After reading about Augustine as the mentor was a very informative reading, it will give
the interaction as being the mentor and this paper will give a summarization. Augustine had a
great amount of influence on people for many of centuries. He is thoughtfully considered today
among books, letters, and sermons. According to the book, Augustine contributions continues to
stimulate scholarship today in those fields of study and he was a prolific writer who authored the
church of Hippo Regius.1 His genius is even more significant because he grew up in a family of
modest resources in Tagaste, a rather insignificant town in Roman Africa far from the cultivated
learning centers of the Roman Empire.2 His character is remarkable among the people.
Thesis
The thesis of this paper will reflect that Augustine as mentor being the spiritual leader,
who mentor in groups, set the spiritual leaders in the church apart ministry. The present inquiry
will consider how Augustine influenced these leaders in their training and preparation for
ministry.3
Discipleship strategies
Augustine was the kind of person who look for people such as himself to have like-mind
like him to be able to serve God. The contention is that Augustine effectively mentored spiritual
leaders and set them apart for needed ministries in the church and that many aspects of his
mentoring will serve as instructive for the modern mentor.4 While he did not leave behind a
particular manual for how to be a spiritual leader, his example and writings provide significant
evidence towards understanding his principles of mentoring.5
1 Edward Smither. Augustine as Mentor. (Nashville, Tn: B&H Publishing, 2009). 8.
2 Ibid.,
3 Ibid.,
4 Ibid., 9.
5 Ibid.,
Augustine followed the example, which caused him to mentor to the generation of
Christianity among the early age. The influence he had among the generation across the world
can be felt. Augustine’s teaching on the group: The group must live together in unity; the
community itself is a means of spiritual growth; growth is facilitated by Christian friendship; and
the group is a model for the church.6 The community that Augustine mentored among the men,
had to be in attendance voluntarily. Because this would allow growth among the men that were
like-minded as Augustine. His approach to mentoring was personal to him. How did it lead to
growth? According to Smither, (1) he believed (Augustine) that ascetic disciples were essentially
for the Christians, and especially a monk, to make spiritual progress and that the best
environment for such a commitment was the monastery; (strength was provided to those who felt
as though they were weak); (2) the group nurtured its member in pursuing intimacy with God-
Clark asserts that the monastic enterprise was founded on the individual’s yearning for
connection with God- the community became a collective, contemplative soul, hungering for
God while sharing the joys and sorrows of the experience with one another; (3) the group enable
each of its members to be sharpened not only spiritually but also intellectually, especially toward
a solid grasp of theology.7
The lectures of Augustine were important, and they imparted a great amount to the
community, members were challenged to reason, articulate, and debate through dialogue,
rendering them more capable thinkers and theologians.8 The humility of learning help to the
leading of God and scriptures for a deeper understanding of what Augustine’s mentoring. As the
mentor, they should ever stop trying to learn.
6 Ibid., 184.
7 Ibid., 186-187.
8 Ibid.,
Disciples as a Mentor
The first way we can observe Augustine as a disciple by: (a) he believed that an ascetic
lifestyle was the most strategic approach to achieving perfection and that the community of
monks provided the needed accountability and support; (b) he continue to grow by being humble
about what he did not know or understand and by actively inviting others’ input; (c) he was a
growing disciple in his theological development- he seems to have developed his views on
miracles and the role of relics in Christian worship; (d) Augustine grew through his writings,
spiritually: (e) he shows a lifelong commitment to growing as a disciple through demonstrating
humility and transparency.9
To have learned more, it was an interaction among the leading of the disciples and
mentoring. Theology was the made to be the setting of the day through the monastic. Along side
the example, Augustine believed that imitating holy examples resulted a spiritual growth- he
preached that the foundation of the Christian life was imitating Christ- becoming like Christ.10
Augustine’s preaching held the examples of modeling imitation for exampling the saints and
martyrs.
