Today I am chewing on the truth that only God should get the glory for any work done in His name. Especially when it comes to revival. In our day and time we live among Christian celebrities. There are famous preachers, musicians, vocalists, evangelists, and authors. Crowds flock to hear them. Their albums sell. Their books top the best sellers lists. People watch their every move.
I find this odd. How can a person be a Christian celebrity. Take that first word. Christian. Everything about that word is Christ first. Christ is to be exalted, promoted, and glorified. John the Baptist had it right when he said, "He must increase and I must decrease." [Jn 3:30] Paul had it right when he penned [Gal 2:20], "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." There are no thoughts of celebrity in either John the Baptist or Paul. Their lives were all about Christ first.
I once heard a preacher talking about Christianity in China and how there are no celebrity pastors. Serving Christ there and other places around the world might mean getting martyred. In the good old United States we have pastors, singing artists, and authors who live high on the hog. They make more money than the people they serve and live extravagantly. What is worse is they think they are entitled to live this way. How would they react if persecution came and their lives were on the line. Would they work to promote their name and ministry. Would they continue to shamelessly market themselves.
While the crowds flock to hear them preach, sing, or to read their latest book they often do not make time for the very people they claim to serve. They often brush people aside, take all measures to avoid the crowds, and perform well on stage but cannot be found once the spotlight has dimmed after the sermon, the concert, or the book signing. This is not the example of Jesus. He walked slowly through the crowds and touched people's lives. He loved, forgave, prayed, healed, and delivered people all through the gospels. He was available and accessible to people. Shouldn't all of us in ministry follow in His example?
I can see both sides of this issue. I know many started out well. They were humble. They began ministry in small obscure places. God placed His hand on their lives and used them in extraordinary ways. As their ministry grew God put them in more prominent places. The crowds continued to grow as well as the salary. Soon more people were brought on to handle the success. Praises were heaped on the preacher, the author, the singer. And then subtly a shift began. Instead of deflecting all the praise and glory to the Lord they began to enjoy it and crave more of it. Rather than offering their ministry as a sacrifice to the Lord they began offering ministry for the applause of the people. They longed for pats on the back, well wishes, and more success. They longed for the thrill of packed churches, arenas, or book signings.
As they continued to enjoy success people crowded just to be around them. Everywhere they went somebody was sparing no expense to entertain them until the preacher, singer, and author began to believe they deserved such treatment. Suddenly the hand of God was removed from their ministry. In the beginning nobody noticed. God does not share His glory with anyone. Eventually the success fades into mediocre crowds and a dwindling bank account. In extreme cases of this the celebrity stumbles and brings shame to the name of Christ.
I have never known huge success in ministry. I did enjoy a great deal of prominence while serving FBC Seminole. The church is a very prestigious church and many influential people attend that church. The church also enjoys a television ministry locally. Wherever I went in the community someone always stopped to tell me they watched me on television. One lady commented one day that I looked taller on television. It was weird. We would go out and eat and I would find people staring at me. I became self conscious when we were out in public aware somebody might be watching me.
I never thought of myself as a big deal and still don't. I had people lavish us with gifts, meals, and financial blessings. Brenda and I were always humbled by those acts of kindness. We never have felt we deserved preferential treatment. We are just normal people serving an extraordinary God. Any fruit we have born in ministry we know is attributed to God using us. He saves the people. He grows the church. He inspires the books and blogs. He revives the people. We are just vessels in His hands.
As we draw nearer to the start of our revival I know what it is like to be used powerfully by God in the past. I have also seen ministers lose focus and want to take the credit for their success. This is so dangerous. I have also on the other hand, seen God's people take their eyes off the Lord and make an idol of the preacher, singer and author. They lose sight of the truth that God is the one working in and through the vessel.
Crowds long for autographs. They line up to get into event. When the celebrity walks out on stage the applause begins. When the author speak or sits at the table waiting to sign the book the people become giddy. They make a bigger deal out of the servant of the Lord than they do the the Lord of the servant. I have written several books and to this day I do not automatically write my name in front of the book when selling a copy or giving a copy away. I do not think I am a big deal. It is Jesus who is the big deal. If someone asks me to sign a book I am happy to do so while including a scripture. If someone offers a compliment about a message I preached I want to immediately deflect the glory to God. I do this first to remind me never to take credit for ministry and secondly so people will always look to the Lord first and foremost.
Since when did God cease being the main attraction? When did the crowds turn their eyes from seeking the Lord to seeking more for His servants. I see sin on two levels. Those so called Christian celebrities sin when they buy into all the accolades and revel in the praises. God has chosen to use some people in extraordinary ways. Charles Spurgeon became a phenomenon in his early twenties with swelling crowds. D.L Moody became a household name in the United States as well as England and Scotland as God used him to reach the masses. Everyone has heard of Billy Graham. Names like Bill Hybels and Rick Warren are known. Many have heard of Ed Young Jr. Beth Moore has a huge following. John Piper's ministry has grown to international fame. Most Christians have read Max Lucado. Chris Tomlin is known around the world as well as Toby Mac. Yet these people gave and are still giving the glory to God for being used by Him.
Many of these testify that they never sought ministry fame. They simply served God faithfully where He planted them and God did the rest. Now read this carefully. No matter how God uses some man or woman to build His kingdom those men and women are still flawed creatures with sinful natures. It is wrong when the church sets them up on pedestals and swoons at their feet. They are just men and women. God is the one doing the work. It is equally sin when people bow at the shrines of Christian celebrities. We are to bow only before our God and worship at His feet. We cannot get misguided and worship the song and the worship musician more than God.
Neither can the one God is using seek the glory for themselves nor those receiving the ministry seek to misdirect the glory they are giving. God is the object of our glory. God deserves the credit. God must be the focal point. Anything less is sin. The church in the U.S. is sinning.
Every time a pastor thinks he deserves more privilege it is sin. Every time a singer takes all the credit for writing the song and performing it they sin. Each time an author thinks more highly of himself or herself after reading fan mail they sin. There is a warning here to be heeded.
The warning could go to anyone teaching a class at their local church. It is relevant for anyone who gets up during the worship service to sing a special song. It is relevant for the writer who writes even for the smallest of markets. God gets the glory. He must increase while we must decrease.
So whether hundreds or hundreds of thousands read the books God gives me to write, He gets the glory. Whether I preach before crowds of a few dozen or a few thousand God gets the glory. Whether I preach revivals that lasts a few days or a few months God still gets the glory.
On this glorious pursuit God continues to fine tune me. I hear the warning loud and clear today. No matter how God chooses to use I must stay little in my own eyes and remember He is the big deal and I am not a big deal at all. TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE.
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