This was a fantastic piece. I love how the author doesn't attack anybody, but challenges us all to rethink how we respect and honor those whom God has blessed with different gifts that have enhanced our walk with God. It is easy for us to put these leaders up on pedestals. Having just returned from the YS Conference, I look back and see how I could have done the same thing (maybe I did) to Mark O., or Francis Chan, who delivered this phenomenal message. It is a struggle, because their is a place to honor and respect those with those gifts, while recognizing that they're just as human as I, with the potential for (or the actual) the same faults as I. I want to hold up men for my boys to model who are Godly and respected. The temptation is to go past honor to idolizing, or, as the author stated, elevating them to the point where we choose one person as "more Godly" than anybody else, just because God has graciously given them gifts He hasn't given to others we're in contact with. Great food for thought.

As a church leader and a man preparing to answer the call to preach the gospel, I find it amazing that anyone would put another human being up on a pedestal as a "hero." And certainly, those who are true spiritual leaders would give credit to the one who called them - the Lord, rather than seeing themselves as any kind of hero. If I had to choose a role model, other than our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, I would say that probably the one man who has done his best to keep the focus off himself and on the gospel, who has done whatever possible to avoid putting himself into compromising positions would be Billy Graham. Hero? No. Someone to admire and learn from, perhaps. Frankly, there aren't many in the public arena who are deserving of hero status. Too much prosperity preaching, judging, preaching of half-truths have turned me off to most media ministers. Our best hero and role model should be Jesus Christ himself and that is why the Bible is our ultimate training and proving ground - not the work of other men or women.

Bravo! I couldn't agree more! Let's sign up as many people as possible for this boycott! Nothing against any of these people...I believe they would agree...stop the "idol" worship!

Robin

I believe this is a "straw man" argument--a position paper about a problem that does not really exist. Where are all these groupies? I sure don't see them, and have been in evangelical Christianity for 50 years. I've been blessed to be a member of the flock of several "megapreachers" who were influential pastors, speakers, and writers, and in each instance I saw Christ being preached and sinners brought into fellowhip with Jesus. Nowhere did I see the "follower of Apollos" whose allegiance was to the preacher first and Jesus second. If the problem described exists at all, it must surely be vanishingly small.

In a post-Christian America we do not need to conjure up a collection of groupies to criticize. We have enough foes as it is. It is better to remember that "whoever is not against us is for us".

This is an excellent article and something we need to be reminded of continually. Thank you.

It’s nice to read an article about the likes of Hybels and Stanley that isn’t knocking these outstanding pastors. Angie rightly recognizes that these leaders aren’t looking for cult followings, and she puts the blame for the groupie-like activity on… the groupies. But then she illustrates how difficult it is to beak away from Jensenite behavior when she quotes “the words of Fernando Ortega and Anne Graham Lotz…” Why not quote the Father: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Or Jesus: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

One of my heroes is the little known August Spangenburg. He was the 18th century Moravian bishop who asked John Wesley, just off a stormy boat ride across the Atlantic, if he knew Jesus. When Wesley said he knew that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, Spangenburg said something like, “Yes, but do you know that he died for your sins?” Wesley didn’t become a Spangenburg groupie; but the Moravian’s question sent him in pursuit of Jesus… until he found him. If only all of us could minister so simply and yet so effectively.

I am no internationally known leader - for sure. I am a minister who used to preach for a small church and has just moved to a smaller one in a domestic mission field. However, amongst the ministers I know, this is a common problem on a more localized level as well. When I moved, the church back home almost split.

From the standpoint of the minister, this is heartbreaking. An elder once told me I needed to build up my following. He referred to it as my fan club. I was horrified. We all get into this thing to bring glory to God and to help people follow him. I don't want people leaving because I am moving on. I don't want people coming to worship because they think my sermons or my classes are inspiring and challenging. I want them to follow Jesus.

I remember Jesus' words in Matthew 5 - our good deeds are to bring glory to the Father. What a challenge!

