Do you remember the Rajneesh cult that came from India to the United States? I saw communities of this cult for the first time when I visited India in the early '80s. I could hardly stand the sight of their orgies, filled as they were with an incredible display of opulence and unbridled sexual activity. Followers dressed in various shades of red treated their leader like a god. I wondered what kind of twisted thinking allowed a man to receive such worship, such accolades. One day the newspapers announced that the Rajneesh cult was setting up shop in eastern Oregon. The cult members had chosen this site as their base of operations for impacting North America. Because of my experience in India, I felt apprehensive about the results of their presence in our state. I asked a lawyer friend to drive with me to the community where they were setting up shop, so we could see for ourselves.
As we drove down the gravel road toward the commune, posted guards made sure we knew that we were being watched. The enormous number of persons dressed in red clothing made the scene surreal. As we drove through the area, the cult members went about business as though we did not exist. No one spoke. No one asked our names. No one inquired about what brought us to the community. We did not exist as far as they were concerned.
Soon the whole scene changed. As if responding to some secret signal, everyone moved to the roadside. As the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh passed by, his devotees worshiped him, as they did every afternoon when he was driven down this road in one of his hundred-plus Rolls Royces. I watched the crowds as they shouted, waved and bowed in his honor; and I thought about Jesus arriving in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
The cult followers showered their leader with flowers. They cheered as if they were in the presence of royalty. The Bhagwan had such a regal self-image that he didn't even get out of the car. From his backseat, he simply waved to his subjects. Then the parade ended; the Rolls picked up speed and drove away. Worshipers were left to rejoice over their short glimpse of their glorious leader. Under God's intervention, the civil authorities in Oregon concluded that the Bhagwan was unethical and that his past was tainted. As his shady financial dealings were untangled, his house of cards collapsed. He was banned from the entire state of Oregon and his followers left. Later he died, a faded image of what he had been.
As I think about the Bhagwan, I am reminded how easy it is for pastors to develop an inflated view of themselves and their work. The apostle Paul warns, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you" (Rom. 12:3). Though we pastors have high visibility, we must resist cravings for royalty. The moment we think of ourselves too highly, we start a treacherous slide into pride. Then, being treated like a monarch becomes more important than ministry, and status more important than service.
Sometimes our views of ourselves fool us. I overheard a mature layperson say, "Our young pastor would vehemently deny wanting to be treated like a king, but he never stops anyone who does it." And one national leader, puzzled by today's Church, told me, "It no longer seems enough for ministers to be anointed; now they want to be royalty." I pray that these two comments reflect rare exceptions. Unfortunately, in some groups of pastors, I see far too many issues that seem to validate such judgments.
The temptation to idolize Christian leaders has been around since New Testament times. Paul and Barnabas were received warmly when they arrived at Lystra (see Acts 14:8-18). They experienced wonderful acceptance and great success. Through their ministry, God healed a cripple who had never walked. In the excitement, the crowd began to think these missionaries were gods. They decided to call robust Barnabas, Zeus, the Greek god of the pantheon, the ruler of the heavens and the father of other gods. They thought Paul, because of his convincing speaking ability, must be Hermes, the Greek god of eloquent rhetoric.
When people threw themselves at the apostles' feet to worship them as gods, these New Testament preachers were horrified. "Get on your feet!" they exclaimed. "We are only men like you." Paul did not enjoy that kind of praise. Instead, he used their false assumptions to teach them that the apostles had come to introduce them to the living God. As people in many other settings have done since, these hearers tried to fit the message of Christ into their cultural patterns. As a result, they never fully heard the true Gospel.
If we allow our hearers to worship us, we do them a great disservice. They will end up worshiping the messenger instead of the One who sent us, and they will never feel obliged to apply Christ's message to their lives. The best thing a pastor can do to avoid falling into this trap is to cultivate an attitude of humility. Only insofar as God works through us can we truly bless those around us. In a contemporary thought pattern,Eugene H. Peterson paraphrases the words of Paul and Barnabas:
"We're not gods! We are men just like you, and we're here to bring you the Message, to persuade you to abandon these silly god-superstitions and embrace God himself, the living God.We don't make God; he makes us, and all of this-sky, earth, sea, and everything in them" (Acts 14:15, THE MESSAGE).
Perhaps there is an important lesson for us from the short life of the hero worship in this passage. Soon after Paul and Barnabas made this speech forbidding their followers to worship them, Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, won the crowd over and stoned the preachers. They even dragged poor Paul out of the city, thinking he was dead. The next day Paul and Barnabas left for Derbe. Hero worship soon brought them a stoning.
