1. The term “celebrity pastor” is decidedly pejorative. I don’t know
anyone who would be happy to own the phrase. That doesn’t mean we can’t
use it. But it means we should not attach it to pastors in a knee jerk
way. A Christian with some combination of influence, social media
followers, books, a large church, and speaking engagements may be a
public Christian or a well known individual, but let’s not use
“celebrity pastor” unless we mean to say he relishes the spotlight, has
schemed his way into the spotlight, and carries himself as being above
mere mortals. Does this fit some popular preachers? Probably. Does it
fit all of them? By no means.
2. Having said that, let us beware of the many devilish dangers that
can beset us in this internet age. Have there always been Christians
mired in controversy? Have there always been popular preachers? Have
there always been charlatans in the church? Yes, yes, and yes. These
things are not new. What is new is the myriad of ways we can channel our
pride, feed our pride, and keep numerical count of our pride. I don’t
think I’ve read a negative post on celebrity pastors or the evangelical
industrial complex that doesn’t touch on legitimate issues and very real
dangers. This is not a throwaway point. We need warnings. I need them
too. Continue at Kevin De Young
See also: For What it's Worth
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