But what I can say is that when working with youth, and especially little kids, our actions and influences that we may or may not have in their lives can be very crucial. When they come to church, you might be the only person that ever tells them about Jesus, or you may even be the only nice and encouraging figure that they have seen. I believe that as growing Christians, it is our responsibility to God to be His vessels and his light and guidance to others.
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Dr. Powell, thank you so much for sharing this post! This post really brought back memories from my favorite teacher in high school who passed away last month from a rare brain cancer.
Mr. Phil was my high school choir director from my sophomore to senior year of high school. As a teenager, I loved to sing, but I had no idea that I was actually good at it. One day, Mr. Phil got me to his classroom and forced me to try out for our concert and chamber choir. At the time, I honestly had no desire to do it, but I am so thankful that I did.
After I joined, Mr. Phil and I became very close. He was the most kind and self-less person I’ve ever met. Looking back, Mr. Phil hadn’t been diagnosed with cancer yet but there were so many days that his body was physically tired and ill, yet he was determined to show up to class every day to invest in his students. I am forever thankful for his influence on my life.
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Dr. Powell, thank you so much for this post. The pain of loss is so real, but the church can be used so mightly by God during these hard times. How beautiful is the way He uses is body to bless others? I have experienced this guidance and mentorship so directly through my church home here in Jackson. When I came to Jackson as a freshman who had grown up overseas, I had such a hard time adjusting to the United States and Union. As I began to attend Cornerstone Community Church quickly, it quickly became my family. My small group has helped me and guided me through some of my most difficult transitions and has been my home away from home.
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Dr. Powell, I completely agree with you when you said that the church having the opportunity to mentor others both inside and outside the building walls. When you look up the definition of a mentor, it mentions something along the lines of an experienced advisor. I believe a mentor is so much more than that. To me, a mentor is someone that you can relate to, trust, and someone who you look up to. A mentor is someone that will teach you and support you throughout your development. When I think of the word mentor, the person that pops up into my head is my youth pastor, Colton. Colton is the kind of person who does everything he can do to share God’s word daily. He has helped me with so much and I am glad to call him my mentor. Him being in my life has changed my perspective of the world because he is teaching me things about Christ, while doing this he has been my friend and continued helping me through it all. He has taught me to be a mentor to the younger church members and the people outside of our church. I hope to teach them to be a mentor someday to spread God’s word not only within the building walls but also outside.
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