I am guilty of Copy Cat Christianity!

As I am sitting here in Starbucks right downstairs from the room we rent each Sunday to grow as a group of Jesus followers, it has struck me that I am Guilty. What am I guilty of? Being a copy cat christian! Many times I have fallen into the trap of the "be like me" success in Christianity and church leadership. Before you start throwing Paul's words at me "follow me as I follow Christ", let me make one thing very clear. Paul was following what Jesus told Him to do. This was Paul's mission to live Paul's mission. It is not my mission to live Paul's mission. My mission is to live the mission Christ has invited me to while on my journey with Jesus. Too many of us are trying to be another pastor, leader or christian. We are playing a dangerous mimic game that has us trying to be someone else and not what God has called us to walk in. God did not wire me like you and you are not wired like me (if you are run, run away!) God wired you and I specifically for the journey of intimacy He takes us through. Christian, quit trying to walk other people's journey! Walk the journey that God has invited you to walk. Pastors, please, let us help people walk the journey Christ has for them and not burden them with more Christian stuff but help them to love Jesus. As I walked into Starbucks this afternoon, I was swept into a conversation about tithing with a fellow Christian I had met last week and a Starbucks employee I have been praying for. The fellow Christian told me that I should tell her to tithe. Apparently this employee had been to church recently and they had gotten into a discussion about tithing. (Who gets into a discussion about tithing with someone they don't know if that person is a Jesus follower?)

Church, I am guilty of being a copy cat christian. So many times I have called people to mimic my stances and beliefs. I am realizing more and more that if people don't fall in love with Jesus, they are going to be in the same place as every person who has rejected Jesus. Christ did not die and rise again to make us keep some rules that we must now keep so that God will be happy with us, He died to return us back to intimacy and life with God the Father. The law shows us how far from God we are, Jesus' death and resurrection gives those that are far from God the chance to return to God. We were created to be with Jesus, not live RELIGION!

I am guilty of being a copy cat christian because I am guilty of trying every body's latest book that says do church this way and your church will grow. Can I just relieve some of us and proclaim that every church doesn't always grow and live long. Churches, being a group of living creatures, have a life span and that life span is dependent on what God wants from it. Are there churches that are missing the plans of God? Yes, are there churches that are not making disciples? Yes, so why are they alive if God is sovereign over His church? Because God is allowing them to live. God is the one that brings growth and life. But He is also the one that can bring death and closure to any church He wants. I don't know why God would allow something that is suppose to be His representatives to the world to live sinfully and not be part of His plan to return human kind to Him, but I know that He has a plan and purposes to what He does. I have read so many passages about Israel's disobedience and yet God allowed them to exists! Sorry, the reason I am guilty of being a copy cat is that I read those books and implement their plans to growth. I am guilty of thinking "God if I follow what they did, you will grow us". It doesn't work that way. God doesn't want us mimicking each other's path, He wants us to be intimately connected to His life and take us where He wants us. So what works for me, might not work for you. But you are welcome to follow me as I follow Christ, as long as God has us going in the same direction.

Christian, trust that God can take you where He wants you. Thank Him for those that He has given you to disciple you and pour into your life, but don't be surprised if He doesn't lead you into the pastorate just because your pastor discipled you.

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