Too many focus on posturing, name-dropping, and rubbing elbows with superstars. We must repent of our celebrity status if we are going to see God move in these dire times. It’s exhausting but that’s what we are called to do - to turn greenrooms into prayer rooms. Instead of coming to an event and sliding in under the radar, doing our thing, and exiting unnoticed, we need to be among the people whenever possible. We are watchmen, weepers, and teachers, not rock stars who need greenrooms full of delights and water chilled to 40°. I’ve been backstage in greenrooms, and although not true of all, the spiritual condition of many is sad to witness. To be sure, there’s nothing wrong with godly ambition - we must be disciplined and respond to God’s call - but He must get all the credit and glory. For this reason, I must be on guard when the devil whispers in my ear, “Look at everything you’ve built.” God opened enormous doors to air my sermons all across America, write books, and speak nationally. God took this small-town boy with dyslexia who was often labeled “stupid,” and called him to the ministry. Granted, my motives aren’t always pure if I don't stay close to the Fountain of Living Water and drink deeply - brokenness and humility must be the fuel that fills us. The American Idol mentality will never usher in another spiritual awakening it will repel it. We are not building our ministry (let God handle that), we are called to build others. We are not celebrities: We are sent to help the broken, the hurting, and the lost. It’s not about your position but your posture … the posture of your heart. There’s nothing wrong with God growing a ministry as long as we remember Who grew it. This must break the heart of God because “no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Cor. Whether it's itinerant speakers requiring Hollywood status, worship teams demanding the rock star treatment, or pastors chasing “likes” and “retweets,” celebrityism has infiltrated the churches on a scale never seen before. Remaining true to God’s call (not mine) is the only thing that keeps me going. If I could go back to having a small church without a national calling, I may jump at the opportunity. To deal with the stress of ministry, we sometimes believe that popularity (celebrityism) will fix our problems: Life would be so much easier if I could just be a mega-ministry pastor and have 100,000 followers and a popular podcast. Pastors’ wives feel it as well and they are often the unsung heroes in this battle. We are also often stretched financially, relationally, emotionally, and physically all while living in a fishbowl for the world to see. This is why thousands exit the ministry each year. Close friends leave you, others betray you, social media slams you, the world hates you, and demonic forces rally against you and your marriage. Without question, one of the hardest jobs is being a Christian leader, especially a pastor.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |