Christian Leader: Imitation or Real Deal?

It’s amazing to consider the impact we can have on others when we least mean to. I can think back on the people who have had an impact on my life, and though a few of them happened in Bible studies or church services, most of them happened when I was living life alongside a spiritual mentor.

When I was in college, I was involved in my university's Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM). One of the major emphases of this ministry was missions and getting students to serve in missions both locally and internationally. One year, our local mission trip was in Jacksonville, FL. We were about 3 hours or so into our trip from Mobile, AL, to Jacksonville when the 1980 conversion van the BCM had just received as a donation, sputtered to a stall on the side of the Interstate. Little did we know we would spend the next 8 hours in Marianna, GA at a shop waiting for a water pump to be replaced. While we waited, our BCM director was calm under pressure, not seeming to be bothered by the fact that we would be late to our arrival in Jacksonville.

One of the longest-lasting impressions of him was that he spoke boldly about the Gospel and lived it; you could see it in his life. Even on a hot summer afternoon, waiting on a hopeful repair to get back on the road, he made efforts to talk to us about things that mattered, about faith, about patience and the Lord’s timing.

We probably all have this type of person in our lives, someone who not only talks the talk but walks the walk. As youth workers, unseen, we are those people for some of our students. So, the question at the outset is this: Are we living lives that truly pursue Christ, knowing that others are watching to see whether our lives reflect what we say we believe?

We all probably quote passages like 1 Timothy 4:12 to our students, encouraging them to not to let others look down on them in their faith. We encourage them to live good and honest lives and to trust God in their daily actions. 

But one verse that has taken a shift in my life lately is Hebrews 13:7.

“Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.” (CSB)

I say it has taken a shift because for most of my life I have tried to do what this verse says. I have tried to look for and follow those leaders in my life who are faithfully following God. Those who have instructed me in the faith and who live lives of obedience. We can all likely think of people who have been a good or bad example of following Christ. The shift happened when I started to consider the impact this verse has when we start looking at it from the eyes of those who are watching us, from the eyes of those who hear us share God’s word with them.

Remember Your Leaders

As we remember those who led us and who spoke God’s Word over us, we should also consider who we are leading and speaking to about God’s Word. One day we will be the leaders who are being remembered. Will we be remembered for what we say in a Bible study or for how we live our lives day to day? My BCM director I mentioned above was not a perfect man, but in the same trip, while we were on our way home from Jacksonville, we had another vehicle malfunction. We blew a rear tire within one mile of the exit for Marianna, GA. We got out, put on the spare, and not half a mile later the spare blew apart. From the front seat, I heard my BCM Director laugh and exclaim, “Satan can’t steal my joy!!!”

Was the director speaking the Gospel in this moment? Was he teaching the goodness of God? Was he reveling in the faithful provision of God? I am not sure, but what it felt like to me was someone who refused to let Satan take away the joy of a man facing adversity, but doing so under the hand of a faithful God. Years later, I asked him about this trip, and he didn’t recall the moment, but he said: “I probably yelled that to stop myself from saying something else.” Yet, even still, what I saw was the truth of God’s Word impacting him, even in a hard and frustrating moment.

As student ministry workers, our students are always watching, and how we respond in moments of frustration, sleepiness, excitement, or fear can do a lot to cement or destroy our reputation as a Christ follower and leader. I am not suggesting that we act fake, but instead, by looking at the leaders with the greatest impact, we probably see that the truth of God’s Word has found its way into their very being. When we are off the stage, or out of the Bible study room, are we worth remembering? Are we living a life worth looking toward? Are we telling students to avoid making social media an idol while spending hours doomscrolling at night? Students are watching, and not watching to judge us, but they do see if what we say agrees with how we live.

Carefully Observe the Outcome of Their Lives

I hate that it seems so common for religious leaders to fall. Even in our own church communities, we have likely seen fathers have affairs, wives steal money from work, and leaders have inappropriate relationships. All while each of these individuals claims Christianity or leads a small group. I am not here to say those individuals are not Christians, but instead to say that we all have people we have looked up to who have fallen. People who have had good things to say, incredible teaching series, or built a giant ministry, then in a moment or season of sin, they have fallen.

This is one reason the writer of Hebrews points toward the examination of the outcome of their lives. For years now I have told others that I enjoy reading dead preachers and theologians because I know how their story ended. How much impact does it have on a faith community when a leader falls into sin, or runs into sin? Leaders, are you setting your eyes on the finish line? Are you desiring to run the race to completion? Whenever I hear or read an article or see someone in my community fall into sin, I take a moment to examine the walls in my life introspectively. Are my walls still strong? Are there areas in my life where I am compromising my faith? Are there “small sins” I am justifying? In keeping with Hebrews, would my life hold up to careful observation?

We all need the encouragement to be reminded that one day our entire life will be observed by others. Will the way we live our lives be worth imitation?

Imitate Their Faith

Every one of us would likely answer the humblest of “no's" to this question. Do we want our lives to be imitated? Do we ask students to do as we say while really hoping they don’t do as we do? Don’t get it wrong, an imitation of our faith is not the end goal. We are not after small versions of ourselves running around. Yet, even Paul told countless believers to imitate his faith. Do we strive after Christ in such a way that is worth imitation? A few years ago, I learned the difference between imitation vanilla extract and real vanilla extract. If you do not already know, go look it up; it is kind of gross. But are we ok with showing students an imitation of a Christian life because that’s much easier and simpler to come by than the real Christian life that only comes through dedicated, committed submission to Jesus Christ as Lord? 

I hope I have not come across as overly critical. There is a real call in this passage in Hebrews for us, especially as leaders in the church and people who are leading young hearts and souls, to be men and women worth imitating. Students are always watching us; they hear what we say, they see what we do. Are those two things in agreement? Are we leaders whom they will one day remember for teaching them, living a Christian life, and finding something worth imitating?

Questions to Consider:

• When students observe how you respond to frustration, stress, disappointment, or conflict, what does your response communicate about your faith in Christ?

• Are there any areas of your life where what you teach students and how you live are out of alignment? What would it look like to bring those areas under greater submission to Christ?

• If a student closely observed your life for the next year, what aspects of your faith would you hope they would imitate—and what is one area where you need to grow?