In this episode, we dive into the journey of Tim Croll, a husband, father of three, and proud grandfather. Tim shares his evolution from a faith rooted in fear to a deeper understanding of God’s unconditional love. He reflects on the personal development lessons he’s learned from both entrepreneurial successes and failures, and the pivotal role mentorship has played in his life.
Tim also discusses his experience on Lego Masters, where he and his son Zach used their time on the show to model a supportive father-son relationship. As his family grows, with a new daughter-in-law on the way and another grandchild arriving soon, Tim cherishes the evolving dynamics and relationships. Tune in for insights on faith, family, mentorship, and personal growth.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
Tim’s Faith Journey
Tim’s faith journey began at a young age, shaped by a fear of hell and the belief that salvation depended on strict rule-following. Raised in a legalistic, performance-based environment, he internalized the idea that acceptance came from adhering to rules and achieving success. After pursuing a career in youth ministry and facing repeated setbacks, Tim transitioned into entrepreneurship, where he found success but also experienced burnout and failure.
A major turning point came when he hit rock bottom—physically and mentally exhausted—leading him to realize that God’s love is unconditional and not based on performance. This realization allowed him to embrace being loved for who he is, rather than what he does.
Tim emphasizes that growth in faith is a daily process. After spending decades forming beliefs about himself and God, transformation doesn’t happen overnight. He acknowledges that many people get frustrated with the slow pace of change, especially in a society that values instant results. He explains that setbacks are a natural part of the process, and returning to old patterns is common. However, growth in both relationships and faith takes time, and the journey is a continuous, unfolding process.
Tim’s Value of Mentorship
Tim places a high value on mentorship, recognizing it as essential to both his personal and professional growth. Raised to handle everything on his own, he initially struggled with asking for help. However, key mentors stepped in at pivotal moments throughout his life. In his 30s, Paul Beutel became a guiding force, helping Tim navigate personal and business challenges. Later, during a time when Tim and his family faced bankruptcy, Matt Guerin played a crucial role, helping Tim deal with legal issues and providing reassurance during a tough season.
When Tim moved to Philadelphia, he found two more influential mentors: Tony Grove, who had overcome significant personal struggles and helped Tim confront his own painful past, and Marvin Brubaker, who helped Tim process anger and resentment from a church conflict. Tim credits these relationships as life-saving and transformative, underscoring the importance of mentors who step in when needed, offering guidance through difficult times.
Tim shares a powerful moment when he was struggling deeply, feeling desperate and isolated. He had built up false beliefs and assumptions that no one would offer help. But in that moment, someone encouraged him to embrace humility and accept the support he so desperately needed.
Tim Uses His Lego Experience as a Spiritual Calling
Tim reflects on his time on Lego Masters as a blend of parental mentorship and spiritual calling. He and his wife, Melissa, prioritized being involved in their kids' hobbies, especially bonding with their son Zach over Lego building. Tim believes that strong relationships with children are built through shared experiences, which foster meaningful conversations.
Joining Lego Masters gave Tim and Zach the chance to showcase a positive father-son dynamic. Despite pressure from producers to create drama, Tim was determined to highlight their loving, supportive bond. He saw the opportunity as a way to model godly fatherhood and demonstrate the power of authentic relationships.
In his Lego workshops, Tim emphasizes hands-on, interactive learning rather than passive listening. By applying concepts like personal growth, communication, and conflict resolution, participants confront challenges, reflect on biblical lessons, and internalize valuable life skills.
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Tim Croll
Connect With Spiritual Fathers
Subscribe to SHOW NAME
Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
In this episode, we’re joined by Zach Garza, the Founder and Executive Director of You Can Mentor and the Co-Founder of Ten Thousand Fathers. Zach’s journey from being mentored to mentoring others is a powerful story of transformation, faith, and purpose.
From his own life-changing experiences with mentors like Bob and Steve Allen, to founding organizations that support kids without dads, Zach’s passion for mentorship shines through. He shares how vulnerability, presence, and authenticity can make anyone a great mentor and outlines practical ways to lead, connect, and empower others.
