If you are reading that title... Christian Celebrities, you might be thinking of someone like Tim Tebow, or Carrie Underwood, you know a celebrity that claims to be a Christian. Well whether or not they are or aren't is not what I am intending to discuss in this article.
What I want to touch on is the individuals who are looking to be a Christian Celebrity or ride the coat tails of someone they believe to be is one.
Sometimes you find them in the evangelism community, that seasoned evangelist or open air preacher who has videos and blog posts talking about evangelism and whether they intended to or not many others who find themselves wanting to evangelize in the open air look to these guys as somewhat of a celebrity.
Maybe it's the Christian blogger writing blogs or articles to post or the vlogger who posts videos on YouTube.
Or....
It could be the Christian radio show host.
Doesn't really matter if they are well known by many people or somewhat well known by a few. These individuals have either become Christian Celebrities whether by their own doing or the doing of others who look up to them.
Romans 12:3 says...For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
We are as believers to think rightly about ourselves and not think more highly than we ought to think, shouldn't be to hard...right? Well, honestly we must fight the pride that may dwell within us when someone is making much about you or when you seem to become somewhat influential among others.
If the ministry in which you engage in has become a platform to make a name for yourself rather than to exalt the name of Christ it just may be time to reevaluate why you are holding that platform to begin with.
Philippians 2:3 says... Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
So be sure that the very reason you have a platform is not to elevate yourself and your ministry but to exalt Christ and to use the gifts and talents you may have to help edify, encourage and build up fellow believers, those who are in your sphere of influences and any others in which the Lord may allow you to reach.
One thing I've noticed over the years on social media is how there are some who enjoy having a position or voice, whether it be radio, blogging, vlogging or evangelism and then there are those who latch onto someone they perceive to be a Christian Celebrity and they ride out the persons "celebrity" to either make a name for their own ministry or just to feel like they are close with someone who fits the Christian Celebrity title.
I've watched as people have changed because of the "Christian Celebrity" people they know and honestly I find it heartbreaking.
Don't be that guy or gal!
If you are in it for the sake to make something of yourself then you are in it for all the wrong reasons. As said above, the goal behind every born again believer in Christ is to exalt Him, not ourselves!
As John the baptist..Yes he was a baptist (just kidding) wrote in John 3:30...He must increase, but I must decrease.
We should have the same attitude here as John, as believers we shouldn't be so concerned with making much about ourselves but making much about Jesus. He must increase, but I(we) must decrease.
Regardless of who you are, if you are a Christian you have a platform, whether it be a podcast, blog, ministry or not. We all have people we can and should be discipling, so be about making disciples. If God gives you a successful blog...well then use it for His glory! If God gives you a successful radio show...well then use it for His glory! If God gives you a successful ministry...well then use it for His glory!
Grace be with you
Ricky Gantz
What I want to touch on is the individuals who are looking to be a Christian Celebrity or ride the coat tails of someone they believe to be is one.
Sometimes you find them in the evangelism community, that seasoned evangelist or open air preacher who has videos and blog posts talking about evangelism and whether they intended to or not many others who find themselves wanting to evangelize in the open air look to these guys as somewhat of a celebrity.
Maybe it's the Christian blogger writing blogs or articles to post or the vlogger who posts videos on YouTube.
Or....
It could be the Christian radio show host.
Doesn't really matter if they are well known by many people or somewhat well known by a few. These individuals have either become Christian Celebrities whether by their own doing or the doing of others who look up to them.
Romans 12:3 says...For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
We are as believers to think rightly about ourselves and not think more highly than we ought to think, shouldn't be to hard...right? Well, honestly we must fight the pride that may dwell within us when someone is making much about you or when you seem to become somewhat influential among others.
If the ministry in which you engage in has become a platform to make a name for yourself rather than to exalt the name of Christ it just may be time to reevaluate why you are holding that platform to begin with.
Philippians 2:3 says... Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
So be sure that the very reason you have a platform is not to elevate yourself and your ministry but to exalt Christ and to use the gifts and talents you may have to help edify, encourage and build up fellow believers, those who are in your sphere of influences and any others in which the Lord may allow you to reach.
One thing I've noticed over the years on social media is how there are some who enjoy having a position or voice, whether it be radio, blogging, vlogging or evangelism and then there are those who latch onto someone they perceive to be a Christian Celebrity and they ride out the persons "celebrity" to either make a name for their own ministry or just to feel like they are close with someone who fits the Christian Celebrity title.
I've watched as people have changed because of the "Christian Celebrity" people they know and honestly I find it heartbreaking.
Don't be that guy or gal!
If you are in it for the sake to make something of yourself then you are in it for all the wrong reasons. As said above, the goal behind every born again believer in Christ is to exalt Him, not ourselves!
As John the baptist..Yes he was a baptist (just kidding) wrote in John 3:30...He must increase, but I must decrease.
We should have the same attitude here as John, as believers we shouldn't be so concerned with making much about ourselves but making much about Jesus. He must increase, but I(we) must decrease.
Regardless of who you are, if you are a Christian you have a platform, whether it be a podcast, blog, ministry or not. We all have people we can and should be discipling, so be about making disciples. If God gives you a successful blog...well then use it for His glory! If God gives you a successful radio show...well then use it for His glory! If God gives you a successful ministry...well then use it for His glory!
Grace be with you
Ricky Gantz