Wow, what a great article. I must read more articles by this Angie Ward. She is amazing. Such insight! Where does she do her "forward thinking"? I must attend such a church. . .

Way to make a total issue out of a non issue. This is a diatribe aimed in the whole wrong direction.

There is nothing wrong, if the person is healthy and growing Christian, in admiring a person who has attained a certain stature in the faith. When you think Billy Graham, what comes to your mind?

I agree that at times there are churches that seem to be more about the pastor's ego and not about the gospel, but those are the exception and not the rule.

As a church leader and a man preparing to answer the call to preach the gospel, I find it amazing that anyone would put another human being up on a pedestal as a "hero."

Really? As a person who is no doubt familiar with Scripture and its bluntly honest appraisal of all that lives inside all of us -- the lust, the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life -- you find it "amazing" that idolatry exists?

I doubt this is a "straw man" argument 'cause I've seen it myself in many different churches where "Pastor says" was taken more seriously than "Jesus says."

I likewise see these "heroes" regularly preach the Gospel and disciple the lost. The "groupies" exist despite the heroes' own admissions of inadequacy and humility. I can't say it's their fault; it's entirely on the "groupies" who forget that the best of us are nothing compared to Jesus.

Often the groupies are the way they are because they lack discipleship. If they knew how to study scripture for themselves, they'd see where their heroes' failings are -- and hopefully they'd be mature enough to respect them anyway, instead of the utter dismay and heartbreak and bitter anger you usually see when they discover a flaw in a false god.

Yep, Angie Ward is my newest hero! ;-)

Ms. Ward is correct, we should not worship heroes --Jesus excepted. But her polemic may reflect something ugly. I have not many heroes, but I have them. Who can know Jackie Robinson's story and not admire his heroism? Not me. I'm made of emotional stuff. Heroism touches me. But Jackie Robinson is not a ministry hero, at least not in the sense that Ms. Ward intends. I do lack ministry heroes --Billy Graham excepted. But if I lack heroes among today's ministry leaders, perhaps that says more about my own struggles with envy, jealousy, and fear of comparative failure than it says about those leaders' worthiness. Isn't such an attitude just the obverse side of Paul's (and Ms. Ward's) warning in 1 Cor.3 ? A lack of heroes may indicate a defilement every bit as stinking as the popular fawning decried by Ms. Ward.

For those who doubt such "hero worship" exists, all one has to do is note the drop in worship attendance when the main pastor or senior pastor or whatever you want to call him or her is on vacation or study leave. In every church I have been a part of from large mega-churches to small solo pastor churches (where I currently serve) this has been the case. Call it hero worship, call it a personality cult, call it what you want but it certainly is a major problem in the church today and one I personally lament. I agree with Ward that most of the leaders are not trying to foster this kind of thing themselves (although I do wonder sometimes when I see some names appear almost ubiquitously on websites, books, and other marketing material) but the issue remains and is certainly prevalent throughout the church in North America.

A very good observation, and even better reality check at the end.
Nicely done.

Perhaps these "celebrities" create the environment(s) for the "groupies" to flock because these "leaders" plaster their faces all over the place and name ministries after themselves.

One anti-megachurch, megachuch pastor who comes to my mind as being the opposite, is Rob Bell. Does he have what you could call groupies? Sure. But do you see his face plastered everywhere? Is there a Rob Bell "ministries" or "Marshill Association"? I think he draws groups because there are massess of desperate people who know the Gospel is more than quick fixes and ministry strategies. It's a rythm, a story, a way of living.

Where many groupies are attracted to leaders by what they do, by the words and performances they give. It seems to me that though Rob Bell has compelling messages that are attractive to some, most who are engaged by him are attracted by WHAT HE DOES NOT DO.

I was recently asked who my heroes were. I had to name 2 women, both of whom I have only met once. They are my ministry heroes. Their lives modelled Christ in a way that I can follow- in my own capacity. That said, I do not worship them.

I have heard others gush over their favourite preacher/ speaker in the same way one would gush over a celebrity.

