The Impossible Mentor: Finding Courage To Follow Jesus

by Ray Hollenbach

Can you live up to the example Jesus set? Why would anyone choose a mentor who’s impossible to follow? What if it’s possible to experience real transformation? What if we really can be conformed to his image--in this life? The Impossible Mentor explores why Christians find Jesus a worthy role model but also hold the conviction that no one could possibly live up to his example. Discipleship and spiritual formation books come and go at the pace of diet and exercise manuals, with approximately the same results in the lives of believers. It’s the same cycle: good intentions, fresh starts, followed by frustration, guilt, and eventually resignation. You can break the yo-yo cycle of false starts and the guilt that follows when you stumble. The Impossible Mentor explores the four great challenges to following Jesus, and suggests five practical answers that have helped people of faith through the ages. You can put these answers to work in your life, right now. Author Ray Hollenbach combines slice-of-life vignettes with Biblical resources in a highly readable, conversational style: part pastor, part theologian and fellow-traveller, he explores how to take the yoke of discipleship Jesus offered in a manner that will break the cycle of resolve-and-failure.

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 4, 2012

Reviews

[Rusty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ray Hollenbach offers us encouragement in this little book. He leads us towards a vision of being the Church that is on display to show God's wisdom. And as the title suggests, this takes courage. He asks the same question as John Wimber of Vineyard, "Where's the stuff?" Simultaneously with "Why do we think it's impossible to be like Jesus?"

I think the question Hollenbach asks is helpful. He guides us towards a relational experience. However I think asking John Wimber's question is misdirection and leads us away from relationship into expectations of certain types of power, healing, miracles, etc.

It really hinges on your understanding of In 14:12. The author says, "Still stranger--his words are in the singular: “anyone” and “he.” My favorite rationalization about this verse used to be that Jesus was talking about the aggregate works of all believers in all times: but there’s no way you can read it like that. He means me, and then he means you."

I'm not sure what he is arguing when he says the words are singular. I don't think that has strong bearing on how to understand "anyone". For the author says himself; he means both you and me (anyone). It's grammatically singular, but we all understand that it's also plural. I'm not the only one who has faith in Jesus, neither are you. We have joined a "cloud of witnesses".

Take for example Jn 3:16, "whosoever" is also singular, but we understand that it's not just me or just you.

[Bud Winderweedle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, you'll find both great encouragement and challenge! Ray uses Jesus stories most are familiar with but provides fresh insight into them. There are several moments of rhetorical genius in here. And the humble and human stories make the topic of Christlikeness accessible to all.

[Lydia Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thorough and interesting book looking at our relationship to Jesus and how we perceive the possibility of becoming like him. It challenges us to not excuse ourselves from growth because "we're not Jesus!" and can't be expected to get everything right, and instead to focus on becoming like him.

Hollenbach poses four problems we often perceive with our growing to be Christlike, responds with five biblical solutions to these, and then finishes with five sections of advice on how we can put this work into practice.

I highly recommend this to anyone desiring to grow in their faith and Christlikeness, or interested in the theology of

[Steve Peifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging, honest and real; one of the best Christian books of the last decade.