I asked my friend Dwight Robertson to critique one of my sermons via cassette tape (remember those?) back when I was in college.
He liked my passion, but he had some concerns. He didn’t say my theology was sketchy. He didn’t detect spiritual pride, or anything like that, really.

But to him, my preaching style sounded an awful lot like another preacher we both knew and loved. My vocal inflections mimicked his. My word choices were almost identical. I was practically a carbon copy. And that bothered Dwight.

I was kind of caught off guard by this criticism. I mean, is it a sin to be inspired by someone else and desire to emulate their effectiveness?
Of course not.
The problem comes when what I see God doing through someone else puts the handcuffs on the unique gifts God has deposited in me.

Not only is it permissible to have heroes, role models, and mentors-
it’s mandatory for those who want to get better.
But sometimes your admiration for that person’s ability can actually lead to bondage.
When you hear a great preacher preach (let’s use Rob Bell for an example, because he’s freakishly smart and very original) your first thought may be:
“I wish I could bring it like him.”
Well, you can’t. You’re not supposed to. You’re supposed to bring it like you.
Rob Bell is already bringing it like Rob Bell. So you don’t need too. God’s already got the Rob Bell thing covered, that’s why he made Rob Bell.
Besides, only a freak can know that much about first century Judaism. So don’t go there.

Instead, think:
“Man, he can really bring it. I want to be able to bring it better next week than I did this week. I want to be able to bring it at the highest level of my capacity.”
And then get to work preparing instead of wasting time comparing.
Let the inspiration of how others preach, lead, and walk with God drive you to greater preparation and better creation, not imitation (dang, I’m flowin’).
Otherwise, you’ll limit yourself to being a second or third generation copy. A cheap replica.
Don’t let some other church’s growth confine you to the parameters of “the way they did it.” Learn from them. Steal some stuff, and translate other stuff to fit your context… eat the fish, leave the bones.
But don’t ever believe the lie that there is one monolithic method God blesses.

Instead of allowing someone else’s success to enslave you to emulate efforts, I pray that when you see God’s hand on others it would set you free to be yourself better than you ever have before.