Shows
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast269. Compassion Before Comprehension: Laying the Foundation for Mentoring Success with Susie Gallo of Sonoma Valley Mentoring AllianceIn this episode of the You Can Mentor podcast, Zach Garza talks with Susie Gallo of Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance about the life-changing impact of mentorship. They explore the value of compassion, curiosity, and authentic connections with mentees. Susie offers practical advice on supporting mentors, creative approaches to recruitment, and the importance of patience in building meaningful relationships. The episode emphasizes how small, everyday experiences can shape young lives and calls for greater community involvement in mentoring efforts.https://sonomamentoring.org/--Takeaways:Mentoring is about building authentic relationships.Compassion should...2025-05-2947 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring PodcastYou Can Mentor 5 Minute UpdateIn this episode, Zach shares an exciting update for the You Can Mentor podcast! The show, which started four years ago with co-founder Stephen Murray, has been dedicated to helping faith-based mentoring organizations collaborate, grow, and equip themselves with best practices. Over time, they’ve created 264 podcast episodes, a series of books, and hosted the National Christian Mentoring Gathering.Looking ahead, the podcast is shifting gears with a new focus on quality over quantity. Zach explains that, while the podcast will still feature some familiar voices, the goal is to bring in the most valuable guests—experts in t...2025-04-0305 min
Raising Up Ten Thousand Fathers2. Summit 2025: Zach Garza // The Importance of BrothersZach is introduced by Ben DuBose, one of Zach's closest friends and brothers. Our hope is this gives you a vision for our Summit, and gives you a little taste of what to expect from Raising Up Ten Thousand Fathers. To learn more, or to facilitate a gathering like this in your community, please contact us. www.raisingupfathers.com2025-02-1453 minRaising Up Ten Thousand Fathers1. Summit 2025: Welcome // Ben DuBose, Zach Garza, Michael Allen, & Erik PresleyThis is the "Welcome" from The Ten Thousand Fathers 2025 Summit. Our hope is this gives you a vision for our Summit, and gives you a little taste of what to expect from Raising Up Ten Thousand Fathers. To learn more, or to facilitate a gathering like this in your community, please contact us. www.raisingupfathers.com2025-02-1426 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast258. Discussing God in Your Mentoring RelationshipIn this episode of the You Can Mentor podcast, Zach Garza interviews Mike McGarry, a seasoned youth pastor and theologian, about the critical role of mentoring in youth ministry. They delve into the importance of presence in mentoring relationships, discipleship, and how to assess a mentee’s spiritual relationship with God. Mike highlights the significance of identity in Christ, emphasizing the need for youth to understand their role as image bearers of God. The conversation also explores the challenges and strategies of mentoring youth in a spiritual context, touching on the awkwardness often felt in initiating conversations about faith, se...2025-02-0654 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast254. Motorcycle Mentoring with John B and Zach GarzaIn this podcast, John and Zach discuss the "motorcycle metaphor" to highlight important lessons about mentorship through John's experience riding motorcycles with his 18-year-old son. Here are the key takeaways:Communication is Key: Effective communication is vital for mentoring, especially when introducing new experiences to a mentee. This includes preparing them beforehand, offering guidance during the experience, and debriefing afterward. It's crucial to anticipate challenges and communicate clearly about what to expect.Superpower Observation: Mentors should be observant, noticing both verbal and nonverbal cues from their mentees. Just as John had to be extra aware of his son's...2024-12-1927 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast253. Mentoring in Your Community with Christ Club Las VegasIn this episode of You Can Mentor, host Zach sits down with Annie and Dennis from Club Christ Ministries in Las Vegas, an organization dedicated to mentoring kids and transforming communities. Annie, the Program Director, and Dennis, the Henderson Center Director, share powerful stories of how their work provides hope and support to kids facing challenges like violence and poverty.Through tutoring, leadership development, and spiritual guidance, Club Christ Ministries is creating a safe space for kids to grow academically, emotionally, and spiritually. You’ll hear inspiring accounts of kids discovering their potential, breaking cycles of hardship, an...2024-12-1243 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast247. Tell Me About Your Father // New Book From Zach GarzaIf you or someone you know grew up without a father, I’d like for you to check out my new book, Tell Me About Your Father. It is an auto-biographical journey that describes how I dealt with my fatherlessness. I pray it is a tool for mentors who have fatherless mentees, for mentors who may have grown up without a positive relationship with their father, or for anyone who has a loved one who has a fatherless past.