Pastors who are not held accountable by the church are unprotected from themselves and the temptations of the devil. They are untethered in the storm of ministry and will not just drift with the wind, but will fly away on their own until they crash. Accountability isn’t possible if the pastor is the pope of the church he serves. He is not held accountable if he cannot be told “no,” and is surrounded by sycophantic yes-men. Everyone needs people around them who will tell the honest truth. Even when it’s hard. Even when it hurts.

The “celebrity pastor” is now a thing. Maybe it’s always been a thing (1 Cor. 1:10-17), but over the past few years it has become a source of concern and consternation for many. On the one hand I do see a problem, and on the other hand I can’t help but feel that some speak against popular preachers out of a sense of jealousy. I do not think that a pastor whose “platform” is large, influence is broad, and following is numerous is a celebrity pastor. At least, not in a bad way. The real problem is leadership that loses sight of the glory of Christ and focuses on the glory of man. Or, at least one man.

But Celebrity Pastors do not simply build themselves. They are built with the help of fans. It’s not wrong or idolatrous to get a photo with a person you admire. Nor is it dangerous to love the preaching or teaching of a particular leader. But at some point admiration turns into allegiance, and allegiance gives birth to adoration, and adoration, when it is full grown, produces idolatry. I am not sure exactly when the line is crossed–maybe when we start asking well-known pastors to sign our Bibles. Maybe. But the line is well behind us when a leader’s word is more valuable to us than God’s word and when they become our authority.

Some men do seek to build themselves up and turn their platform into a pedestal. But their efforts cannot succeed without the help of followers. And there are other men who have no interest in being a celebrity who are put on a pedestal by others and find themselves in a precarious position. It’s dangerous on that pedestal.

Ultimately, every leader has a platform and a following of some kind. As leaders, how do we protect ourselves from the danger of celebrityism—on whatever level we might experience it?

Here is a place to start.

Leaders Must Have the Proper Ambition

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