Saddleback’s Good Neighbor Ministry

You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past.  You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.

—Isaiah 58:12 (The Message)

Part of meeting our Daring Faith goal of assisting 250,000 people means inspiring students with a vision for what the church can do to educate the next generation. That’s why our members have been actively mentoring 530 high school students through Saddleback’s ministry, Good Neighbor Santa Ana.

With a focus on 8th and 9th graders, the pilot program is led by 65 team coaches who utilize the curriculum, Ambassadors of Compassion. In the first year alone, the mentoring program has been adopted by seven schools across Orange County, making it the only outside program administered during school hours.

According to Saddleback’s Local Outreach Pastor, Steve Bresler,“The program has been so successful, that we’re trying to expand to 1,500 kids in 10 schools in the next school year. Right now we’re setting up summer sessions with football teams at Century High School, Segerstrom High School, and Saddleback High School.”

Unlike traditional mentoring programs, Saddleback’s Good Neighbor ministry offers a leadership development course so students can tackle tough issues like forgiveness, responsibility, initiative, expectations, service, influence, and benefits of hard work. Participating students are selected by school leaders and then are paired with mentors at a ratio of 10 students per mentor.

Each session begins with a video and discussion questions, followed by action items to practice throughout the week. These discussion groups are held weekly for one hour, totaling 12 sessions per semester. The results have been absolutely staggering.

As Steve explains, “One principal observed the 67 kids we mentored at his school in the fall, and looked to see if their behavior and grades were any different in the spring semester.  They had 61% less tardy reports, 88% less assertive discipline infractions, 52% less unexcused absences, 37% more A’s, 13% more B’s, and 48% less F’s. Think about it: Every person who invests just an hour a week for 12 weeks can help 10 Santa Ana kids stay in school and get ahead!” 

In addition to learning life skills, students participate in service projects including visiting assisted living facilities, hosting parties for special needs kids, planting gardens, and writing “thank you” posters to active military. The city of Santa Ana has recently partnered with the Good Neighbor ministry to provide sustainable projects for hundreds of kids wanting to make the city a better place.

To honor the 350 students who completed the mentoring program, ceremonies were held this month for graduating students and their families. On June 12, Lathrop High School parents showed their support for their students who were awarded with a certificate and t-shirt.  One family even drove from Riverside to Santa Ana for the ceremony.

“I noticed one family was cheering exceptionally loud for their child during the event,” says Steve. “The assistant principal told me the family is homeless and living out of their car. They were cheering for the ray of hope we at Saddleback Church are providing.”

With a need this great, Good Neighbor Santa Ana gives an opportunity for every member to be a minister. Just two hours of initial training can help make an impact on the lives of 10 students. The next training will take place from 7:00 PM–9:00 PM on Wednesday, July 12 at Templo Calvario (2501 W 5th St, Santa Ana, 92703). Volunteers who are unable to mentor weekly can partner with other coaches so that there is always someone to lead the group.  For more information, email Steve Bresler at steveb@saddleback.com.