October 1, 2019

Mentor. It’s a word that’s been thrown around in business circles a lot in the past decade or so. At times it bothered me because it seemed so mercenary. Then I began to realize why. A mentor should also be a friend, someone who genuinely cares about the person he is mentoring, and in the world that is not always the case. The reverse should also be true. The person being mentored should also genuinely care about the person doing the mentoring.

So it was with Burl Updyke, the founder of WRGN and WIVH. My mentor and friend went home to be with the Lord last month… but not before dispensing one more piece of advice. “When are you going to give up that motorcycle? It’s not safe you know.” This from a man who built and flew ultralight planes! I chuckled, knowing that my friend and mentor genuinely cared. While I may not give up the motorcycle, I will always cherish the heart behind the advice.

The word mentor actually comes from Greek literature, and was a person’s name, a noun, rather than a verb as we use it today. The apostle Paul is a great biblical example of a mentor and said this in 2 Timothy 2:2 “…and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” This is the calling of our faith, to pass on what we have learned, so that someone else may pass it on to others.

We are blessed to continue the ministry that Burl Updyke started 35 years ago, and blessed to have you join us in supporting that ministry.

Passing it on,

Tim Madeira
General Manager