Deep Dive Mentoring
We believe every man needs a few trusted people to walk with — people who help us grow in faith, stay grounded, and navigate life with integrity and joy. As part of our Men’s Ministry, Deep-Dive Mentoring exists to make those connections happen in simple, meaningful, and lasting ways. Whether you’re looking for spiritual encouragement, accountability, or just someone who “gets it,” we’d love to walk with you.
What Deep Dive Mentorship Is All About
Our men’s mentoring program is built around spiritual friendship and life-on-life discipleship. It brings together men across generations so that side-by-side, we can all grow a deeper and enriched relationship with God, our families, our community, and each other. Here’s what you can expect:
An exploration of Scripture to strengthen our faith.
Support for one another through challenges big and small.
Building friendships that are honest, encouraging, and real.
There’s no single template for how this works! Through prayer and sharing in life together, we expect every group experience to be different depending on the people around you. But each time we gather, we trust that the Lord is at work in us.
How It Works
We match men into small groups of four to six men who are typically in the same stage of life with two older co-mentors. Once connected, groups choose their own meeting rhythm but stick to regular gatherings. The 11-month program involves:
A three-hour monthly meeting. The time and date for each monthly meeting is set by the group at their first meeting.
Two overnight retreats. one in the second month and one at the end.
A significant monthly reading assignment.
Lunch/coffee with one of the group members each month.
Memorization of Scriptures (one or two per month) and a growth assignment related to the monthly topic.
We expect to have our first meeting in late January 2026 and conclude with a retreat before Thanksgiving on Nov. 26, 2026. If you are interested in participating or have questions, email Mark Paulson by Jan. 2, 2026.
Guiding Principles
Here’s what we hope shapes every mentoring group at Blacknall:
It’s relational. We practice transparency with one another and spend time really listening — sharing stories, praying for each other, and offering encouragement along the way.
It’s Spirit-led. We make space for the Holy Spirit to do the slow, steady work of transforming us from the inside out.
It’s purposeful. We draw from helpful books and consider how Scripture speaks to real-life stuff men face — faith, relationships, work, family, money, decision-making, purpose, and more.
It’s a commitment. We’re committed to walking with you, and we ask for that same commitment in return. Growth happens when we show up for each other.
Time Commitment & Cost
Once a group sets a meeting schedule, we stick with it. Get togethers aren’t optional. Showing up on time and prepared really matters — not just for you, but for everyone else. There will probably be a week (or several!) when keeping that commitment means making a tough call with work or family. That’s normal, and it’s part of the journey we’re making together.
The expectations aren’t overwhelming, but they are steady. We’ll provide all the books, materials, and support your need to thrive. You’ll just cover your portion of retreat expenses (usually food and activities). And if cost is a concern, scholarships are available.
Learn more and find out how to get involved in our mentorship program — email Mark Paulson.
Testimonials of Past Blacknall Participants
“I joined the Men’s Mentoring group at a time when our family was going through a lot of transition. I decided to do it because it was designed for people who were married with young children, and I felt like I would benefit from something that focused on integrating discipleship with vocation and family in real time.
When we were a few months into our journey together, I realized how easy it had been, during this season of my life, to let close relationships of support and accountability drift away as I focused on the demands of my job, family, ministry, and community work. I realized how rare it is for people in their 30’s and 40’s to have people who remind them of their identity in Christ on a regular basis as they tend to the many cares of the season they’re in. That was me, and although I knew what the truth was in my head, the group allowed me to wrestle through it together with others and with a mentor who cares for us. This is what makes the Mens Mentoring group so valuable – it provides a community and a mentor to help you dig deeply into many aspects of your life and see how your discipleship might touch all of them.”
“It’s difficult to put into words just how much of a difference the Men’s Mentoring program has made in my life. For over a year, we spent time learning about ourselves, relationships with our spouse, relationships with our children and parents. We talked about family finances, we tackled racism, and sexuality all within a Christian lens. But, mostly, I learned what it was to truly journey with a group of men and to be fully known by them.
I can tell you, I have never experienced anything quite like this in my adult life. I ended the experience with stronger relationships all around and with the tools and resources to take on life‘s challenges. The guys in our group still keep up with each other, and I meet with two of the men (Common Journey Partners) every couple of weeks for breakfast or a morning walk to talk through life circumstances. They are friends, brothers, confidants, advisers— in Christ.”
“The Men’s Mentoring group that Tim has been a cornerstone of most of my personal growth in the past year. I cannot overstate how helpful the combination of meaningful content, deep no-holes-barred discussions and group comradery is in facilitating a culture of mutual commitment and honesty.
In my opinion, this mentoring group succeeds where others fail because the mentors set the tone by “opening the ndrew” into their own story, setting the tone that it’s a safe place to be vulnerable and sharing your journey. The weekend where you get together to share your life story with the group will change you and open your eyes into just how much pain many men just never talk about.
The reading material is finely curated and speaks authoritatively on each subject the group discusses in the course of the meetings. Many of the books have earned a prominent place on my bookshelf and will be read again multiple times in the future. Excellent works of wisdom for the modern day father.
The real value however, is in what changes this makes possible for the families of the men who participate. I’m a different man than when I started this enterprise and my family and friends benefit tangibly from the seeds my mentor and these men have sown in my life. My children have a better father, my wife has a better husband and the world has a better family for his efforts. It has been an honor to walk with these men.”
“I was approached by Mark to join this group of men to build deeper relationships with both Christ and other men. After meeting with Mark and understanding what the commitment was I was honestly a little hesitant. As I prayed about it and discussed it with my wife I came up with all sorts of excuses why I didn’t want to do it, namely my busy schedule at work, being a husband and father, extracurricular commitments, and deep down, I did not have an overwhelming desire to be vulnerable with other men. I was, or so I thought, healthy and happy right where I was. I had convinced myself I would turn it down, but the Holy Spirit convicted me this was Satan’s way of weakening the church. Dividing men with all their “responsibilities” and keeping them from forming any sort of strong Christian bond has been a tactic Satan continues to use. We see it in failing marriages, unfulfilled employment, insecurity in being a provider, etc. So I took the plunge and made the commitment and it really changed my walk with other brothers and most importantly with Christ.
This program is built on deepening relationships, where other guys are safe to be vulnerable, sharing highs, lows, questions, challenges, and feel more connected to the Lord through the power of a common bond. We are all in the same boat with similar struggles. They may look different from person to person, but when I was able to both share and receive experiences, it transformed how I viewed myself as a man in Christ. Never in my life had I thought I would look forward to the meetings. My faith grew deeper and I was encouraged by how similar I was to the other guys in our group. I would highly recommend making a commitment to participate. I believe it is one of our best defenses against Satan’s efforts to divide and conquer.”
— Brian Mitchell
“In Becoming a King, Morgan Snyder asks how do we understand masculinity and become who God truly intends us to be. How do we rediscover the path of inner transformation and initiation? The answer simply and dauntingly is we must be shown the path by brothers that have walked the path before us.
With this answer in my mind but not practically in hand, I responded to a call to covenantly join a group of men under the guidance of a sage mentor. I am only half way through the structured portion of group. I have been challenged and encouraged to systematically gain awareness of myself and my relationships with my wife and my children. I have found God fulfilling longings within my heart of how I already wanted to lead in these areas of my life, but felt I didn’t know the path. I recommend these mentoring groups fully as I see this group pathfinding as a cr’tical link in Christian formation.’