Reflection on early Christian’s principles and practices
According to Augustine, the twenty-first century Christians leaders ought to consider
seriously Augustine’s thoughts on mentoring in a trinitarian of Christian friends- the church
would well to slow down and place more emphasis on quality relationships in which there is
9 Ibid., 188-189.
10 Ibid., 193.
spiritual depth.11 The reflection on what early Christian’s principles and practices of spiritual
formation might apply today in ministry are pretty much similar. As I read the format that
Ferguson of the early church is slightly different from the way we are setup: Opening song/
prayers, reading of either the New/Old Testament, praise/worship (2 of each), offering,
exhortation and sermon message, alter call and benediction.
I can truly say that many church leaders can learn from Augustine to help them in the 21st
century. The examples that he has given can be followed through. One thing I can say is that
churches need to have more discussion among the members and not just the board members.
Like Augustine stated about being around like-minded people, we all need to be around like-
minded people. In our church ministry, we only have an open discussion when it comes to new
members joining the ministry. They are opening to discuss whatever is on their heart concerning
the ministry and what part of the ministry they will benefit from the most. At our previous
church before starting our ministry, there was never an open discussion only when it was new
members orientation.
Training church leaders
Touching Lives Ministry will try implement some of what Augustine used for training
church leaders. The purpose of Augustine’s discussion is to help leaders grow so that they can
reach other individuals for Christ. Also, help members with growth, learned and grow Christian
disciples. There are areas we can work on to help the spiritual leaders to develop: discipleship is
the first area they will begin to work with. That is an area where they learn how to stay the
course. Next the area is focusing on small group discussion. They will be able to interact with the
small groups and the people will be free to open to talk when the group is small. Once the leaders
11 Ibid., 221.
learn about the small groups, they will learn how to operate a small group setting. And lastly,
training for leadership. Training for leadership will help the leaders to be motivate and develop
other to discipleship for Christ.
Also, to help develop the small group, devotion of daily texts can be a help in growing
their faith. The resources such as videos, books, lectures, etc., for small group and training
leaders will help to develop discipleship. My husband has a book that is called Align
Assignment, the book was developed to help church leaders on how to align/to do things
according to God’s purpose/will. The book is also developed to help to motivate leaders. So, I
know this book will be used doing small group and new member’s class. Everyone has an
assignment, and we know what God has called the person to do in ministry we can learn from
resources. We must help develop the person, so they just do not come to church to keep the seat
warm but being busy in the ministry. Also, we will have small group to listen every month (once
weekly) to my husband podcast because he will help to grow their faith. So, I do believe going
forward we can implement some of the things that Augustine’s’ was speaking on in the book.
Conclusion
We have observed Augustine as a disciple that was in his commitment to ascetic living in
the context of a community, he believed that an ascetic lifestyle was the most strategic approach
to achieving perfection and that the community of monks provided the needed accountability and
support.12 This book let us know that the disciple is still can be a mentor. Augustine and the
church fathers were deeply committed to sound doctrine based on the proper interpretation of the
Scriptures and allow leaders to work where he was weak.13 Augustine was a person who believe
it is better to learn than to teach, we can agree otherwise disagree.
12 Ibid., 188.
13 Ibid., 221.
Augustine believed that spiritual growth happened throughout obedience to the Scriptures
taught in the community of faith, when eliminating sinful practices because of their obedience
for the Scriptures.14 Augustine is a towering figure in church history, he serves as the climax of
patristic thought in Latin and was the dominant influence on the Latin Middle Ages-so much so
as to be called the “Architect of the Middle Ages”- he continued to be a major influence in
theology for both Catholics (especially in his views on the church and the sacraments) and
Protestants (especially in regard to grace and salvation).15 I believe following some of his rituals
will be a great help for upcoming church leaders to implement within their ministry and to help
the growth of the leaders.
Bibliography
Ferguson, Everett. Church History Volume 1: From Christ to the Pre-Reformation: The Rise and
Growth of the Church in Its Cultural, Intellectual, and Political Context. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2013.
Smither, Edward L. Augustine as Mentor: A Model for Preparing Spiritual Leaders. Nashville,
Tn: B&H Academic, 2009.
14 Ibid., 192.
15 Everett Ferguson. Church History Volume 1: From Christ to the Pre-Reformation: The Rise and Growth of the
Church in Its Cultural, Intellectual, and Political Context. 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013).
