When I started as an evangelist my role model was Billy Graham. I would listen to his radio messages every chance I had. I even copied how he presented the Good News. Eventually I developed my own style. But years later I confessed to Mr. Graham that I had used his notes and outlines in my own evangelism when starting out. Was he annoyed? Most certainly not! He told me he had probably developed his own preaching style by emulating people before him.

It’s okay to imitate teachers of the Bible as we begin to reach our world provided they are true to scripture, of course. This is exactly how Jesus taught and equipped his own disciples. The disciples traveled with him for three years and Jesus sent them out two by two to do what he had modeled for them. They learned through imitating. The Apostle Paul says, “Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.”

As the Lord puts a mission on our hearts to pursue let’s not get discouraged by not knowing where to start. Instead let’s search for those who have gone before us and glean from them. Perhaps you could even help serve their mission, become their apprentice. Then as you seek to walk out on your own, use this wisdom to reach the people in the world around you. That’s what I did.

This is Luis Palau.