If you’ve ever wondered how to make a lasting impact, Zach’s insights will inspire and equip you to step into a mentoring role.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
Zach’s Spiritual Mentorship Started as a Mentee
Zach shares his journey from seeking acceptance, love, and validation through negative behaviors to finding guidance and support from a professor named Bob. Initially reluctant, Zach was drawn to Bob because Bob took an interest in him and didn't try to fix him. Over time, Bob's consistent presence and love helped Zach trust him and eventually accept an invitation to a men's Bible study.
Bob's mentorship extended beyond academics, showing Zach the importance of genuine, non-judgmental support. Zach also encountered other mentors such as Steve Allen, who played fatherly roles, encouraging him and teaching him different aspects about Jesus and spiritual values.
These ongoing mentorships helped Zach transform his life, break free from generational curses, and embrace a path of light and purpose. Zach credits these mentors for teaching him how to be a better man, husband, and father, leading to profound personal growth and generational blessings.
Zach’s Work as a Mentor
Zach started as a teacher and coach at a low-income school in Dallas. Recognizing the need for father figures among his students, many of whom lacked a dad at home, he began mentoring them outside of school through lunches, dinners, and basketball games.
In 2009, with support from his community, Zach started a non-profit called Forerunner Mentoring Program to mentor young men without dads at home. By 2014, they were mentoring around 30 kids, and Zach went full-time with the organization, which expanded to include after-school programs and support for single moms. By the time he handed it off to his successor in 2021, they were mentoring hundreds of families, had baptized over 85 kids, and had a budget of $1.2 million.
Seeing the need for similar programs in other communities, Zach founded You Can Mentor, a non-profit that provides resources and training for mentors and mentoring organizations. They offer video training series, books, podcasts, informational documents, conferences, cohorts, and a non-profit accelerator to help people make disciples, especially for kids without dads or those who have experienced trauma.
Zach has written several books and continues to provide resources and relationships as a mentor.
Three Things that Make a Great Mentor
Zach emphasizes that anyone can be a mentor if they're willing to be vulnerable, present, and genuine. You don't have to be an expert; just a few steps ahead and ready to share your journey. Be available and be authentic.
Zach says the first point of being a good mentor is to lead like Jesus. Initiate the relationship and invite the other guy to follow you. Be willing to make the first call, initiate the text, or consistently be available and continue to reach out. Also, as a mentor, you should have a plan for improvement. Have a podcast or book, questions, or talking points to help the other person.
Second point: be faithful over fruitful. It’s not your job to change the person. You should focus on being faithful. He says your role is to show up, reach out, pray, and make the connection until God says not to. Your job is to plant seeds and let God work on the transformation.
The third point is to acknowledge identity + skills (in a safe environment) = the best chance of success. Zach reminds us, that God identifies us as a man of God, full of value we share that with the mentees.
Then comes the skill. You need your mentees to be faithful, available, and teachable. For example, Zach teaches his guys how to set goals, how to connect with their wives, and how to respond to texts timely. Whatever skills they want, mentors need to have a plan to teach them, but it must be in a non-critical, nurturing environment to give the greatest chance of success.
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Zach Garza
Connect With Spiritual Fathers
Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
In this episode of Spiritual Fathers, Kent shares the inspiring journey behind his ministry, Manhood Journey, which began as an effort to engage fathers in discipleship within his church community. Drawing from his personal story and advice he received as a teen navigating his parents’ divorce, Kent emphasizes the transformative power of surrounding yourself with mentors who exemplify the life you aspire to build.
He also offers profound insights into mentorship, outlining four common pitfalls to avoid while highlighting the importance of fostering independence and mutual growth. Kent’s advice extends beyond mentoring, encouraging listeners to build relationships with men who challenge and inspire them, creating a dynamic network for personal and spiritual development.
Kent Evans is the executive director and co-founder of Manhood Journey, a ministry that helps dads become disciple-makers. After 20 years in a career as a businessman, Kent embarked on the men’s ministry project, appearing on television, radio, podcasts, and Christian speaking events. He is also the author of four books. He is married and has five sons.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
How Kent became interested in men’s mentorship
Kent shares how his ministry, Manhood Journey, took root when a church staff member approached him with a challenge: create something to engage fathers in the church. This sparked a collaborative effort among a group of men, brainstorming ideas on a whiteboard to answer a key question: “How can we inspire dads to embrace discipleship?”
