Everyday local church ministry is essential for the health and growth of the body of Christ. What does all of this mean for us today?

I will never forget the day I sat across from a young man in our church and was tempted to say, “Online Pastor [Fill-in-the-Blank] doesn’t love you the way I do!” I had been discipling him for a couple years, walked through a host of circumstances with him, and cared deeply for him. As his pastor, I took seriously the call to shepherd him as an under-shepherd of the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:1-4). That day was a culmination of months and months of time spent caring for him.

There was a specific danger before this young man, and I had to warn him. Knowing him well, I believed he would take my words of wisdom from the Word of God and let me help guide and lead him. As I confronted him with the dangerous waters in which he was neck-deep and warned him of what could happen if he continued swimming in them, he pulled out articles from various Christian websites that supported his chosen path. In short, he was making it clear that there are a myriad of opinions on certain topics, and he was not going to let my unpopular, lack-of-celebrity voice outweigh those of these renowned pastors.

Celebrity pastor influence can diminish the influence of local pastors.

I walked away from that meeting with a realization of one of the greatest dangers facing the local church today. We live in a culture where the amount of accessible information is unlike any other culture in history. This information gives prominence and weight to the celebrity. Local church pastors/elders used to be highly respected and submitted to, but now they are just one voice that is often drowned out by the guy with multiple books, podcasts, and conference appearances.

This danger is not only a threat to the church member but also to the pastors and elders who equate faithfulness with reputation.

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