Superstar??? Christians

This week, two stories from the church world made the news. Unfortunately they were not the kind of stories that demonstrate the cause of Christ. On the 23d, the AP broke a story about Juanita Bynum, a female televangelist and author and her husband, Thomas Weeks III, founder of Global Destiny Churches. Apparently the couple had separated and are no longer together. In a confrontation, Weeks assaulted Bynum, choking her and kicking her. Bynum and Weeks were married in 2002 in an extremely elaborate, televised wedding

On the 23d as well, the Tampa Tribune released the news that Randy and Paula White, pastors of Church Without Walls in Tampa, were announcing their divorce. Church Without Walls is reported to be one of the largest and fastest growing churches in the United States. The Whites have been under scrutiny for some time for their lavish lifestyles.

Both cases reveal a deep sickness in the American church. The church has been transformed from the Body of Christ into what is the equivalent of a large corporation. Leading these corporations we have superstar leaders who justify their extravagant lifestyles by pointing to the corporate world. These are the leaders who are placed on a pedestal by gullible believers who carnally desire to have a king.

These two stories reveal the moral rot that frequently exists behind the facade of success. While I have no expectations that leaders live perfectly (they wouldn't need a Savior if they did!), I do have problems with the way they position themselves as superstars, their attitude frequently mirroring that of professional athletes. It is an attitude of "I deserve more". Instead of standing with the people they lead, they stand above - in extravagance of lifestyle, in the demands to be served, in the expectations of financial remuneration.

When placed against the example of Jesus, the lifestyle of these superstar leaders bears no resemblance to the Son of Man. Jesus washed His disciples feet (donkey doo and all). Jesus exercised His authority for the benefit of messy, broken people, not to build a soft life of ease. Jesus freely relinquished His rights to self aggrandisement. In reality, Jesus penetrated the lowest strata of society, choosing to live in a way that indentified with the poor and the marginlized.

Perhaps it is time for the followers of Christ to begin to emulate His lifestyle instead instead of the lifestyles of the rich and famous in our society. Now wouldn't that be a novel idea!