Maturing Through Imitation | December 2021 Monthly Newsletter
Written by Ps. Nicholas Hung | Senior Pastor of Antioch Gospel Church
Hi Church,
It’s might be hard for some of us to believe, but the year is just about gone! For over half-the-year we’ve been doing church exclusively online and it’s only recently that we’ve been able to start gathering in person again after a second extensive lockdown so we’re still kind of feeling like we’re living in new beginnings … but perhaps it’s just us! We’ve all experienced many different feelings, emotions and struggles this year and we are sure that many of us will be glad to say ‘goodbye’ to 2021 and ‘hello’ to a fresh season ahead. Let’s believe that it will be a great one in every way.
In the interest of continually growing and moving forward, this month we write about the importance of Godly imitation – a principle the apostle Paul evidently felt important enough that he wrote to the Corinthian believers,
“Therefore I urge you, imitate me.” (1 Corinthians 4:16 NKJV)
A significant amount of our early growth and development takes place through imitation. A baby repeats their parent’s words and speaks their first words, however garbled they may be. A younger sibling desires to be just like an older sibling. A student studiously copies the teacher’s whiteboard example and develops a new skill. A teenager aspires to be like a famous personality – and they adopt the same hair style, the same dress code and the same style of speech. An aspiring leader looks up to a wise leader for direction and aspiration.
Within the church, imitation is also a powerful agent in our growth. A new believer adopts the cultures of the ministry through imitation. Ministry skills are learned through imitation. Spiritual gifts are often first exercised through imitation. This is one reason why it’s so important that we grow within the context of the right cultures and pure Godly examples. And it’s why we must be so concerned with playing our part to set the right example for others – when we do what’s right, what’s right is emulated by others. When we do what’s less than right, lesser outcomes are achieved.
Two Important Principles of Imitation
Our choices matter
When we personally conduct our lives in a Godly way and set Godly examples we empower others to live their lives in a Godly way. Paul boldly declared, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV) He knew the key to developing a generation of Godly people was for him to live the right lifestyle.
If we’re going to have a positive influence in this world, including upon our children and our closest family, we have a responsibility to live our lives in a Godly way.
2. ‘Who’ and ‘What’ we imitate matters
We must learn to be selective imitators – not being the parrot that naively repeats every word we hear, good or evil, without adequate filtering. John wrote,
“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” (3 John 1:11 NKJV)
Imitating God in every way must be a goal we pursue. Being a true disciple of Jesus means following Jesus and becoming more like Him every day and in every way. To build strong marriages and develop strong families we may imitate the strengths of others who have already developed the kind of life we want to see for ourselves. To gain success we may imitate those who have followed God and experienced His promises fulfilled in their lives through faith and patience. Choose wisely whom and what you will imitate.
Living Out Our Individual Calling, Even While Imitating Others
Imitation is indeed a powerful key for our personal maturity and the maturity of one another within the church, but it must also be stated that that Godly imitation was never meant to usurp the unique, creative oneness of who you and I were designed to be in God. Godly imitation doesn’t mean we are to become splitting images of one another - it means becoming so tightly connected with God’s values and His heart for us that we become totally enlightened by His Spirit to become who we are individually called to be.
In short, let’s be imitators of the right things in others; let’s be setting the kind of example that others could and should be imitating, and let’s keep growing together into the family of believers that God has called us to be, that are having an amazing impact in this world. In what areas of your life would you be willing to say, “I know that others would genuinely grow to greater places in God if they imitated me in that area?” What a powerful thought!
We trust that you’ll enjoy a very warm and blessed Christmas season and we look forward to another fruitful year ahead as we continue serving Him together as a family.
Blessings from the entire Antioch Team,
Pastor Nicholas Hung and Pastor Grace Lim