Over the past months there has been a good deal of back and forth on the blogs (good blogs from people I respect) about the dangers of “celebrity pastors.” As is often the case with these matters, there are many legitimate concerns to be made and many overreactions to avoid.
So, in no particular order, here are seven theses to keep in mind.
1. Celebrity is not a terribly helpful word. A celebrity is simply someone who is well known and easily recognizable. So in one sense, there are celebrity pastors. But “celebrity” often carries negative connotations, especially in Christian circles. A celebrity is someone who is famous for no substantial reason. We hear “celebrity” and think “vain,” “status-seeker,” “important for superficial reasons.” Unless this is what we want to say about some well-known Christians (and maybe it is), we should avoid calling them “celebrity pastors.” Both were famous and influential in their own circles, but there was a difference between Macho Man Randy Savage and Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Keep Reading...
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