Resist the Urge for Fame!

I prayed for him on his sickbed, and he was miraculously healed of his heart disease. He visited my church, brought me gifts, and always looked at me with awe. He’d rise when I went near and baked me cake when he came by until I cut off ties with him when he failed to heed my correction. Even though I liked the cakes.

At all costs, people in ministry must remember we are not called to be celebrities. There is a part of humans that yearns for fame and power. We must consciously control this at any level of ministry. Whether you are a worship leader, Sunday school teacher, pastor of 10 people, or a million. The source of this desire is earthly and satanic, and it opposes the government of God. In any form of Christian ministry, we must represent our paragon—Jesus, our only celebrity and Savior. There should be no deputy, Jesus.

Regardless of your congregation or duty, resist every temptation for fame. Stop human worship and correct their wrong perceptions about who you are. You’re not the Christ! You did not die for them. John the Baptist corrected the masses that followed him and misinterpreted his ministry. He knew who he was — a servant of the king. He redirected them to his Lord. I am not the Christ; I can’t even untie his shoelaces. Yet today, some ministers, worship leaders, pastors, prophets, and apostles, like the sons of Zebedee, dare wear the same shoes and receive his praise from people, as if they are the Christ.

Redirect every admiration back to the master. You don’t deserve it.

Redirect every attention back to him. You’re not worth it.

Correct their misconceptions about divine and earthly honor, lest you face a more terrible judgment. For he said, “I will share my glory with no one.” (Isaiah 42:8)

Once, John the Elder met a redeemed man in heaven as an angel who told him of things to come. John was caught up in a moment of mixed emotions, like most of our members do. Such an amazing display of “pseudo” divinity. This must be God’s power at work. He attempted to bow in reverence to the anointing and experience he just had. The redeemed man (angel) said to him, “See that you do no such thing. Worship God! For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets…”

Worship is not only prayer. Some forms of extreme human attention, misplaced reverence, and unguided praise, when not immediately corrected, become spiritually iniquitous. Remember, God never called us to share in his glory. Only Jesus is to be lifted. We must make all efforts to decrease so he increases. We must not increase as he increases. John taught us this at the peak of his ministry when all society was coming to him. He said he must increase, and I must decrease. We can never have both. Either Christ increases at our expense, or we increase at his. Both have their rewards.

 “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.’” Luke 17:10.

In all humility and love.