Kingdom Marketing Mindset for AuthorsSample

Celebrity Culture

We live in a celebrity culture that has even infected churches and ministries. Our pastor has said, “When people try to give you accolades receive it but don’t fall in love with it.”

Someone else once said, “Praise is like perfume…smell it but don’t swallow it.”

Sometimes it feels like our hearts are walking through a culture filled with land mines trying to navigate it all. Honestly, we would love to leave social media and various speaking platforms but God has shown us it’s a battle worth fighting.

A desire to be famous was a temptation even from the beginning at the Tower of Babel. In Genesis 11:4 we read,

“Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” (NLT, emphasis mine)

Other translations say, “Let’s make a name for ourselves.” It’s such a temptation in our social media world. What if we instead desire to make Jesus famous?

In John 7, we find Jesus taking a detour in order to avoid the crowds along with the Jewish leaders who were plotting his death. His own brothers criticized him for this and told him,

“Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.” (7:3b-5, emphasis mine)

By the way, not all fame is a bad thing. God tells Abraham He will bless him and make him famous and he will be a blessing to others. God initiated it. He was the one that made Abram famous. Like Abraham, we are blessed to be a blessing. (Genesis 12:2)

The Apostle Paul shares these wise words regarding our behavior and how we live our lives within a culture that worships celebrity,

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” (Romans 12:2-5 NLT)

Sometimes our celebrity culture stirs up comparison and competition within us. We have often struggled with this and God is continuing to grow us in this area. Here are a few things we have learned on the journey…

• Ultimately, He has reminded us that there is no competition in the Kingdom of God.
• Humility is all about dying to yourself. It’s not a popular topic in our culture.
• At the end of the day, it’s not about us. John 1:8 says, “John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.” This is what we are, simply a witness to point others to the true light of Jesus. We empty ourselves in humility to be filled with Christ – to make Him everything.
• “Here is the path to the higher life: down, lower down! Just as water always seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds men abased and empty, His glory and power flow in to exalt and to bless.” – Andrew Murray, Humility
• It won’t always make sense to the world around us--especially when it comes to marketing. Do it anyway and see what God does.
• Follow the example Jesus gave us. “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” – Philippians 2:3-5
• Move out of God’s way. “Once we have overcome our own desire to be elevated, our own desire to be recognized, our own desire to be independent…then God can use us as a part of His body to accomplish what the body of Christ was left here to accomplish.” - Rich Mullins, musician

We highly recommend the book Humility by Andrew Murray. Though originally published in 1884, this little book packs a punch and is still very relevant in the celebrity culture we all find ourselves.

With God’s help, it really is possible to live in a celebrity culture without being corrupted by it.

Father, may You increase and may we decrease.