Following Jesus in the "Real World": Discipleship for the Post-College Years

by Richard W. Lamb

What does it mean to follow Jesus after college? If it was ever easy to graduate from college, choose a direction, and move on in life, it's not easy today. The terrain is unmapped, the destination uncertain, the stakes high. To add to the pressure, Christians often find themselves looking back nostalgically on their school days. Then they knew genuine community, found time to pray, weren't obsessed with money. The "real world" they were promised (or threatened with) during college turns out to be a maze in the haze. Where is God in all this? Richard Lamb deftly blends scriptural insights, stories of recent graduates, and his own life experience to offer sound advice and practical encouragement for a confusing time. As he shows time and again, on matters from jobs to ministry, discipleship can continue after university. Whether you're just finishing a degree or graduated a decade ago, if you look back longingly on the spirituality of your college years and wonder how you can regain it, this the book for you.

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Christian Living

223 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 1995

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from a brother in Christ who led IVCF at Yale my senior year. Like many of the books I am currently reading, I am slowly plowing through the book with extended periods of having put it down and not picked it up in a while. The book is a goldmine of inspiration and helpful advice on what it means to be a follower of Christ outside of the school environment. In that regard, it has encouraged and enlightened me as I transitioned from being a full-time student to becoming a full-time worker, and Audio Video Engineer now. This is not a book that one can just "plow through" as I have attempted to do though. To really utilize this book, you have to put it into use. Along with charts and visuals, every chapter concludes with a "reflection" section that in filled with relevant questions and finishes with a "further reading" section with related sources.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to be honest: superficial things about this book bugged me at first. Like how much the version I read dated itself, including the '80s-fabulous cover (http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images...) that apparently Goodreads is too embarrassed to show - mind you, the book was published in 1995. The author also tries too hard to make the tone conversational in the first couple of chapters. Additionally, although this is no one's fault but my own (and I was warned that this would be the case), the first couple of chapters really are aimed at people entering, as he says, the post-college years and will just seem irrelevant to those who are more than a year or two out.

If I had been reading this on my own, I probably would have ditched it within the first 50 pages. I'm glad I didn't. I've seen better, clearer prose elsewhere, but the content is really solid content on discipleship. He gives a lot of very specific suggestions that are often helpful in imagining exactly what he has in mind, though they sometimes give you the sense that this is the only way to live life and other variations are problematic. But overall, a lot of thought-provoking ideas.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book to read at this time in my life: during my final semester of my undergraduate career and searching for where I want to serve God with a career and with my lifestyle. I am tremendously grateful to one of my pastors for recommending this book to me last summer. I am excited to read his other book "The Pursuit of God in the Company of Friends".

There is a lot of thoughtful, biblical material in here. The reflection questions at the end of each chapter were excellent. Chapter 4 on Meaningless Work and Fruitful Labor is one I should re-read especially as I begin work in the "real world" and attempt to use my time and talent for the kingdom.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked it up recently and surprised by how relevant it still felt. Some really great suggestions.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I barely made it halfway and couldn't finish it. I found it rather boring.

[Anna Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suppose I should put this as "read" for this year since I basically re-read the whole thing and compiled discussion notes for cell group. LOL