This is idolatlry, as far as I can see. My "ministry heroes" are older women who taught the younger (me). They mentored from afar by their examples and words. That's the world-wide church in action. It is not north American hero WORSHIP.

"It seems to me that though Rob Bell has compelling messages that are attractive to some, most who are engaged by him are attracted by WHAT HE DOES NOT DO."

Don't kid yourself about Rob Bell, Sam. He has a full-throttled marketing machine working behind him, he lives a celebrity lifestyle with a celebrity's income and he is so busy and important that he rarely has to rub shoulders with commoners. But nothing against Rob Bell, of course. But regardless of the content of his message, his not much different than the rest.

Groupies exist because Christian celebrities (authors, speakers, musicians) encourage their existence by allowing themselves to be treated like celebrities.

I realize I might sound just a little crazy, but the entire system -- the books, the speaking tours, the concerts -- is corrupt, and those who participate in it can't help but get their hands dirty.

I have heroes, too, but most of them are pastors working in poverty in places most people would never visit. I can live without the purpose-driven-velvet-elvis offerings of the evangelical subculture's superstars.

First I was afraid we were being asked to boycott the TV show HEROS. That would hurt. I have a preaching hero that I don't get to listen too very much anymore. He was my Father in the faith and is an interim pastor in Washington state. He is one of the ten best preachers I've ever heard and I don't include me in that group.

I see Lucado as a hero to me. He demonstrates what a wordsmith is all about and I love his work. I am also enthralled by those like John and Carol Arnot. I experienced ministry with them one time and there was absolutely nothing flashy, ego building or manipulative at all. I just appreciated that their heart and purpose was to serve Jesus.

Peace
Alan

Rob Bell is one of my favorites. Listen to his podcast, watch the NOOMAS, etc.

Now that I've been in ministry for over a year, I love the sentiments about going to the Anglican Church. I've thought about that a lot when we argue continue to argue about worship styles, "outreach" models, preaching styles, technology, etc.

I wonder, Does God give a crap whether we use PowerPoint or EasyWorship? Does God give a crap if we sing with guitars, organs, drums, etc? How will God judge our efforts? That's what I'm more concerned with...

Yup. But I must note (as others do above) that heroes aren't inherently worshiped. Elisha admired Elijah as his hero, and used Elijah's "spirit" as his unit for describing what he wanted most, and it wasn't considered evil. (Elijah didn't rebuke him, and his water-striking "trick" worked.)

chad said crap. Can you say crap on here? I love Driscoll and would kiss him on the cheek if I could... is that hero worship?

Yes, Yes, Yes!!

We in the evangelical church determine our affinity primarily by the "I am of ____".

How would our koinonia look differently if we were to cut this out of the equation?

We're quibbling over words again. I think we need to parse this down to basics. A hero versus someone you admire. An idol versus a symbol of veneration. How is this defined?

When we look back at biblical examples, we look at mentoring relationships -- the disciples were mentored by Jesus, Elisha was mentored by Elijah. The Levites had... well... Levites. Someone has to carry on the work of the person who came before them. We do the same at work, at home, at school. We pass on what we do to someone else. A leader has followers. It's when we unquestioningly follow these leaders, blinded by what they do (or don't do), and when WE DON'T KNOW THEM AND PRETEND WE DO that we can fall in the trap of hero worship.

There's nothing wrong with admiring someone or finding a spiritual mentor. But don't stick them up on a pedestal because Humpty Dumpty could have a great fall. Keep your eyes open, effendi.

We all have our popes, I guess. I guess some are just more forthcoming with that fact.

Actually, I'm beginning to read Pope Pius VI's Humanae Vitae. Talk about prophetic. That's someone I'd like to hug for his insights on human nature.

I have always been struck by how this problem is more rampant in the evangelical side of the church than elsewhere---not just today, but historically, too. I think most folks would be hard-pressed to name even a handful of mainstream church "rock stars," but on the evangelical side of the church you can easily start reeling off the names.

What is it about evangelicalism that breeds this?