How does all of this relate to today's pastors? I worry a lot about ministers who so hunger for prominence that they will do almost anything to get it. In fact, some pastors believe they have rights to special treatment because of their assignments or their success. We would do well to follow Paul and Barnabas's example and to hold lightly to those moments of man-made victory and recognition.
Let's understand the essential foundations of ministry. In the final analysis, pastors have no rights. Our future is in God's hands-a good place to be. Everything we have is a gift from God. We owe him grateful thanks for the blessings, mercies and potentialities he places in our hands. And we are more likely to find balance in ministry when we admit to God that the great opportunity he has given us calls for our best effort and our greatest commitment.
An addictive craving for ministerial royalty gives the Church a bad case of "heart" trouble. I am always disappointed when a pastor expects favored status. I feel alarmed when ministers manipulate perks, raises and status at the expense of sacrificial giving of "little people". It worries me when ministry colleagues appear more concerned about the size of their home or the model of their car than about seeing themselves as missionaries in a pagan world. "Superstar" and "pastor" are words that don't fit in the same sentence. Nor can they coexist in the heart of an undershepherd of Christ.
Let's face facts. Many pastors experience upward social mobility because of ministry perks. There is nothing wrong with living well when congregations are able to support us generously. We should be worthy of our hire. But their generous care doesn't mean that we have a right to it or that we should be greedy for more. If we allow houses, cars and status to become more important to us than the salvation of the lost—more important to us than the care of our Lord's bewildered sheep, then our priorities need serious adjustment.
Colleagues in ministry, I say this to you as I say it to myself: You have been providentially placed in a pagan world to serve as missionaries for Christ. The moment we see ourselves as anything but missionaries to this culture, we become driven by paychecks and status. So many high-profile colleagues have fallen from grace in full view of the Church and the watching world. Often these pastors became so used to superstar status that they will not settle for less.
The call of God on your life makes you a child of the King. Rejoice in that reality. As sons and daughters of God, we enjoy miraculous benefits and amazing assignments, but we are not the King. And we will never be the King. The King—almighty God—trusts us with a portion of his Church. We preach from the King's pulpit. We work in the King's office. We represent the King many times every day. We serve the King's people. We speak for the King. We oversee the King's Church. We care for the King's flocks. But we are not the King. Thus we possess no right to set ourselves up as someone to be exalted or pampered. We have been given great opportunities to represent our King. Let's do it with the anointing. Turn the applause his way. Give him the glory.
If you sometimes have a craving for royalty, what are the remedies? Evaluate your desire for prominence. God's verdict on power abusers is tough. He refuses to keep company with those who practice expediency and moral shortcuts. But takes joy in empowering the weak, energizing the weary and enriching the humble. Take on the spirit of a servant. A pastor in our town was afraid he was losing the servant's touch, so he volunteered to serve a half day per week in a shelter for homeless people. He refused to give the director his full name. He said he wanted to be sure he was a true servant. I imagine his sermons were full of grace every Sunday after serving at the shelter, don't you?
Take a walk around the church. Look at the pulpit.Thank the Lord for letting you use it. Do the same with your study, your car, your books and your privileges or perks that come with your ministry. Get out the membership list of your church and thank God for each person he allows you to serve in his name. Clarify your perspective on anointing and royalty. God promises to anoint the preacher, not because he has to do it, but because he wants our ministry to be effective. The anointing is a holy, supernatural gift, given to be useful, not to be put on display. The anointing turns the human preaching effort into a love gift to Christ. On the other hand, those who seek royalty believe they have rights and that somebody owes them something. I recently heard a Christian worker remark, "We have paid our dues and the church owes us something for all our years of service." I wonder where that false notion started. I don't think the rumor began at the foot of the Cross.
If you seek royalty, you will discover, like any addict, only an unquenchable thirst for more privileges and honors. But if you seek anointing, you will find that your thirst for power will be replaced by a thirst for God. Both you and your church will be refreshed.
H.B. London Jr. is vice president of Ministry Outreach/Pastoral Ministries for Focus on the Family. A fourth-generation minister, Rev. London was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is a graduate of Pasadena College (now Point Loma Nazarene University) and was ordained on May 24, 1962. On June 10, 1990, Point Loma Nazarene University conferred on H.B. the Doctor of Divinity degree.
Comments
March 17, 2008
21. Ed Selvidge says...
H.B, I REMEMBER WHEN ALL THAT HAPPENED. GREAT ARTICLE. GIVE BEV. MY BEST. ED
December 10, 2007
20. Doug Warren says...
AMEN!!! In my opinion, this is one of the barriers to evangelism...the "average man" who labors hard everyday eeking out a living sees the "superstar" pastor and thinks "I wish I had that cushy job." While we know the job of most Pastors is anything BUT cushy, it behooves us to purposefully avoid "all appearance of evil."
