The Mentored Life: From Individualism to Personhood

In these pages James M. Houston, one of the greatest spiritual mentors of our time, offers a thoughtful and surprising examination of what it means to be a true disciple of Christ. The Mentored Life is a stirring call to the church to become a community of friends and mentors, following the ultimate Mentor, Jesus Christ, who alone can mentor us into full personhood. 

The role of mentor holds a distinguished position in our modern culture. And the mentor has been influencing countless lives throughout all of history. As people encounter new circumstances, the natural tendency is to seek a skilled mentor for guidance. The purpose of The Mentored Life is to examine the traditions of mentoring that have been passively absorbed into our culture. Effective as they are, they still fall short of God's divine plan.

If, as Christians, we interpret mentoring to mean Christian discipleship, then we must move away from the formulas the world so easily abides by. The paradox is, then, that the mentored life is one in which we constantly look to Christ for guidance, answers, and fulfillment. It is our heavenly Father who infinitely knows us, Houston says, which contrasts with worldly expressions of self-knowledge. Rather than trying to discover our self and reach our potential, we must come alongside the mentor who will help us be all we can be by Christ. This book, essential for any Christian leader's library, will introduce you to a framework for discipleship and help you gain a greater understanding of God's desire to mentor us.

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