Comments on: Celebrity Pastors: Top of the Heap or Overexposed? http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/ Sun, 19 May 2013 02:10:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Matthew Olmstead | Sometimes I Want to Be a Celebrity Pastor http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-27896 Matthew Olmstead | Sometimes I Want to Be a Celebrity Pastor Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:25:33 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-27896 [...] my efforts on my local church. That is my primary responsibility. One blogger observes that celebrity is a function of talent, hard work, and opportunity. Envy would claim that all three [...] [...] my efforts on my local church. That is my primary responsibility. One blogger observes that celebrity is a function of talent, hard work, and opportunity. Envy would claim that all three [...]

]]> By: You Might Be Killing Your Ministry (And Not Even Know It) | Blogging Theologically | Jesus, Books, Culture, & Theology http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-20248 You Might Be Killing Your Ministry (And Not Even Know It) | Blogging Theologically | Jesus, Books, Culture, & Theology Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:01:26 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-20248 [...] this isn’t really a post about celebrity pastors. Other men like Mike Cosper and Thabiti Anyabwile have written on this in the past and I’d commend their work to you. [...] [...] this isn’t really a post about celebrity pastors. Other men like Mike Cosper and Thabiti Anyabwile have written on this in the past and I’d commend their work to you. [...]

]]> By: Wayne http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-20003 Wayne Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:59:39 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-20003 Nice work on this. And so true. Appreciate your insight Nice work on this. And so true. Appreciate your insight

]]> By: Weekly Wraps (December 5-11) « Zoy Sauce Etc http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-18740 Weekly Wraps (December 5-11) « Zoy Sauce Etc Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:08:03 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-18740 [...] Celebrity Pastors: Top of the Heap or Overexposed? (Mike Cosper) – Cosper carefully explains on the different celebrities and makes an [...] [...] Celebrity Pastors: Top of the Heap or Overexposed? (Mike Cosper) – Cosper carefully explains on the different celebrities and makes an [...]

]]> By: Celebrities, Heroes, and Slanderous Jealousy – The Gospel Coalition Blog http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-18612 Celebrities, Heroes, and Slanderous Jealousy – The Gospel Coalition Blog Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:01:51 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-18612 [...] recent article on celebrity pastors led to a number of good questions and challenges. I'd like to clarify a few [...] [...] recent article on celebrity pastors led to a number of good questions and challenges. I'd like to clarify a few [...]

]]> By: Linkathon 12/7 | Phoenix Preacher http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-18587 Linkathon 12/7 | Phoenix Preacher Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:42:17 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-18587 [...] Mike Cosper on celebrity pastors. [...] [...] Mike Cosper on celebrity pastors. [...]

]]> By: Joe http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-18522 Joe Sun, 04 Dec 2011 13:18:37 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-18522 A celeb-pastor is an intrinsically flawed position. Lack of responsibility for words that are said. No real way for someone who is really struggling with that teaching to connect with the celeb. Marc Driscoll with his "God hates you personally" comes to mind. Irresponsible at best. It's a flawed one way relationship that feeds the ego of the celeb and defies spiritual community for the consumer. A celeb-pastor is an intrinsically flawed position. Lack of responsibility for words that are said. No real way for someone who is really struggling with that teaching to connect with the celeb. Marc Driscoll with his "God hates you personally" comes to mind. Irresponsible at best. It's a flawed one way relationship that feeds the ego of the celeb and defies spiritual community for the consumer.

]]> By: Johan Verster http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-18519 Johan Verster Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:28:46 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-18519 To be honest guys, as a non-American outsider...I fear that the "celebrity pastor" issue is way more prevalent than most would concede. It seems that even when it comes to many of the "good", Bible-believing evangelical guys, there is so much 'Hollywood' in the way that we preach, dress and do church...that even the idea of 'normal' has shifted. I say this simply because I see the seductive power of the celebrity culture in my own country (South Africa) and sadly, also in my own ministry. It seems that we have moved miles away from Paul's description of his ministry in 2 Cor 6. To be honest guys, as a non-American outsider...I fear that the "celebrity pastor" issue is way more prevalent than most would concede. It seems that even when it comes to many of the "good", Bible-believing evangelical guys, there is so much 'Hollywood' in the way that we preach, dress and do church...that even the idea of 'normal' has shifted.

I say this simply because I see the seductive power of the celebrity culture in my own country (South Africa) and sadly, also in my own ministry. It seems that we have moved miles away from Paul's description of his ministry in 2 Cor 6.

]]> By: Mike Gantt http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-18505 Mike Gantt Sat, 03 Dec 2011 21:33:16 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-18505 "Instead of focusing on gathering a crowd, focus on having something to say. If you have something to say, the crowd will take care of itself." - Dallas Willard This is a good quote...if our goal is to gather a crowd to ourselves. However, our goal should be to gather a crowd to the Lord. That requires a completely different mindset. There is only One who deserves to be pastor. And those of us who speak in His name should be pointing to Him, and not drawing crowds to ourselves. Pastors of small churches often complain about the celebrity pastors of mega-churches - but the only difference is the size of the church. All these pastors are doing the same thing: drawing a crowd to themselves, the only difference being the size of the crowds. Onan didn't want to raise up offspring that would not be his own. Preachers today need to know that they can preach the kingdom of God instead of church and thereby raise up offspring to their fallen brother: Jesus Christ our Lord. I was a pastor who came to this awareness. "Instead of focusing on gathering a crowd, focus on having something to say. If you have something to say, the crowd will take care of itself." - Dallas Willard

This is a good quote...if our goal is to gather a crowd to ourselves. However, our goal should be to gather a crowd to the Lord. That requires a completely different mindset.

There is only One who deserves to be pastor. And those of us who speak in His name should be pointing to Him, and not drawing crowds to ourselves.

Pastors of small churches often complain about the celebrity pastors of mega-churches - but the only difference is the size of the church. All these pastors are doing the same thing: drawing a crowd to themselves, the only difference being the size of the crowds.

Onan didn't want to raise up offspring that would not be his own. Preachers today need to know that they can preach the kingdom of God instead of church and thereby raise up offspring to their fallen brother: Jesus Christ our Lord. I was a pastor who came to this awareness.

]]> By: Matt Fletcher http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/01/celebrity-pastors-top-of-the-heap-or-overexposed/#comment-18497 Matt Fletcher Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:45:00 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/?p=13328#comment-18497 A very well written article, showing the human element (motives, hard work, etc.) that comes into play within the framework of God's sovereignty. Neither can be discounted, and we must prize God's glory above all else. Prizing it includes pursuing a spirit of excellence in all things. A very well written article, showing the human element (motives, hard work, etc.) that comes into play within the framework of God's sovereignty. Neither can be discounted, and we must prize God's glory above all else. Prizing it includes pursuing a spirit of excellence in all things.

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