Last week I reprised an earlier note re: the
danger of high profile service as a sports chaplain and the crash of one of our
colleagues. Another perspective was offered by my friend and valued colleague,
Pastor Shane Bishop of Christ United Methodist Church in Fairview Heights,
Illinois. Please give Shane’s thoughts on the perilous nature of Christian
Leaders and Celebrity Culture.
Christian Leaders and
Celebrity Culture
April
15, 2016
This week I read about the
“crash and burn” of another well-known Mega-church pastor. It is truly
heartbreaking. We have all watched this movie before. We cry every
time. I hurt for the spouse and family of the pastor, the congregation
and the many people who are just a little further from Jesus than they were
before the announcement. I also hurt for the pastor. I don’t know a
single person who accepted the call to ministry hoping the whole thing would blow
up and cause harm to the Kingdom of God. Satan laughs. People of
faith weep. Again. It is tragic by any account.
As I was reflecting upon
the situation, Matthew’s account of the Temptation of Jesus came to mind.
A clear theme of the wilderness showdown between Jesus and Satan was the lure
of “celebrity culture.” Satan attempted to entice Jesus to throw off the larger
mission for just a moment to “jump off the Temple” so everyone could see the
angels rescue him. It was a straight up publicity stunt. Satan effectively
said, “Just film the whole thing on your iPhone, post it on YouTube, it
go viral and you will be a star!” Jesus responded, “Do
not test the Lord your God.” He passed the temptation of
celebrity. Countless others who followed him would fail.
The convergence of
celebrity culture, worldwide social media and massive congregations have
certainly conspired to tempt and eventually ensnare some of the most gifted and
talented Pastors in the country. A part of Satan’s temptation was to take
Jesus “off mission.” To distract him from the purpose of his earthly
manifestation; toward the marketing and leveraging of it. Jumping off the
Temple and the following “angel rescue” clip would no doubt sell books and gain
Facebook friends and Twitter followers. It might even spark a new reality
television show. The Jesus Brand would be benefitted immensely but the
cost would come at the expense of the Jesus Mission, “To seek and save the
lost.”
High profile Christian
leaders today are in a precarious position in many ways. On one hand,
they have the opportunity to reach more people for Christ than was imaginable
just one generation ago. On the other hand, there have never been more
opportunities to lose your way, your principles, your morality or your
soul. And if they fall, they will take many down with them who deserve
far better. It is easy to get lost in celebrity culture. Leaders
must remember as a spiritual discipline that we are called to be servants and
not celebrities.
In a culture that worships
at the cult of personality, Christian leaders who have been entrusted by God
with the spotlight, must remember that celebrity is precisely what Jesus
rejected. Jesus said, “What should it profit a man if he gain the
whole world but lose his soul?” (Mark 8:36 JKV) It remains an
excellent question. Keep it real.
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