Who is your role model for the Christian life?
All of us learn by imitation. From our earliest days, we pattern our lives after the examples set before us. We absorb their habits and characteristics—both the good and the bad, as every parent knows too well.
Ligonier Ministries has created a new book filled with godly examples from redemptive history. Request Heroes of the Christian Faith, featuring teaching from Dr. R.C. Sproul, with your donation this month.
For me, faithful pastors and theologians are my heroes.
The Lord Jesus Christ has given these men to His church as gifts (Eph. 4:11–12). They are on the front lines of the gospel’s advance. He used faithful preachers to lead me away from the “seeker-sensitive” approach to church growth and toward a biblical understanding of how God works through His ordinary means of grace. The church grows as pastors proclaim the whole counsel of God, tearing down strongholds of unbelief and advancing the Great Commission (2 Cor. 10:4–6) by means of the Word, prayer, and the sacraments.
This is why I am as passionate as ever about the purpose of Ligonier Ministries: to spread trusted Bible teaching from gifted theologians for the health of the church. This passion drove Dr. Sproul. He looked up to faithful Christians throughout history who devoted their lives to the ministry of the Word, and he took joy in serving in that long line through the teaching fellowship he established at Ligonier.
The generous support of Ligonier’s donors is vital for strengthening the church. Following our founder’s example, friends such as you help lift up God’s glorious Word so that generations to come, and nations around the world, may love and serve the Lord.
The heart of Christian discipleship is learning to imitate our Savior. One way we do this is by patterning our lives after saints who have gone before us and believers who are ahead of us in their walk with the Lord. The Apostle Paul illustrated this pattern when he urged the Corinthians to “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).
It matters immensely who influences us and whose example we follow.
Today, many people—especially young people—model their lives after the wrong heroes. Influencers, athletes, and entertainers shape the popular imagination, yet their character typically does not drive anyone to Christ. Even within the church, many are led astray by false teaching and unbiblical ideas. Others grow complacent in the pursuit of holiness, aimless and without a guide.
God calls His people not to be conformed to the pattern of this world. We must instead seek to renew our minds by His Word and Spirit (Rom. 12:2). Helping Christians cultivate renewed minds is the objective of Ligonier’s Bible-teaching outreach as we exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, the Hero and Champion of our salvation. He is our hope and our highest model for faithfulness.
Ligonier seeks to help Christians follow the Lord by building what we believe is the world’s greatest discipleship library—more than 30,000 theological resources from 800 teachers. This library preserves the rich heritage of God-honoring heroism in the historic Christian faith:
The prophets and Apostles, whose costly obedience gave us Spirit-inspired Scripture;
Courageous leaders like Athanasius and Martin Luther, who defended the truth;
Great teachers like Augustine and John Calvin, who brought clarity to the church.
As R.C. said, “We need examples, not only in the Bible, but in church history, of people who were willing to stand against the whole world if necessary to be loyal and faithful to Christ.” Your support of Ligonier can help more people see the rich depths of historic Christianity and the courage it instills to live for God’s glory.
This month, we want to send you a new resource drawn from several of Dr. Sproul’s most well-known teaching series. Heroes of the Christian Faith is a book aiming to invigorate steadfast faith and godly conviction through the examples of twenty of the Lord’s servants, from Moses and Esther to Polycarp and Jonathan Edwards. Be among the first to receive the book with your donation.
The heroes in this book stood firm by God’s grace, yet they did not stand alone. Nor can Ligonier stand alone today. Your support is crucial as we begin this new budget year with a plan to expand outreach for the further proclamation of God’s Word.
Your prayers and financial generosity can help establish a pattern for Christian faithfulness by:
Guiding Christians at every stage of life with more Bible-teaching resources, including the now-complete Crucial Questions series of 50 booklets;
Equipping parents and teachers to model faithfulness for the next generation through the new digital Growing in God’s Word Bible curriculum and forthcoming translations;
And edifying the global church by releasing new Christ-exalting teaching each week on Ligonier’s dedicated websites in the world’s top 20 languages.
Please pray especially for our largest-ever distribution of the Reformation Study Bible next month. In August, Lord willing, 35,000 church leaders across four African nations will receive study Bibles in three languages. These pastors are hungry for reliable resources to help them guide their congregations to know the Lord deeply and follow Him faithfully.
Outreaches like this would not be possible without Ligonier’s thoughtful donors. God works through real people—like you and me—to spread truth and further discipleship in His church.
Thank you for standing with Ligonier today by making a timely gift that expands the reach of trusted Bible teaching, helping more Christians stand firm in the truth and live for God’s glory alone.
Ligonier Ministries