The Mentor You Didn't Ask For

In a sermon that moves between personal confession and biblical exposition, Steven Furtick takes on the modern obsession with mentorship—not to dismiss guidance altogether, but to expose a deeper spiritual problem. The central question: What happens when the thing you want God to remove from your life turns out to be the very instrument he uses to shape you?

The Problem with "My Player" Christianity

Furtick opens with a raw admission. He recently told his family he "doesn't believe in mentors anymore"—an extreme statement he now acknowledges was too strong, but one born from real experience. He recalls meeting with a man early in his church planting days, asking to use a building, only to have the man respond: "Son, what you really need is a daddy. I'll be your daddy."

That kind of predatory pseudo-mentorship is one problem. But the deeper issue, Furtick argues, is the way we approach spiritual growth like a video game character creator. He describes watching his son play NBA 2K, building a "my player" with customized stats, skills, and appearance. "I kind of always wanted God to give me someone who would supercharge me with the answers," he says. A one-stop shop for a mistake-free ministry and life.