The world is watching and waiting for men and women of God who are more concerned about how they appear to Jesus than how they appear to the crowd. They are yearning to find leaders who are more interested helping sinners rather than self interest. They are fed up with tabloid Christianity, hype, and self promoting Madison Avenue ad campaigns that promote the great man of God rather than the great God of man.

There is a disease, a viral infection that has swept through the body of Christ. It is no respecter of persons, places, denomination or creed. It is an infection that starts in the body causing paralysis but eventually moves to the head and brings on delusions of grandeur. I am talking about the “Man of God” disease.

Back at the start of the reformation, the church had a teaching that priests were the conduits between man and God. That men had to come to the priests to receive forgiveness of sins and have the grace of God bestowed upon them in the form of blessings. The priests were “men of God”.

The priests began to think more highly of themselves than they ought. They were enamored by their perceived value. They would sell what was called indulgences where they gave permission to break God’s moral law. They would wear costly clothing and expensive jewelry that indicated their wealth and power in the church.

This disease has once again infected the church. It matters not which denomination we belong to. It matters not which doctrine or teaching we adhere to. This disease has infiltrated the church. We have arrogant leaders enamored with their own power and influence. Instead of making themselves of no reputation like Jesus, they are spending their time making sure everyone knows of their reputation. Our Christian leaders are stuck on themselves. Be it the individuals that think they are God’s man of power for the hour in Charismatic circles, or the intellectual scholars that parse every jot and tiddle of scripture to prove the heresy of others. They all have one thing in common. They all are trying to be the “man of God” who people need to come to, or agree with in order to be right with God and to obtain favor from God.

The Celebrity Mindset

When leaders who have this disease enter a room, they expect to be recognized. They expect people to pay homage to their spiritual achievement and power. They desire front-row or platform seats and are visibly disturbed when not given the red-carpet treatment they desire. They feel they must speak even when not called upon simply because they believe everyone present will live in the dark without their superior knowledge.

These people are above the menial tasks in the church such as cleaning toilets, preparing a meal for the homeless, or picking up trash, or heaven forbid, nursery duty! They are above such things. They even find it beneath their stature to spend time with people who are not at their so called social or economic status. They avoid the very people that have elevated them to that position. They claim that they no longer have time to spend with average and everyday Christians, yet they seem to have time to spend with debutantes, celebrities, and politicians. Some have bodyguards to protect them from their people. Something is wrong with this picture.

I know I will get a lot of flack from many who have this disease. They will throw scriptures at me to defend their “well deserved positions.” To me, it matters not. Young men and women who desire to enter the ministry are witnessing a warped concept of true ministry. And many outside the church have become repulsed by today’s Christian leaders. What matters is that the antidote is made available. It matters to me that the next generation of Christians be inoculated against this pervasive and destructive disease.

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