December 7, 2007
19. Steve Hankins says...
It is always helpful to remember from where our eloquence comes. Praying for wisdom that we can deliver God's messages and council ought to keep us on our knees before the King of kings. When I hear someone give praise for a message given I am thankful the my Heavenly Father filled His vessel full enough that some was spilled over. Isn't it wonderful to be In His service; May God always keep His servants humble and filled to over flowing.
December 6, 2007
18. jacob ndulue says...
TRUE HUMILITY, DEVOTION AND PASSION TO THE SERVICE OF JEHOVAH AND CHRIST JESUS CAN ONLY BE ATTAINED THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.WE MUST SERVE AND NOT BE ADORED AS THIS IS NOT OUR MERIT.
December 4, 2007
17. Laurito de Fiesta Bautista says...
The Article is a beautiful paraphrase of our Lord's story in Luke 17:7-10 "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" (NIV)All of us ministers would like to hear our Lord's commendation "Well done thou good and faithful servant" when we shall stand before our Heavenly Father... In our service, a paradox exist... It is a fact that we have become masters in encouraging the Lord's flock when we see them go through times of testing... deliverance... we say... with Isaiah "See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction."(Isa 48:10NIV)but little do we know that as we minister and provide them with solutions to their problems as God reveals them to us...they are delivered and we feel so good... so great... and we are unaware that we are actually going through A GREAT TESTING ourselves... when they look up to us and see us instead of Him who "daily bears our burdens" Prov 27:21 becomes a reality for the flock and for us ministers "The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,but man is tested by the praise he receives."( NIV)It took King Nebuchadnezar 7 years untill he learned humility... It's a given ALL WHO WANTS TO WALK TOWARDS THE SAVIOR and experiences the the great feeling of a big difference SINKS..."Lord help me"
December 4, 2007
16. Bruce Vernon says...
A very good article. This is a very big temptation to elevate our status and begin to think we deserve a more lavish lifestyle. I am wondering, though, is this more prominent in churches of let's say 300+. What about the small church pastor who is barely getting by and struggling with his finances?
December 4, 2007
15. Joseph Puleo says...
It does scare me when people praise me for a sermon preached or for doing simply what God has put before to do. I have tried to disuade them for doing such,but it didn't stop as I hoped it would It is ok in one sense when they say that a particular sermon helped them or that they needed that. What I have done for years when praised I have simply learned to say Praise God. In that way I feel I pass the praise straight to God and not to myself. I cannot put myself on any kind of a pedastal and will always refuse to. We used to play a game when I was a kid called king of the mountain. It was played on a small hill where all of us would start at the bottom and race to the top. Then we would try to throw each other down the hill and the last one to stay at the top became king. It reminds me that there is already a king on that mountain and if we try to climb up there and take his place He will trow us down. The fall will be harder than the climb. If I havent learned any thing else I have learned to be humble in God's work. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens meand that means He will give me only that which He knows I can do or better said what he knows I am ready to do. He will supply me with just enough. Praise God!! Thank you so much for your words and reminder to stay that way.
December 4, 2007
14. Cornelius Hill says...
Thank-you my brethren for all the comments concerning this article. Most of all thank our Lord Jesus Christ for letting this article reach all of us. May He truly helps us stay humble and serve Him with gladness and thanksgiving in whatever calling He has given us.
December 3, 2007
13. Richard Hopper says...
What a timely message in such an affluent society that nearly demands it spiritual leaders to live at the same level as their congregation. It's so easy to lose focus of what God is calling us to...to be a voice crying in the wilderness around the corner. We should be practicing our ministry as if everything depends on us and praying as if everything depends on God. Because it does.
December 3, 2007
12. Timothy Farquharson says...
I agree with the article, I see this very thing not only in my dem]nomination, but with many pastors that I know personally. If we were to root ourselves in the Father and seek His approval, I believe our ministries would be radically different. We would see Life and Truth inthe ministry that God has allowed us to have. After all it's His church bought for with the blood of His Son. Let us never forget that all of the glory and honor belong to God, and to accept what doesn't belong to us is stealing and God is a jealous God, and wont share affection that belongs to Him with any god, for that is what we make ourselves when we accept the adoration of the congregation.
December 3, 2007
11. Prince Oteng-Boateng says...
Thank you for this timely admonition. I guess we all need to evaluate our motives for the things we do. One way to avoid being "puffed up" is to return praise to the Lord and encourage those we lead to thank God for whatever blessing they receive through us. Horace Mann once wrote, "If anyman seeks for greatness, let him forget greatness and ask for truth, and he will find both" - Horace Mann (Prov. 23:23)
December 3, 2007
10. garry Genser says...