-- What goes through your mind when I ask you about your father? Perhaps a smile pop...2024-10-3135 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast243. Building Trust by Creating a Safe Environment // Mentoring MinuteCreating a Foundation of Trust by Building a Safe EnvironmentTrust is the foundation of your mentoring relationship. Above all else, your mentee has to believe that you are good and that you want them to succeed. The author Stephen Covey says “Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”But what if your mentee has experienced hard times? What if there is trauma in their past or they have been...2024-07-1805 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast237. Am I Qualified? // Mentoring MinuteAm I Qualified?When people consider starting a mentoring relationship with a child, one question that seems to always pop up is “Am I qualified?” After all, investing into the life of a child is a big deal.But I think we are asking the wrong question. Instead of asking Am I qualified?”, start asking “Am I a couple steps ahead of my mentee?”If you are, then you have something to offer. Mentoring is not about...2024-06-0605 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast235: IPC: Community // Mentoring Minute-IPC is a tool to help us understand our mentee (and ourselves)Identity is WHO WE AREPurpose is WHAT WE DO Community is HOW WE BLESS AND ARE BLESSED BY OTHERSI want to paint a mental picture for you on the canvas of your mind: Imagine our IDENTITY in Christ being a firm foundation. The bedrock that Jesus talks about when he mentions the wise builder who built their house on rock instead of sand. We should always co...2024-05-2307 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast234: IPC: Purpose // Mentoring Minute-IPC is a tool to help us understand our mentee (and ourselves)Identity is WHO WE AREPurpose is WHAT WE DO Community is HOW WE BLESS AND ARE BLESSED BY OTHERSKing David had a high sense and value for HIS OWN identity, purpose, and community, therefore he was FREE to speak into and bless Mephibosheth’s IPC as well! -Identity: David sits comfortably on his throne and yells Mephibosheth! -Purpose: David gives Mephib’s rule over Saul’...2024-05-1607 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast233: IPC: Identity //Mentoring Minute-IPC is a tool to help us understand our mentee (and ourselves)Identity is WHO WE AREPurpose is WHAT WE DO Community is HOW WE BLESS AND ARE BLESSED BY OTHERSKing David had a high sense and value for HIS OWN identity, purpose, and community, therefore he was FREE to speak into and bless Mephibosheth’s IPC as well! -Identity: David sits comfortably on his throne and yells Mephibosheth! -Purpose: David gives Mephib’s rule over Saul’...2024-05-0907 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast232: IPC: Introduction // Mentoring Minute“IPC”-IPC is a tool to help us understand our mentee (and ourselves)-Identity, Purpose, and Community are three things we are presented with about King David in 2 Samuel 8. -Identity: 2 Samuel tells us David was a mighty warrior and a shrewd leader.-Purpose: Based on his being a warrior and leader, he was successful in battle and made smart leadership choices while subduing his enemy and growing his empire! -Community: This chapter ends with a list of men David trusted to rule over aspec...2024-05-0904 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast231. What Does a Christian Look Like? // Mentoring MinuteThis Mentoring Minute deals with a really good question you can ask your mentee to start some high-quality conversation. Back in youth group, we would trace out somebody’s silhouette on a piece of butcher paper and have students fill in the space with what a Christian looks like. It was hilarious to watch the paper person come alive with a Christian bookstore t-shirt, a WWJD bracelet, multiple bibles and concordances in hand, other modest clothing and a John 3:16 sign with clown wig for the football games.So we know by now that Christ-followers co...2024-05-0208 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast230. What is Mentoring? What is a Mentor? // Mentoring MinuteAll of us are here today because of our relationship with “that person”. You know, the one who made a profound impact on your life. For me, a few men made me who I am today. It was a man named Bob who invested into me when I was in college and helped me see my need for Jesus. It was a man named John who discipled me and taught me how to read the scriptures. It was a man named Steve who showed me the father heart of God and helped me overcome my fa...2024-04-2508 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast228. The Rule of Three // Mentoring MinuteSafety is the name of the game when it comes to mentoring. You always want to have safety on the mind when you are hanging out with your mentee. First priority is always to keep the child safe, but another aspect of safety is following rules and procedures so you stay above reproach and free of any possible accusation. One of the best ways to keep everyone safe in the