As I write this, the news of Josh Buice’s fall is still hitting hard. What sad news! I only met him once and our time together, while brief, was not bad at all. In fact, he was very cordial to me and my family. It was at G3 Conference 2023. My youngest son (10 years old at the time) even asked him to sign his Bible, and he did, taking time to talk to him and us.
I appreciate the ministry of G3 and Prays Mill Baptist Church too. I think the elders of the church there are doing the right thing in light of the slander and division. It hurts when any preacher falls. Tonight during our midweek service, we prayed that God would get the glory in all this.
Every time someone well known falls, I read of people who say that it’s a problem to have “celebrity preachers.” There are calls for the big conferences to be cancelled. And the ministries like G3 are looked upon with suspicion. These are all knee jerk reactions. I wanna go on record to say I thank God for the “celebrity preachers,” the big conferences, and ministries like G3.
Many of the people who have something negative to say about these things have never been to a G3 Conference or met any of these preachers. But I can tell you they are not competition or enemies to the local church. In fact, they are a help to it.
There’s a lot of people in this country and with every passing generation more and more of them aren’t ever stepping into a church building. I have a heart for people. You, the reader, should too. Until we all learn to reach these people outside, we all ought to appreciate the men who have a platform bigger than the pulpit inside the four walls of the little church building we meet in every week.
When a person turns on the radio, if they get onto a Christian station, they will probably hear a “celebrity preacher” like John MacArthur.
When someone is searching the internet for answers on Calvinism, it won’t be long until they are introduced to Voddie Baucham or Joel Beeke.
If a person wants to learn more about the Five Solas, and they search the internet they will run across RC Sproul.
An online search about Biblical Inerrancy will lead you to James R. White.
I rejoice in this because in the circles I grew up in, we were not able to get into all the places these “celebrity preachers” can get. And further, often times we were chasing people away by arguing over the wrong things. Our websites and social media pages indicated we weren’t Calvinists (even though we believed the doctrines of grace), and we would have affirmed the Five Solas but we were too proud to admit it. In our zeal, we would have sown confusion and run people off.
Paul the Apostle had a much different approach. He rejoiced to know others were preaching the gospel even if they were preaching it for the wrong reasons. We should do the same.
“Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my chains in Christ have become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord because of my chains, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me affliction in my chains. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my salvation through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:12–20, LSB)
We are unable to know the hearts of these other men. Maybe some of them are doing what they are doing for the wrong reasons. But we can (and should) rejoice knowing the gospel is being proclaimed in ways and on platforms we cannot get to.
Oh certainly, some “celebrity pastors” do need to be called out for their errors and their heresies, but let’s be consistent. Call out the not so well-known pastor in your own fellowship that preaches heresy too.
The reality is most people have favorite preachers. In your mind you probably have a man or men you look up to as a celebrity. And that’s ok…as long as you aren’t elevating him above Jesus Christ or causing division over your man like they were doing in Corinth. (Go ahead and read 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 as a refresher.) I’m not afraid to tell you that I do in fact have heroes and most of them are preachers. Some of them are well known and others you wouldn’t know them if I told you their names. But I understand that God only ever had one sinless Preacher and His name is Jesus.
If you are a pastor, serve the Lord from whatever platform you have. May we always use that platform to point folks to Christ.
My prayer is that the truth of God’s Word will continue to be proclaimed from the smallest church to the biggest conference. And thank God for even the “celebrity preacher” when he preaches the Word. Pray for those who have fallen, but also pray for those who are still standing. And if you get an opportunity to go to a G3 Conference, make it a point to go. This year’s conference was cancelled, but I’m sure they will host another. I pray they do.
Related Post: A Recap of the G3 2023 Conference – Faith Family and Freedom
Well said!!!!!