You Might Be A Celebrity Pastor Wannabe If...

Irene Allen

commented on Nov 1, 2013

Ouch.

Edwin Crozier

commented on Nov 1, 2013

Thank you. #1 hit me right where I needed to be hit.

John Motaung

commented on Nov 4, 2013

I am a church of Christ member and I like your comment every time I open this SermonCentral web. Thank you.

Charles Wallis

commented on Nov 1, 2013

Good points I need to hear and live out. There is a lot of Christian celebrity "worship" in our world that often goes too far especially in the world of social media. I am happy I can still go to Sunday School and even learn from children. It is interesting that these articles always list the accolades of the authors who seem to usually be pretty well known people (celebrities?).

Jared Moore

commented on Nov 2, 2013

Charles, the two books I've authored are self-published, and I pastor a church of about 55 people. I'm not a big deal brother. The celebrity temptation though is there for everyone. We must be willing to be obscure, so long as God is glorified.

Patrick Hazard

commented on Nov 2, 2013

I said the same thing ... I appreciate the idea but this is way to polarizing ... and casts a web too wide. Additionally, I find it ironic that the authors are always listing their own accolades. When they list them it;s called validation of their qualifications though ... which is different.

Matthew Roberts

commented on Nov 1, 2013

You forgot one: you want to get your article posted on sermoncentral.com.

Hugo Fries

commented on Nov 1, 2013

good one

Matt Worstell

commented on Nov 1, 2013

Ha! Well played

Matt Worstell

commented on Nov 1, 2013

Ha! Well played

Jared Moore

commented on Nov 2, 2013

Matthew, Amen. Or, you comment on this article so that others will read it. The list could be endless. The question is, "Do I want to be famous, or am I satisfied so long as God is glorified?"

Lawrence Rae

commented on Nov 1, 2013

I liked your article and agree with most of your points, but I believe that your credentials might have been eliminated to keep within the spirit of your comments. There is an appearance to me that your acceptance is tied to all you have written and learned. It probably isn't so, but it has that look when it is almost as great as the substance of what you have written.

Jared Moore

commented on Nov 2, 2013

Lawrence, thanks for the comment. I self-published the 2 books above. Also, I pastor a church of about 55 people. I'm not a big deal. Also, this article might as well have been written in front of a mirror. I'm tempted to pursue being a celebrity as well. God is tearing these idols from my heart!

Kevin Barron

commented on Nov 1, 2013

Thank you Jared. Sobering but true.

Jared Ellis

commented on Nov 1, 2013

I was gonna read this whole article, but I didn't recognize his name. Was it good?

Kevin Hester

commented on Nov 1, 2013

Great article! I believe we can and should use our influence and socia media to promote Christ and not a celebrity status! But if God gives us a public platform,we must remember, He must increase and we must decrease!

Jared Moore

commented on Nov 2, 2013

Kevin, Amen brother.

Patrick Hazard

commented on Nov 2, 2013

I appreciate the idea of this post, but it could easily cast too wide a web to accuse others. And I find it worthy of notice that though the author states #10, he then immediately turns around and lists his accomplishments. I don't have a problem with that in itself because it is important that we make known our qualifications and certifications that help legitimize our statements as pastors, authors, bloggers, speakers, writers, etc. I serve at a smaller church but I also have a ministry that leaves the walls and reaches people where my feet can't. Perhaps balance is a good addition here. A tool is a tool. If I paint a house with my chop saw, the disaster is not the tools fault, but my use of it.

Lawrence Webb

commented on Jul 6, 2015

An ophthalmologist is unable to treat the "I" trouble you describe. It's an easy affliction to fall into.

Carl Garrett

commented on Jul 6, 2015

As a Southern Baptist pastor in his 59th year in the pastorate I find myself wondering how so many young pastors have time to do as much blogging, article writing and facebook as they do! I did note that you put in a commercial at the end. From an old head; guys, don't neglect your family or your people.

Carl Garrett

commented on Jul 6, 2015

As a Southern Baptist pastor for more than 59 years I am finding it difficult to understand how so many young pastors have so much time to spend blogging, article writing and face book! Guys, don't neglect your family or your church people. As an aside; I did note that you ended with a commercial!

Chaplain Shawn Kennedy

commented on Jul 6, 2015

#11- If you need to buy a plane to get you to all your speaking events.

Matthew Mcgrew

commented on Jul 6, 2015

Here I was thinking that #10 brought it full circle, tongue-in-cheek, and that almost all these articles have the author's, and here is the word, BIO underneath. Should I wag my finger? Perhaps when I'm through tipping my hat. Well done.

Pastor Paul A. Taylor, Sr.

commented on Jul 6, 2015

I remember the young lady who told Naaman's wife about the man of God who could help her husband who was diseased with leprosy. We will never know her name, but God knows. Some Pastors/Preachers/Evangelist are well known. I pray for them. I'm not well known and I Pastor a church of less than 50 members. I love my people to life. Our desire is to be well known by Jesus. Big church, mid size church, small church, house church or whatever size I pray that we all have one common goal and that is to see Jesus one day.

Anonymous Contributor

commented on Jul 7, 2015

the fact is that we do get celebrity pastors etc. our response and not reaction to these are very important as pastors ourselves including myself. i know that the Word of God is a yard stick for every servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must abide by that. For example the Word says that "God opposes the proud and give grace to the humble."now there is definetly more than 10 that is listed that defines "celebrity pastors" and their operation methods. a great example is Paul that wrote the epistles in the New Testament. He starts off in every first chapter with the first verse as "I Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ" or "I Paul, a bondservant." or "I Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ." Note he does not call himself Apostle Paul, just as some want to be addressed as Bishop so and so or Apostle so and so, or pastor so and so. it has become a common trend and what has happened is that instead of this being an office it has become a title. So it is used to make people feel inferior and others superior. Our Lord Jesus rebuked the Pharisee and Saducees for wanting to be noticed by men and not by God. And we shall know them by their fruits. in fact it's easier to be humble than to be proud. BE HUMBLE SERVE GOD

Ronald Johnson

commented on Jul 7, 2015

Thanks for the article. I always hate going to church growth conferences because they tend to tell pastors how to become celebrity pastors. I think the true test of a pastor comes after the pastor moves, retires, or dies. If the church carries on faithfully, continuing to minister to the community, and can succeed in spreading the Kingdom of Heaven under the next pastor, the pastor was a success. Of course, that does nothing for celebrity status. Pastors are called, with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, to build up the local community of faith, not to have national and international ministries.

Minister Sanders

commented on Jul 8, 2015

A lot of us can fall in the dangers of wanting to be a celebrity preacher. A wanna be celebrity preacher takes the spotlight off of God and places it upon themselves. You can use social media to minister and preach the Gospel all over the world yet when people start applauding you a lot of us begin to get bigheaded and pride begins to set in. Let us make sure that All We say or Do That God is Glorified and not Self. Preachers and Teachers Must Never Forget What They Are: A Humble Lowly Servant of The Most High God!,