Their solution was to develop guided Bible studies, encouraging fathers to lead small group studies with their sons. Over time, Manhood Journey has grown into a vital resource for Christian fathers, equipping them to disciple their children in the faith.
Kent’s passion for men’s mentorship, however, was shaped much earlier in his life. At 17, following his parents’ divorce, a counselor offered him transformative advice: simply knowing what you don’t want your family life to look like isn’t enough. Instead, Kent was encouraged to seek out men who embodied the qualities and successes he desired, using their lives as templates to build his own. This foundational idea became the cornerstone of his work, inspiring him to help other fathers create intentional and faithful legacies for their families.
4 Dangers of Mentoring
Kent highlights four key pitfalls that can undermine the effectiveness of mentorship.
Advice for mentoring and beyond
Kent suggests that you find interesting men to surround yourself with. Look to build relationships with men who have qualities and talents that you would enjoy learning about. Look for smart guys who may mentor you in skills or experiences you want to develop in your own life. And consider how you can encourage mentees to have agency in their lives.
Listen to the whole episode for insight into the mentoring relationship and common pitfalls to avoid.
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Kent Evans
Connect With Spiritual Fathers
How can the church community create relationships between the older dads, and those still raising young children? What is it that men in the church are seeking within fellowship?
Roger Bodenstab is the lead pastor at Crescent City Foursquare Church, the Church he grew up in, in North California. He is a men's advocate and nonprofit leader for the organization, Dad Tired.
Roger shares about his upbringing as the youngest of 10 siblings. He was raised without a dad because his father passed away shortly after he was born. At ten years old, he was hit by a car and because of his near-death experience, he sought to know Jesus and get baptized. He then developed a love for God’s word.
He met his wife on a mission trip and they had three biological daughters and later in life, four adopted children. It is through these experiences that he developed a passion for creating men’s mentorship for dads as spiritual fathers in the church.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
Recognizing the Need for Spiritual Mentorship
Growing up in the church, the only mentorship Roger had was from the Word of God. When Roger became a pastor, he prayerfully sought how to reach the community. The Lord kept putting adoption and community children’s connection in his heart.
The experience of adopting young boys in diapers, after he raised daughters, led him to seek support from Dad Tired. The support he received from the men's ministry group, guided him to a leadership role with Dad Tired.
Roger realized that Dad Tired was bringing solutions spiritual dads had for seeking connection. The support group allowed men to communicate the love they wanted to express for their families and their need for connection.
Overcoming Obstacles that Hinder Men’s Mentoships
Roger believes the younger generation of church-going men are looking for authentic people to be vulnerable with. They seek to form real connections with genuine people. They are seeking answers to life’s difficult questions.
However, even when a younger generation desires mentorship, the obstacle older dads feel is accepting their vulnerability and sharing what they have learned from their mistakes in life. Sometimes the older men question what they have to offer in a mentoring relationship. Or they feel they can't make time for it. Roger suggests that any man wanting this relationship should act in obedience to this role and trust that God will honor the calling.
Being Vulnerable as a Spiritual Father
Many men may feel a weight, a burden that they are not good enough to be a spiritual mentor. Roger calls on his own experience of feeling like it was hard to measure up to other Godly men.
He reminds us that God called only one man to live perfectly, and Jesus already fulfilled that role. We human, spiritual fathers have made mistakes, and it is learning from those mistakes that qualifies us to be mentors. God redeems our mistakes, and young dads need to know that.
Young dads benefit from knowing there is redemption in struggles. It can offer freedom, grace, and love to the older dads confiding in the relationship too. Roger reminds us that the vulnerability to confess, confide, and pray for one another allows for healing.
This mentorship allows for a connection greater than the men. It is a reminder that it is always about Jesus.
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Roger Bondenstab
Connect With Spiritual Fathers
Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
Have you experienced the transformative power of mentorship and spiritual fathering? In this conversation, Ryan Reeves opens up about his journey from a rebellious youth to an engaged spiritual mentor.