mentoring journey is called the rule of three. The rule of three means that there are always three parties involved when you are hanging o...2024-04-1104 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast225. Find Your Tribe // Mentoring MinuteIf you’ve ever hiked up a mountain, it is no easy endeavor. There are easy parts and there are hard parts. Storms can pop up from time to time. Times of fun and times where you are challenged. But if you stick it out, the view is almost worth the struggle it took to get there. One thing I know to be true about climbing a mountain is it is always easier when you do it with other people. People can pick you up when you fall down. Can...2024-03-2106 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast224. Giving Gifts // Mentoring MinuteGiving GiftsGiving gifts or purchasing things for your mentee is one of the more complicated topics you will face as a mentor. You want to be able to show your care and affection for your mentee through giving gifts, but so often they can become distractions in your mentoring relationship. Let me be the first to say that this is a gray topic. It is not black and white. We are just giving you our perspective that we gained through years of mentoring. We...2024-03-1406 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast223. Mentoring is Baseball // Mentoring MinuteMentoring is BaseballDid you know that the average of every baseball player in the hall of fame is a combined .303. That means if you hit the ball 303 out of 1,000 times, you are considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. That’s 697 misses!3 out of every 10 makes a great baseball player. And I could say the same is true for mentoring. When I first became a mentor, I wanted a home run every time. I thought my mentee would love me and...2024-03-0804 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast221. Identity Based vs. Skill Based Mentoring // Mentoring MinuteIdentity-Based vs. Skill-Based Mentoring“Just like a good tool doesn’t make you a handy man. Knowing skills alone doesn’t fulfill your mentee’s potential” Skill-based mentoring usually goes like this: Think of things you think your mentee should knowShake a hand, tie a tie, resume, etc…Teach them these thingsHope they use them to reach their full-potential--Skill-based mentoring is good, but I believe it is secondary to Identity-based mentoringSkills are no good if you’re mentee believes...2024-02-2208 minYou Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast220. Connection over Content // Mentoring MinuteConnection over Content - Let's keep it simple:Pursue Kids: Are you going after them?Pursue Jesus: Are you staying filled up so you can pour out?-What does it mean to connect?Are you reaching out consistently?Are you interested in what they are interested in?Are you remembering important issues in their life?Are you showing up? Games, events, etc…Are you speaking life? When they leave your presence, how do you want them to feel?-“A kid doesn’t care what you know until they know that y...2024-02-1508 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast218. We Need Your Help!Please give us a 5 star rating wherever you consume podcasts, visit our website, and join our mentoring network. Also, please share our information with anyone who you’d think would benefit from it. If you’d like to share any ways we can best serve you, or if you’d like to join our podcast, please reach out to us at zach@youcanmentor.com. We’re here for any ideas, suggestions, or comments that you have. Purchase John's Book:Mephibosheth! The Search for Identity, Purpose, and CommunityPurchase the You Can Me...2024-01-2505 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast215. Using Your Network, Speaking Identity, & Sacrificial Mentoring: Mentoring at the Movies with HustleOne of the best things about art is how it represents the human condition. Movies in particular have a unique ability to comment on hot topic issues in a way that can be thought provoking and challenging. Interestingly, there are plenty of movies in existence that contain some aspect of mentorship; an older figure guiding the next generation into adulthood. This week John and Zach drop a new episode in a series about mentoring seen in different movies. In discussing Hustle this week, they talk through different aspects of mentoring including using your network, speaking identity, sacrificial mentoring.Pu...2023-12-2138 min
You Can Mentor: A Christian Youth Mentoring Podcast214. The Power of Saying Yes, Eating a Meal Together, and Making Yourself Available to Listen with Michael BirklandThe greatest gift you can give your mentee is your time. Mentoring isn't about coming in, teaching somebody some life skills, and moving on. Mentees are not "projects". Mentoring is about relationships. It's about coming in, pouring your wisdom and knowledge into somebody, and continuing to guide them through the next stage of their life. While often that relationship is for a season, the impact of that relationship is for a lifetime; because relationships change lives. The time you spend with your mentee communicates so much more than a life skill or other piece of practical wisdom, and the best w...2023-12-1442 min