PHILADELPHIA, PA (BRN) – What comes to your mind when you hear the word gentleman? What is a gentleman? Cambridge Dictionary defines the word gentleman as “a man who is polite and behaves well toward other people, especially women.”
The notion of being a gentleman seems at times to be a thing of the past. Nowadays, contemporary culture’s definition of manhood at times runs counter to what is associated with being a man, let alone a gentleman.
However, Pastor Josh Crans and his mentors at Providence Church Coatesville are keeping the concept alive through Ways of Gentlemen, a mentoring program for boys.
Now in its third year, Ways of Gentleman, operates in cycles of 6-8 weeks during the year. The program was started by a friend of Crans, Adam Bruckner, Director of Helping Hands Rescue Mission and Philly ReStart. The two men realized that young men, due to not having a father or positive role model in their lives, were experiencing many gaps in their development from boys to men.
The young men are taught little lessons that many may take for granted, such as “How to shake a hand,” “How to shave,” “How to tie a tie,” and “How to treat a woman” to name a few.
“It’s really a ‘How to be’ guide to teach and guide through lessons that can be missed in the absence of a father at home. Each lesson comes with an illustration and a gift to remember the challenge. We use bucket drumming to break up awkward silence, get the young men comfortable and open up, be creative, and it opens the door to talk about deeper topics,” explained Crans. Each session wraps up with a meal.
The program has about 15-20 young men ages 12-16 along with six-eight mentors.
Success for Crans is “giving young men a safe place to share, build deeper relationships with positive role models, helping them understand how wonderfully and unique God has created them, and seeing them learn valuable life lessons along the way.”
The program has been especially helpful for two brothers who lost their dad recently.
“We have two brothers who lost their dad to a really difficult battle with cancer this past year. They had to transition to a single parent home over night. They’ve had to adjust navigating their difficult adolescent years without a dad in the home walking alongside of them. They have really enjoyed the program, it’s given them a great connection with some solid men, and their mom has been blessed and encouraged knowing she’s not carrying the load all by herself,” said Crans.
The Lord is using Ways of Gentleman to open doors for Providence while building credibility and trust in the community. These open doors are leading to deeper relationships and opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ!
According to statistics, 14 million people across Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Providence is reaching them by mentoring young men. How are you serving your community for the cause of Christ? #LovePASJ
