Quick Poll

With the recent passing of music icons Donna Summer and Robin Gibb – each had major success in the 1970s and 1980s – which music decade is your favorite?

Recent Polls

Blogs

Angela McRae

Tea with friends

Deberah Williams

Everyday Finesse

Lorrie Lynch

Who's News

Published Saturday, July 31, 2010 in Religion

Former Cowetan writes book about mentors

By Winston Skinner

The Newnan Times-Herald

John Winters believes everyone needs a SAM -- someone who will Stand by them And guard their back, someone who will be a Mentor for life.

He shared that conviction with his wife, Corby, as they were watching a movie in their home in Coweta County awhile back. She turned to him and said simply: "Write the book."

He did.

"Everyone Needs A Sam" (paper, 129 pages, Total Publishing, $10) made its debut about three weeks ago. Writing is almost second nature to Winters, and he had the ideas for "Sam" rolling around in his head for about three years. He spent about a month putting together the book.

"The book is about mentors. It's about our need for mentors," Winters said.

Lots has happened in the lives of the Winters' family since the day John and Corby had the epiphany that led to the book. The family, who had lived in Coweta County for seven years, moved to Grand Lake in northeast Oklahoma.

Now, they are back in Coweta County for a visit with friends. John Winters also is talking about the concepts of mentorship from his book at several events and signing copies of "Sam" at Scott's Bookstore in downtown Newnan.

"Sam" has a strong biblical basis. John Freeland, who was the Winters' pastor when they attended Jones Chapel United Methodist Church at Madras, wrote a foreword for the book, and there are references to the relationships between John and Jesus and between Joseph and Pharoah.

In a chapter that deals with seeking advice from people who are wise, Winters refers to Rehoboam, Solomon's son who ended up dividing the kingdom by taking the advice of his friends instead of his father's counselors. "He went with his buddies, and the kingdom fell apart," Winters said.

There is a chapter that focuses on Jesus. Winters' writes of Jesus as both "the Ultimate Sam" and "the greatest Sam possible." While admitting the Trinity is a difficult concept to conceptualize, Winters goes on to describe the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the perfect Sam.

Winters will be speaking at The Altar Church on Sunday at 10 am. Longtime friend Don Helms is the pastor there, and the congregation meets in the cafeteria at Welch Elementary School.

Winters also will be speaking at Skyland United Methodist Church in Atlanta where Freeland is now the pastor on Friday at 7 p.m. and on Aug. 8 at 10 a. m. and 11 a.m.

The book signing at Scott's will be Friday from 2-3:30 p.m.

Winters, who grew up in Tulsa, Okla., spent 24 years in the newspaper industry. An award-winning investigative reporter, he was nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize.

He later became a bureau chief in Washington, D.C., publisher of a daily newspaper and director of a national news service.

The book explores "what I believe is a commandment and not a suggestion" in the Bible, he said. "We are to seek advice and counsel from as many godly people as possible."

The goal is to obtain "what the Bible calls wisdom," he said.

Winters emphasized that Sams are human and that mentors can offer advice but individuals still must make decisions and take responsibility for them. A true Sam will be there even when someone does not take their advice, he said.

Some Sams are around in a person's life for decades. Others may serve as a Sam for a specific moment. They may not always be spiritual people. In the book, Winters recounted an experience where a non-Christian who liked to party gave him the advice he needed at a pivotal moment.

He also noted the relationships Joseph had with the pagan Egyptian ruler and Moses shared with his Midianite father-in-law. "God can use anyone and anything to advance His purposes," Winters said.

"Sam" has a scriptural basis but the emphasis is on application of biblical principles related to mentoring. "It's a very non-threatening appeal. It is not Christianity slammed at your head," Winters said.

The book has three parts. The first is Winters' exploration of the biblical concept of mentoring. There is a strong autobiographical flavor to that section. The second section, "Sams on Sams," takes a different approach. "I asked a dozen Sams in my life -- people who were there at a specific time -- if they would be willing to share their own stories."

The third and final portion of the book is a single page that invites readers to share their own stories about mentors and their impact for his blog at sam@everyoneneedsasam.com. "I want people to share their own stories," Winters said.

He said it does not matter if what is submitted is two sentences or five pages. He asks participants to share "what did you learn and what did they share with you" in a mentoring experience.

Writing style and skills are not the point of the blog. "It's a sharing what you've learned from others," Winters said.