He shares the challenges he faced in finding meaningful mentorship and how this lack of guidance in his personal life motivated him to demystify the mentorship process and encourage older men to share their life experiences authentically with the younger generation.
Authenticity plays a huge role in effective mentorship. This episode explains why younger men value hearing about genuine struggles—over the illusion of perfection—and the barriers older men often face in becoming spiritual fathers.
With practical advice and heartfelt anecdotes, this episode offers a compelling look at how building authentic, relational connections can profoundly impact both mentors and mentees. Whether you're a seasoned mentor or someone seeking guidance, this episode is sure to inspire you.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
Embracing Authenticity in Mentorship
Ryan candidly shares his experiences with the lack of consistent spiritual mentoring during his formative years. He repeatedly looked for guidance but often found himself navigating these paths alone. Ryan’s quest for a mentor was about spiritual guidance and personal growth in areas like marriage and fatherhood. His struggles underscore a genuine need for reliable, authentic mentors who can guide younger men.
A recurring theme in our conversation is the importance of authenticity in mentorship. Ryan and I discuss why older men’s past mistakes make them uniquely equipped to mentor younger men.
Authenticity is far more impactful than striving for an illusion of perfection. Some of the most significant barriers to becoming an effective mentor include not knowing many young men, time constraints, and feeling unqualified due to past mistakes.
Ryan stresses that these barriers can be overcome by embracing authenticity and being open about one’s struggles and lessons learned. Sharing real-life experiences, including failures, builds relatability and trust, making the mentoring relationship more impactful.
Fostering Meaningful Connections
Men can often get stuck on the practical aspects of forming meaningful connections. Ryan suggests starting small and progressing naturally, similar to how you would build up your fitness through consistent, manageable efforts. Making connections with younger men based on common interests and actively engaging in relationships can hugely enhance the mentor-mentee dynamic.
Older mentors can build deeper, more impactful relationships when they focus on listening and simply being available for conversations. This genuine engagement helps mentees feel seen and heard, which in itself can be incredibly empowering and supportive.
The Best Spiritual Advice Ryan Was Ever Given
Listening rather than offering solutions is a key part of being a great mentor. Ryan illustrates this importance by sharing an instance where an associate pastor advised against the idea of excessive spiritual busyness, which often masks a lack of true relational connections.
Ryan explains how this approach respects the Biblical principle of "one day in seven" for worship and rest, encouraging mentors to prioritize personal connection over overwhelming busyness. Being present and making time for meaningful interactions can have a more profound impact on spiritual growth than simply providing solutions or adding more tasks.
When you prioritize relationships over external factors, you grow into your spiritual fatherhood. What starts as a spiritual friendship can develop over time into a deeper, more meaningful connection. The essence of mentorship is embracing authenticity, fostering genuine connections, and supporting younger men through life’s myriad challenges.
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Ryan Reeves
Connect With Spiritual Fathers
Subscribe to SHOW NAME
Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
How can we educate and equip men with the mature Christian faith to engage and develop a spiritual life with younger men in today’s culture? Why are men’s ministries failing? How do we create mentorship between older and younger dads, in different seasons of their spiritual lives?
Since 2010, Todd has been leading a discipleship movement of men, first in Southlake, Texas and now in Atlanta, Georgia. As part of the Executive team at Victory Church in Atlanta, Todd oversees discipleship for all ministries across four campuses.
In this conversation, Todd and I explore why churches struggle with their men’s ministries programs, how we can navigate the crisis young men are having with their role in the church, and what a mature Christian mentorship looks like. We also discuss advice on how to live out our spiritual fitness to help guide other men in the church to live out theirs.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
The Struggle Churches have with men's ministry
When Todd was offered a job as a men's ministry leader, he had research to do. He discovered many churches were giving up on men’s ministry programs because men were not interested in the functions. He decided he wanted to find a way to get men involved in a leadership role in every area of the church. The missing discipleship of men spiritually leading men needed to be reintegrated back into the church.
