Are Celebrity Pastors the Problem?
Think back fifteen years. Some of the most respected evangelical leaders would have included Bill Hybels, James MacDonald, Mark Driscoll, and Ravi Zacharias. Outside of very conservative circles, people like Jean Vanier and Bruxy Cavey were the heroes of many. All of these mighty Christian leaders have fallen from their pedestals. Some of it because of sexual abuse, others because of other abuses of power.
Is the problem the fact that we have celebrity pastors? Is it the moment that a pastor or Christian leader becomes a brand to be promoted that things have gone bad?
Like many such questions, the answer is no and yes.
We need to take a moment to remember why we hear about these leaders. There is a reason why Christianity Today would do a podcast series on Mark Driscoll and not some unknown pastor of a small rural church who might have had the same power issues.
It might be a tad cynical to say that certain people are more gossip-worthy. I’m not suggesting that CT’s podcast is gossip. But the fact is that we care about the rise and fall of big name people more than that of average pastors of average-sized churches.
There is plenty of abuse of power (sexually and other) in churches that we never hear of. You do not have to be a celebrity pastor to realize that there is a power deferential that can be used to one’s personal advantage. For too long, Protestants pointed at Roman Catholics, but it affects us all. Evangelical and mainline, charismatic and anabaptist, Protestant and Catholic, conservative and liberal. There are failings everywhere.
There was abuse long before there was a thing called “celebrity pastor.” But that does not mean the celebrity pastors are not a problem. I’m not saying it is sinful to be celebrity pastor, but there is a lot of danger that goes with it.
Being a celebrity magnifies all of the things we have been talk about. The higher the pedestal, the more damage that can be done. The more you widen the circle of influence, the more people that can be the victim of spiritual abuse.
The other danger with celebrity pastors is that organizations can sometimes become dependent on the status of their leader. Organizations may feel the need to protect their leader, even if the accusations are credible, because their existence as an organization depends on it.
What is the answer? A good first step is for organizations to try and separate their existence from the public regard of the leader. It is interesting to note that Ravi Zacharias International Ministries collapsed after the revelation but L’Arche (cofounded by Jean Vanier) still thrives.
It is fine to respect and appreciate certain pastors and leaders who are especially gifted. But we also need to realize that the higher the pedestal we put them on, the harder their fall and they will take many with them.
We also need to remember that this is not just about celebrity pastors. Some pastor or leader, somewhere in the world, has just been caught in a dangerous abuse of power and you will never hear about it. All leaders must be aware of the dangers and should not feel safe just because they are not in the headlines.
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1)
