The Mentoring Manifesto, Vol. 42: Preparing for Commencement Retreat and What’s Next
It is hard to believe we’re approaching the end of 2021! In Atlanta, we just celebrated the Braves World Series victory, reminding everyone that our teams can, in fact, win the big one. But the minute the parade was over, most pundits started looking towards next season, asking the age-old question, “what’s next?” Leaders aren’t any different. Most will soon begin to reflect on 2021 before diving into strategic planning for 2022 to ensure they are on purpose in the new year.
For many mentors, the end of the year also means the end of a mentoring group. When the conclusion of a mentoring season approaches, the conversations shift towards “commencement” and “what’s next.”
We used to call the final retreat the Graduation Retreat, but we switched it to Commencement Retreat a few years ago. Graduation focuses on the end of something, while commencement signals a transition to a new chapter. You are asking mentees to “pay it forward,” which may mean leading a mentoring group, serving strategically in their church or community, or even simply being better husbands and fathers at home.
Knowing that many groups may be approaching commencement, we share the resources below to help prepare mentors for Commencement Retreats and to share some best practices on how to help your mentees answer the question, “what’s next?”
MENTOR TRAINING VIDEO: COMMENCEMENT RETREAT
WHAT’S NEXT IDEAS
WHY END OF SEASON SURVEYS MATTER
Breathe New Life Into Your Discipleship
Small group mentoring can help you engage your people, build your core group of leaders, and transform your church. Our free resources equip you with all the tools you need to launch a sustainable mentoring program.