It seems there has been another fallen angel sighting according to some in the cultural Christian music scene and a few message board “insiders.” This most recent scandal has come through the thriving ministry of a shining star in the rock/worship genre of contemporary Christian music. His work has consisted in leading passionate droves of young people in worship conferences across the globe; his singles have topped the CCM charts the past couple years; maybe most impressively, in just a short time, his music has entered the very fabric of the life of worship in many local church bodies.
If all allegations are true regarding the rumormongering, I trust his local church body is leading the process of church discipline. I don’t want to use this as an opportunity to break a potentially already bruised reed. The best we can do is pray that God will grant repentance, restoration and healing for all those in involved.
But God in His mercy can also use this incident as a profitable exhortation and rebuke. Not to the scandal ridden, but to us.
As counterintuitive as it should be, for those in cultural Christianity, mega-conference speakers and worship leaders hold highly coveted positions. For many, to reach the life of a touring headliner is the penultimate regarding success in “Christian terms.” Dare I say, it’s even a bit sexy to be that guy or girl (for the Beth Moore fans) on the marquee…for the glory of God of course.
It’s natural to want a ministry like a Chris Tomlin or a John Piper (I do!), but we must realize that with a spotlight comes a bull’s eye. Temptations and pitfalls of all sort increase exponentially as Christian leaders step into more prominent roles in ministry. Why don’t we have the platform they do? Why don’t we have a record contract or a book deal like them? God’s grace is why. We may not be able to handle such public success without letting worldly pride and the lusts of the flesh seep in and destroy our very souls. Would we sell out and defame the name of the eternal King in exchange for the addictive and temporary praise of man? God in His infinite mercy is protecting you from yourself.
We vex our mind praying for a future ministry like this high profile speaker/worship leader/theologian etc., while we should be praying to be more like Jesus right now to the person right next to us.
The guilty party in this situation is just a man. Flesh and bones and a fallen nature like ours. This speaks to our unhealthy propensity to put mere men on pedestals they can never live up to. We act like the anointing and movement of God somehow depends on their songs and their sermons. Scandals like this can sometimes be lucid reminders Who the only Grace giver is in our lives. There are no mighty men of God. Just broken vessels in need of His daily grace through Christ (Romans 7:24-25).
In the end, all men will fall prostrate at the mercy of Him who sits on the throne and dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:16). It reminds me what the Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther, wrote on his deathbed. Luther’s very last written words were this:
“Wir sind bettler. Hoc est verum.”
We are beggars. This is true.
Bryan
no comment until now