Humility versus more powerful promotion of a newly written book called A DOWN TO EARTH GOD, devotions for the lover of nature is the nature of my spiritual quest lately. (For example, should I even mention my book’s name in a comment on another writer’s piece or pass up the opportunity in favor of being selfless?) The answer came quickly this time by my catching my use of the word “selfless” and contrasting the New Age influence in my past on my present dilemma. We are not called to be selfless, we are called upon to be like Jesus, that is, to have our being rooted in the father. “….that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him,” John 10:38. With my meta-cognition out of the way let me post my praise of this article. How hugely helpful for anyone struggling with these issues! No wasted words whatsoever, no theological meanderings, just pure, applied gospel truth, applied to the special needs of ministers, evangelists or other denominational leaders, namely those who are probably watched the most. One mindless self-indulgence of spiritual leaders can have eternal consequences for many. I praise God that He doesn’t give up on a soul because the footing of a minister might become unsteady. Quite the contrary. I believe God’s grace may be multiplied for the shortcomings of a minister. Without the filling of our cracked pottery by the Holy Spirit throughout salvation history what chance would any of us have had? How proud was David and how amazingly humble? His transformation was as amazing as Grace itself! This is the God H.B. London, another Man after God’s Own Heart, pointed me to in his article, “Resisting Unhealthy Adoration from Those We Lead.” Read it and your ministry might be transformed!
December 3, 2007
9. Tom Blasco says...
I agree wholeheartedly with the article. Pastors are not to think hightly of themselves or get a sense of entitlement. However, what I see more of in our society is the opposite - disrespect for ministers whether it be the secular world or the church. In church life when a pastor seeks the Lord and tries to loving lead people with bible advice or lovingly confront sinful lifestyles, they all too often "diss" his counsel, have a "who are you to tell me what to do" attitude and then leave the church. I think disrespect for the minsiter & ministry is more prevelant than exalting the minsiter.
December 3, 2007
8. Chuck Marunde says...
A message definitely for today! I have personally been heartbroken over the most subtle but destructive result of a pastor who has been lifted higher and higher, and that by his own manipulation to the devoted but ignorant flock. Charisma is a gift from God, but used to build an empire in the name of God and with the people of God is a sad use of such a great gift. Such leaders have learned to control their followers to such a powerful extent that their followers sincerely believe they are independently making decisions to lift up their leader with more power, prestige, and money. I thank God for faithful and HUMBLE leaders.
December 3, 2007
7. Jim Kilson says...
We live in a world where pastors are often placed on a pedestal, either by their own doing or by the desires of those they are called to lead. We should always be on alert lest we give into the temptation of thinking that the successes we experience are of our own doing. As pastors we must be must remember that we are sinners saved by grace, just the same as those whom God has called us to lead and those we lead need to remember that as well. When I think of this I am reminded of Ezekiel’s statement to the Shepherds of Israel, “woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves” (Ezekiel 34:2) This article was a great reminder to me, a great way to start my week.
December 3, 2007
6. Paul Dunstan says...
Great, helpful stuff. Is there another side to this, too? What is it that makes Christian folk want to idolise their pastor? Donald English once said, wistfully, that he wished people wouldn't say, 'What a great sermon you gave us' after the service, but 'What a great Saviour we have!' How do we get people out of the idolising mindset?
December 3, 2007
5. Greg Nance says...
Wow! As Paul said, "I am not worthy to be called an apostle... But by the grace of God I am what I am. Thank-you, Lord! May our eyes ever be on the one who left heaven's glory and had here no place to lay his head. May he teach us to look past unimportant things.
December 3, 2007
4. Jerry Shirley says...
I am a young pastor and can easily fall prey to pride. Thank you for this powerful admonition. My mentor taught me that "praise is like perfume...it's ok to sniff it a little, but don't swallow!" Let's not be building our own kingdoms, but God's kingdom!
December 3, 2007
3. Joshua Coogler says...
This is exactly what I needed this morning. A little reminder to help me keep my perspective. Thank you so much.
December 3, 2007
2. David Richardson says...
I guess people are starting to sing that old Mac Davis song: "Lord, it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way!!!" .................... Good job. I serve in a church in Korea where we have many Korean members. Their way of greeting is by bowing...many people (Americans) can take this wrongly and get puffed up....also, they often seem to put the pastor on a pedestal..............We need this kind of reminder. Thank you
December 3, 2007
1. Asiri Perera says...
Thank you. I whole heartedly agree. THE TEMPTATION TO TAKE WHAT IS DUE TO THE kING OF KINGS IS VERY STRONG."LORD HELP US TO BE HUMBLE ALL WAYS"
