Self-Promotion and the Name of Christ
Do you want your name to be known? Are you pursuing a ministry that you hope will result in the recognition of your name by many? Or, at the very least, do you think that those whose names are written in Christianity's lights, are the most successful? This, no doubt, is a temptation that we all face. Sure, we'd like to think that our intentions to promote the name of Christ are single and pure. But have you ever thought that the recognition that you might receive will result in a greater breadth of ministry? I have.
Recently, I found myself in a situation in which I was reminded of the large numbers of Christians who believe just the opposite. I mentioned the name of one of these people in public document and had to be told to remove it. This was strange to me. It was strange to me to find a person who was not taken in the very least with the opportunity to receive recognition. It was strange to me to see a man who so wanted the name of Christ to be known that he didn't want any mention of his name to hinder that work.
This man is not alone. Right now, all around the globe, there are people who know that if their name is ever recognized in the public sphere, then their ministry and lives are in danger of coming to an end. I'm talking about those serving overseas in regions that cannot be named. These people aren't impressed by titles. In fact, they've reduced their title down to a letter, the letter "m". These saints are so committed to the name of Jesus being known and delighted in among all the nations, that they fear any mention of their name in relation to their work.
This way of life isn't new. Millenia ago, the Apostle Paul informed a struggling church that he was not a superstar Apostle. Rather, he and his followers were "like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things" (1 Cor. 6:13).
Unfortunately, the desire for fame is not new either. Jesus criticized the religious leaders of his day because they gave into the great temptation to delight "in the place of honor" in their culture (Matt. 23:6). Have you ever found yourself secretly enjoying the sight or thought of your name written or announced in papers or from pulpits across America?
If you have, I hope that you will join me in repentance. If you haven't, I pray that you will continue to fight this sinful inclination. Let us be careful to cultivate a longing for the name of Jesus to be lifted high and desire for our names to be put in their proper place. Let us thank God not only for those whose names we know very well, but also for those whose names we will never hear of or read about. Brothers and sisters, let us be a people who are willing to join the Apostle Paul and many today who have become "like the scum of the world" (1 Cor. 4:13). That's not going to fill football stadiums. But then again, we're not looking to fill football stadiums for our praise. We're looking forward to a new creation filled with the knowledge of God like the waters cover the sea. And when this happens, the knowledge of one name will matter, Jesus Christ is Lord.
If you've struggled with this or are struggling with this, what are some ways that you fight this and fight for the name of Christ? How do you cultivate this in your congregations and your homes so that if you were to disappear, your loved ones' focus on the name of Christ would be rock solid?  Â
This is an outstanding post. For me personally, and to be perfectly germane to what we are doing here, this can be a struggle as a Christian blogger. I was blogging before it became a household word in the SBC, and there is a degree of temptation that comes when simply spending 30 minutes typing out your thoughts can produce a document that can be read by hundreds (or more) and generate conversation with dozens of people. There is power in networking, and with power comes temptation.
So what I do is remind myself of several things. First, as useful as blogging can be for the purpose of ministry, it is an ultimately inferior medium; it is by nature artificial, and the degree to which you get to know other bloggers is probably even less than occurs in many chat rooms. So unless are able to meet the people you interact with on a blog face to face (or already know them), then someone's blog community (and the power a blogger may have within it) is really only a shadow of authentic community. Face to face ministry with another image-bearer of God is superior to even the most influential blog.
Second, I ask myself if I think the things I write would be worth reading if someone else were writing them, or if they were even anonymous. This helps me gauge what I want to be read because I think it is helpful or important, and what I want to be read because, in my own sinfulness, I want someone to think I am clever or insightful.
Third, I try to remember that blogging is still a new medium (at least in SBC life), and it may turn out to be nothing more than a fad. But the preaching and teaching of the gospel will endure until Christ returns, so infinitely more time should be spent on the latter.
Fourth, I ask myself this question: "If I dropped dead tomorrow, would I want to be most remembered as a blogger, even a Christian blogger?" Absolutely not. So as someone involved in vocational ministry and working at a seminary, this serves as a reminder that blogging is fun and even profitable, but it is not the most important thing I do, nor should it ever be. To be remembered as "the guy who had a blog" would be a wasted epitaph indeed. There are more profitable ways to serve the kingdom of Christ, and I must be about those things no matter how much time I could spend blogging if I let myself. Â
Finally, I have a small group of men who hold me accountable to what I blog about. They have my permission to rebuke me for what I write or even challenge my motives. I think this is similar to many pastors and other church leaders who have friends and family who keep them accountable (and humble).
So I know that blogging was definately not what you had in mind, but that is where my temptation presently lies. And I think that is the case for many other Christian bloggers as well.
Thanks for your comment and your honesty. I think that you are right on target with what you said. Thanks for mapping out how you've thought through this.
I enjoyed the comments about the internet relationships, considering we've never met face to face. I think you are dead on. Unfortunately, I think that many have replaced these "face to face" relationships with "screen to screen" relationships. Where this has happened, the development of the kind of "face to face" relationships that Christ has intended for us to have in the church have been hindered.
And thanks for sharing how you've wisely safeguarded yourself. I think we'd all do well to follow your example by taking the initiative and surrounding ourselves with guys who will "tell it like it is." I don't know what I'd do without these guys.
And you were wrong, the blog was one of many areas that I had in mind. No place is safe. I think that the evil tendencies of our hearts that still need to be crucified will capitalize on any opportunity that exists. Thanks for your time.