Don’t Be Another Cheap Imitation Preacher
Years ago I bought a pair of knock-off Oakley sunglasses while on a mission trip in Mexico. I thought they were cool.
They looked almost exactly like real Oakley sunglasses, but were only a fraction of the cost.
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I wore those beauties every day for a month. I looked good.
But after a month they suddenly fell apart. The frame snapped. The lenses popped out. My poor sunglasses were no more.
So what did I do? Hoping for a different result, I bought another pair. But the same thing happened. A month later they fell apart.
Real Oakley sunglasses don’t do that. Mine were a cheap imitation.
I bring up this story, because I fear that too many pastors have a cheap imitation mentality to preaching.
I was reminded of this recently while reading 1 Samuel 17. You know the story. David is about to face the giant Goliath. He is sure of God’s calling. He knows what he is supposed to do.
After convincing Saul to allow him to charge into battle, David faces a pivotal moment, a decision that could have completely changed the outcome of the story as we know it.
“38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.”
Saul puts David in his armor. After all, Saul is the king. Saul is a mighty warrior. Saul is a man of great influence – a man that many other men want to be like.
On top of that, Saul has the finest armor and the coolest sword in the land. Who wouldn’t want to be like the mighty king Saul (at least before he went all wickety-wack crazy)?
But David tries on Saul’s armor and makes a stunning decision. Rather than taking the kings royal weapons and armor, David chooses to fight the giant with a stick and stones!
He could have imitated the great warrior-king Saul, but David remained faithful to the shepherd that he was. A shocking decision, but you can’t argue with the results.
I can only imagine David charging into battle imitating Saul in the king’s armor only to trip over himself and become a quick afternoon snack for Goliath.
However, against all conventional wisdom and best practices of his day, David is more effective with his own weapons.
How does this apply to preaching?
I meet so many young men who want to see God do mighty things in their ministry, but they are copying the “kings” of our day. The famous pastors. The big name preachers. The guys who speak at all the conferences.
I have no problems with these preachers. In fact, I highly admire and respect most of them. I even subscribe to many of their podcasts.
The problem comes when we try to emulate them. We become a cheap imitation of our preaching idols.
You are not (insert name of your favorite preacher).
God made you to be (insert your name).
Like David, all preachers will face the temptation to be somebody they aren’t – somebody they perceive as greater than they are. But if you want to see God use you in amazing ways, stop trying to copy somebody else.
Learn from good preachers, yes. But don’t become a cheap copy of them.
You have your own unique calling to your own unique community. God created you to be you at this time for His unique purpose.
If you try to copy another preacher, you will fall short. You won’t fool anybody. You will be just another cheap imitation. A fake.
Your ministry may even fall apart like a pair of fake Oakley sunglasses.
Learn from David. Be who God created you to be. Don’t try to fit some perceived mold. Find your own unique voice.
Don’t be a cheap imitation. Be yourself while remaining faithful to God’s specific calling for you.
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