The Crisis young men have in the church today
Today young men are asking, “Is it actually possible to finish the spiritual race?” and “Does it work?” Young men struggle when they do not see spiritually strong men as role models in the church today.
Is the crisis young men are having due to the spiritual church leaders leading with lukewarm lives? We believe in the power of an older mentor investing in the life of a younger man. However, sometimes something is missing and creates a disconnect in our ability to impact the lives of the younger dads. Todd gives his advice on how the older generations can overcome this disconnect.
Advice on improving Spiritual fitness
What does your spiritual fitness routine look like? Todd helps us understand how the act of overcoming the flesh daily requires work and intention not just to remove sin from our lives but to then fill the space left behind with the Word and Spirit of God.
Todd offers mentorship advice for the young dads in a busy season of dependent family life, and advice for the seasoned dads struggling to make the reach to connect with these busy young dads. He reminds us not to be afraid to make connections and have fun with each other because being friends is the first step to being a mentor.
Todd tells us that, “It matters that we serve God. It matters that we run from sin. It matters that we trust God. It matters that we pray. It matters that we fast. It matters that we go after the things of God because there are people that come behind you, that need what you have.”
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Todd McIntyre
Connect With Spiritual Fathers
Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK
Why are rites of passage so important to young men? How can it help fathers and sons develop deeper connections? Tim Strickland is the Executive Director of “Christ in the Smokies,” a Rite of Passage retreat ministry for young men. In this conversation, Tim shares how he became passionate about the next generation, why rites of passage are important, and why he believes the older generation has to invest in the next generation.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
Building a passion for the next generation
After Tim and his wife Toni got married they started attending a Presbyterian church in Ft. Lauderdale. After they had their son, they started attending a “Homeplace” ministry at their church, geared toward helping young families learn how to raise their children in a Christian home.
When they moved to Georgia, Tim got involved in his church’s middle school ministry, where he served for 19 years. His wife jokes that he’s the perfect fit for middle-schoolers and fits right in.
The crisis that shaped Tim’s story
In 2016, Tim’s son was killed in a car accident. He was only 23. Tim would never wish the loss of a child on his worst enemy. Tim notes there were some days he just had to remind himself to keep breathing. He and his wife had to lean on their community. He doesn’t know what they would’ve done without them.
They chose to run to God in their anger and hurt. Tim knew that 80% of marriages end after the loss of a child. He was determined he wouldn’t lose Toni, too. He’s thankful that they’ve pushed onward together and still make an impact on the world.
Tim points out that navigating grief is not a problem to solve, it’s a tension to manage. Men are great at stuffing things down and ignoring them. However, you have to process and deal with loss. He emphasizes that God can handle whatever you’re feeling. You just have to learn to have those difficult conversations with God.
Christ in the Rockies
In 2014, Tim took his son on a Christ in the Rockies trip after reading “Raising a Modern-Day Knight.” It’s all about celebrating the milestones and “rites of passage” that move a young man along into adulthood. It was an amazing experience that resonated with him. It was about teaching boys what it meant to be a man.
The year after his son passed away, he and Toni went on another trip. The organizer, Mike Haddorff, said, “Why won’t you do this in the Southeast?” After praying about it, Tim and Toni dove in. He is the mouthpiece and she is the brain behind the operations. They’ve now been doing it for seven years.
Experiencing “The Passage to Manhood”
Dads want something for their sons that they didn’t get to experience. You show up to a retreat as father and son and you walk away from the week as two sons of the father along a faith journey. They have great life experiences while comparing and contrasting “big rock” ideas.
Success in the ballfield, the bedroom, the boardroom, and the billfold are the things most men chase. It’s the way the world defines success. But there’s a different way of doing things. Everyone is in the sanctification process. Knowing what you’re shooting for as a young man is a huge deal.
The men who attend the “Christ in the Smokies” retreats get to meet a community of other men walking through the same experience. It allows you to connect with each other and shift from solving things as father/son to solving them as men walking alongside each other.
Listen to hear Tim share why he believes you have to open your heart and be willing to impart your wisdom on the next generation.
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Tim Strickland
Connect With Spiritual Fathers
Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK