The Greg Mortenson Debacle

This is cross-posted at http://www.liberaladventist.blogspot.com. At the end of this post I've added a few more comments about the relevance of this to pastoral ministry.

The Greg Mortenson debacle is a vivid example of the dangers of itinerant stardom, especially spiritual stardom. It is so easy for both the hero and the hero's devotees to be seduced by the heroes stories and charisma.

This is a danger for traveling evangelists, revival speakers, and spiritual stars.

The traveling preacher is constantly applauded for his or her special gifts, which are real. The traveling preacher is typically not confronted with the reality of his or her weaknesses, which are also real. Both the preacher and the admirers are seduced into thinking the extraordinary gifts on display in public are the fruit of an extraordinary character. both preacher and audience become blind to the weaknesses and failings in the preacher's private life.

Extraordinary gifts of preaching and storytelling have no essential connection to character.

The more a preacher travels, the more he or she is admired, the greater the risk for self deception.

Pastors who stay long in their congregations have a slight advantage over itinerant preachers. Their people are more likely to know them as whole persons rather than as performers. This personal knowledge tends to counterbalance a preacher's natural high regard for his own opinions.

The reality is there are no fully sufficient agents of the kingdom of heaven. Even telling the story of Jesus could not be entrusted to one person. Whether you view Matthew or Mark or Luke or John as the preeminent gospel, you have to at least grudgingly acknowledge there are three other Gospels, three other ways of telling Jesus story.

Pick any theologian, Adventist or non-Adventist. What they said is not sufficient. Pick any great preacher Adventist or non-Adventist. What anyone of those preachers said is not sufficient. God needed them all. And God needs you. If you are a traveling preacher, keep it up. But beware the special dangers of your role. If you are the pastor of a small rural district, keep up your preaching and your visiting and your administration. God needs you.

We celebrate the traveling preachers because of preaching is compelling and interesting and stirs our souls. If you are the pastor of a small rural district you may not get constant affirmation that your preaching is compelling and interesting and stirs people's souls. The reality is the traveling preacher could never do your job. He is not up to it. God's work in your world requires the gifts that you have. Gifts of constancy and invisibility, the gift of obscurity.

It's unlikely you will ever be the star of a book or a movie. You won't be famous.
Still, you are vital. You are indispensable in the work of God in your community.