Infusing the Classic Work “The Imitation of Christ,” by Thomas à Kempis, into the Lives of True Believers

Please view our mission essay here.

What if just 10% of Christians actually lived the way Jesus asks us to?

This is the central question of our mission and vision. It’s to this end that we are committing the next 25 years to bringing the ageless wisdom of The Imitation of Christ into a spiritually hungry culture. And in the process, perhaps inspire that “10% of Christians”—whoever, wherever they may be. Through a powerful mix of media spanning original books, music, film, art, conferences, research, broadcast media—and community—we’re working to illustrate and amplify the elemental themes explored in the classic text as living narratives; not abstract theological notions, but corporeal, tangible, transcendent truths that are able to empower anyone to live a life of imitation.

But what, exactly, does that mean? What will it require of one who sets out on such a path? Are its demands reasonably compatible with modern, practical, daily living? What kinds of sacrifices will it involve? And what of professional ambitions and personal goals—how might those be affected? More to the point, is it even possible to live such a life today? If so, who is living it? And how are they living it? In what ways has it mattered? Or is the notion of imitating Christ really just an outmoded, archaic idea to be taken more figuratively than literally? Has the theology somehow evolved to accommodate or otherwise fit a conventional, average Christian life lived in contemporary society? What does Scripture really tell us about imitating Christ? And this business of denying self and taking up crosses—what, practically speaking, does that mean today? And, well, “What’s in it for me?”

These are but a few of the questions, issues, and themes we’ll investigate through compelling, unflinching content that, while ever-encouraging a life of imitation will also engage, but challenge; disrupt, but also comfort. In the process, via our magazine, What If?, we’ll go even deeper with those who take these questions to heart and continue to learn what it means to faithfully answer the call, “Come after Me.”

Our guide and companion through this exciting, if not sometimes dangerous, terrain is none other than Thomas à Kempis, the intrepid medieval monk who penned “De Imitatione Christi”—The Imitation of Christ. We’ve blown the dust off his classic volume to bring it front and center where it can speak to our present age, revealing to us anew the “pearl of great price which but few find.”

The time has never been better—nor more urgent—to undertake this extraordinary journey of discovery. We hope you’ll join us!

Page through our special illuminated edition of the book here.

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Note: In Christian theology, the imitation of Christ is the practice of following the example of Jesus—a “pattern” that was well established by the early Church. Augustine, in fact, viewed the imitation of Christ as the fundamental purpose of Christian life. Foundational Scripture passages include Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Luke 14:27; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Peter 2:21; and others.