“For even the Son of Man,” Jesus said, “did not come to be served, but to serve.”
Today, when a man demonstrates a speaking ability and gains a message that some desire to hear, too often the “ministry” is suddenly about that man. That is, “Pastor” Mike can build a “church” to the extent that his eloquence and charisma can draw in a paying crowd. Or traveling “Prophet” James or “Apostle” David can fund their travels to the extent they can stir a crowd into serving his vision for his own “ministry.” The television preachers have this down to a science, perhaps even an art form.
As this man’s “ministry” develops, so too grows his staff. The “pastor” needs a secretary, the “prophet” and “apostle” need a travel agent or scheduling assistant. Television preachers need the studio, camera crew, makeup artists, PR staff, etc. And now they all need someone to build and maintain their website to keep the vision for this one man’s “ministry” well-funded.
Jesus came with a different approach – and those who truly come in His name will come in that same approach. Much attention is given to the so-called fivefold ministry of apostles, prophets, heralds, shepherds and teachers but few seem to recognize that these are not positions of prestige and power but are instead varying aspects of how the Son of Man still serves His people. Each of these aspects of Himself are designed to equip the saints so that they are able to do the work of serving God and one another. Jesus’ ministry was always about equipping and empowering and enabling others – it was never about drawing men (and their wallets) onto His “support team.”
The current usual practices have produced a top-heavy mass (it is difficult to even call it the body of Christ – indeed it very well may not be and is instead a cancerous lump of immense proportions that will one day be cut off and destroyed). At the top of this mass are the stars and superstars who tickle the ears of their listeners – these listeners, in turn, are a passive lump, either not knowing exactly what to believe or believing anything and everything their favorite superstar spiritual guru tells them.
If we are to bring about balance (actually only the Lord can do this but if we are to cooperate with His work in this direction), we must abandon the star and superstar mentality. Christ’s sheep hear His voice and can know all the truth they need without having a man routinely scratch their ears and spoon-feed their poisoned pablum into them.
To abandon the stars and superstars, we must stop serving them. If God specifically directs us to support a certain man’s work in the Lord, that is one thing. But we must stop paying for these men’s visions, staff, “ministry” tactics, extravagant lifestyles and especially their “church” buildings which serve only to keep the sheep as passive, docile subjects and to divert their resources away from building the true kingdom of God – the orphans, the widows, the least of Christ’s brothers, the crippled, the blind, the lame, the maimed, the poor, the hundredth sheep. We have built up the wrong kingdom for far too long. Let us finally and forever take our stand on the Lord’s side and serve Him and His people rather than demand that the people serve the stars and superstars who preach and practice more apostasy than truth.
Let he who has ears hear.
I’d love to hear comments and/or questions from you! Email me!