I had two conversations with two different pastors within a 24-hour period, completely different people, different conversations, and the same topic came up in both. That’s worth thinking about!

• Pastor Bill said something like, “I’m a huge fan of Richard Foster (Celebration of Discipline). I always wanted his level of discipline and contemplation. One day I realized that I’m not Richard Foster, and that was very freeing to me.”
• Pastor Joe said something like, “I’m a huge fan of Andy Stanley. My wife and I watch him preach every Sunday morning [even when Joe is going to be preaching somewhere himself!]. One day I realized that I’m not Andy Stanley. I will be satisfied preaching the way I preach.”

We all aspire to be better at our craft, whatever it is, and we all want to be effective disciples, but we have to do whatever we do within the person God made us to be. And we have to help others be the best people God made them to be.

Robert Gelinas, a pastor in Aurora, CO, has written a book Discipled by Jesus, in which he makes the point that we’re not trying to help people look like us. We’re trying to connect people to Jesus so that he can make them look like him.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2.10, ESV)

…my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! (Galatians 4.19, ESV)