Take for example this “fake me out” iPod Nano.  The company that invented this little clone, I’m sure would love it if you mistook it for a true real deal iPod Nano. And instead of being innovative and original the inventors of this knock-off, just decided to rip off a design that already existed and is popular. Another example is this lovely MiWi knock-off. I don’t think Nintendo is going to be too happy about this Wii clone. =)

Now, most smart consumers are not duped by these imitations. Some people might actually buy something like this because of the novelty, fun, or basic functionality that it does give them all for only 29.95. =) Although, most of the companies that produce stuff like this you will probably never hear from again. Chances are that they will be sued into bankruptcy by whatever company they are ripping off.

A lot of times as followers of Christ and as Churches, we are guilty of becoming a knock-off. We try to conform to whatever the latest trend or latest thing is, or we try too hard to emulate the way someone else is doing ministry. We become a copy-cat, clone or knock-off instead of being who God created us to be. Psalm 139:13 and Job 10:8 remind us of how God made us each so unique. And 1 Cor 12 tells us that we all are united in Christ, but we all play different roles and should look differently in the ways we serve. We aren’t living to our full potential if we aren’t serving and living as God has called us to.

Sometimes it’s even the reverse… Instead of trying to progress and develop our ministry, we hold back and try to remain the same, because we or others involved have a fear of change. We become clones and knock-off of the past. Maybe God did something great in your ministry years ago and your ministry is still holding on to some of that, instead of looking to what God wants to do today. We major on our old habits and the “we’ve always done it that way” factor, instead of really asking the questions of “how can our ministry reach this culture, city and neighborhood in which we live?”

My hope and prayer is that we would all seek God for discernment in how we are to live our lives and run our ministries. So that we would be original, creative, innovative and culturally relevant. That we would be like the “men of Issachar” in I Chronicles 12:32. It says they “understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” My hope is that we would have the wisdom and vision to understand the times and culture we live in so that we can be the Church and show Christ to those that need Him.

I’m not saying that we all shouldn’t learn and glean from one another… But, we should take what we learn and adapt it to our culture and use it in our own context.