Mentor Like Jesus

Finished Mentor Like Jesus few weeks ago, haven't blogged because lots been going on what with moving, getting settled etc. However, this book deserves to be read, recommended, advertised, whatever! It is a great book and offers such an innovative idea on mentoring. Mentoring has been something I've felt passionately about for sometime as I've seen young people struggle with life, God, church, etc and had no one to turn to, no one to come along side them and say, "here, let me help you." The Bible tells us to teach the younger, that the older are to be an example, but often what we have seen is criticism, disapproval and even condemnation if they do it different than what is expected. Just think how much of a difference we could actually make if we took the time to love, support and help a younger person, to lift them up in prayer to share a thought or even a book with them. I know we all value our time but what better investment than in a young life, to see them grow in God, save their marriage, parent their children, and even go on to mentor others. "Young people need to be connected with authentic, committed Christians who live their faith...not just talk it." pg 87 Regi Campbell offers a new concept to mentoring and he's proven it works by mentoring 8 young men a year, every year since 2000. He takes the idea from Jesus and the disciples and that a group setting offers some accountability as well as them being able to see that their problem is not always unique to them. "I believe the group context is the 'secret sauce' of mentoring on an intentional basis. It can set the individual relationships in motion and even speed up the process of developing trust." pg 41 Anyone who is serious about mentoring really should read this book even if you don't decide to do it in a group setting like Regi you can glean much from it.

Regi Campbell's book Mentor Like Jesus is not only a book about mentoring, but also a book about discipleship. Campbell lays out a detailed blueprint of the mentoring program that he has developed over eight years of mentoring. The book is a quick and easy read, but full of profound insights and great tools. Some of my takeaways from the book include: * Spending more time with less people brings a greater impact. * Jesus handpicked his disciples, and it makes sense for us to handpick the people we mentor. * True mentoring has both a start and an end point, after which the person being mentored should become a mentor themselves. * I was convicted once again about the importance of memorizing scripture. * The chapter on prayer alone would make this book a worthwhile purchase. I have been planning on developing a mentoring group for the past several months. This book has been a great guide in helping me to clarify exactly what form my mentoring group will take.

This is a fantastic book for anyone who wants to understand mentoring. Regi clearly outlines, as well as, validates what works and what doesn't. A must read for anyone who wants to make a significant difference in other's lives.

Campbell has written a book that calls us to a great and important challenge. Like his first book, About My Father's Business, Mentor Like Jesus is an immensely practical book born out of Campbell's personal experience and his very real joy in mentoring. Right now there are hundreds of people in mentoring groups, learning from those who are ahead of them in life and in faith. Mentoring taps into a deep need within both the mentor and the mentee. I see men, women and high school kids all being challenged and challenging each other. Lives are changing and a movement is being born. This book is addressed to those who are considering being a mentor and seems designed to reduce our fears, to give us a track to run on and to set a joy before us that will sustain the effort that is needed. Campbell understands that we learn as much from the failures of our mentors as we do from their proud successes. Campbell grasps the importance of the group to spiritual formation. For too long Christians have seen more knowledge as the solution. The bible says that wisdom is the key and we acquire wisdom from those who have learned themselves through life's experiences and the faithful, internal witness of the Holy Spirit. We acquire wisdom from those will engage with us, life on life and challenge our thinking and our behavior. Simple, straightforward and easy to read, Campbell has written an important book to inspire a generation of men and women to invest wisely in the lives of those who follow after them.