Unfortunately, in America, we place an inordinate amount of confidence in faith leaders, celebrities, and even influencers.
For those of us who have grown up in, or been proximate to, the Black Christian church, the scandal involving T.D. Jakes is heartbreaking. Jakes has faced speculation over his relationship with media mogul Diddy, ne Sean Combs. It is disheartening to see a person with a large ministry caught up in a scandal. And yet, this moment is an opportunity to shift our focus from Christian celebrity to Jesus.
We see Christian leaders in their element and believe that they have it all figured out. But we should keep things in perspective. It is true that preachers can provide a light for our path and fuel for our journey. However, our hope must rest in Jesus alone.
Unfortunately, in America, we place an inordinate amount of confidence in faith leaders, celebrities, and even influencers. If we are not careful, we can make these people, or people with large platforms or ministries, proxies for God. But nothing and no one should be exalted higher than God. Not our church, not our political party, not our guns, and certainly not our money. The bible says in Exodus 20:3 “thou shall have no other God before me.”
If we are mindful of this central command, it changes how we see and hold others, even the people we admire. We can esteem Christian leaders and be grateful for their talents and gifts, but we have to be careful to not to idolize them. We also have to be intentional about praying for them and for us – that they, or we, do not fall into sin, and that we each walk worthy of our calling.
It is true that Jakes is a master orator, phenomenal preacher and wise businessman. But he is still human. He, like the rest of us, is still capable of falling away from the gospel we hold dear. And yes, a person can pastor a church, or be in a Christian leadership position, and still fail miserably. Think of all the examples in the bible (David, Samson, Saul, Eli, Hophni and Phinehas) of people who were still in their positions, but did evil. The bible says in I Samuel 16:14 that “the spirit of the Lord departed Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.”
If we are going to serve God, we must orient our hearts back to God and do so daily. The moment we stop seeking Christ, we begin to fall away. The moment we idolize others, and try obsessively to please them, we fall away. The moment we cease to be accountable to other Christians, we make ourselves vulnerable to attack. What is more, in Acts 2:42, Christians are offered a template for how we should govern our lives: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
But for years, I thought that there were super Christians and then the rest of us. I no longer believe in super Christians, any more than I believe in super heroes. The people who are strong in their faith are people who consistently seek God and people who are in close community with other believers. We cannot do the Christian walk alone.
If you are reading this and feel far from God, you can acknowledge where you are, seek forgiveness, and ask God to restore you. You do not have to live in shame or condemnation. And you do not have to continue down a dead-end road. With humility, you can try again.
I also want to note that this situation is a reminder that consuming Christian content alone isn’t a fulfillment of our duties. And yet, this is a subtle temptation. I recall stumbling upon prayers by Dr. Cindy Trimm and Pastor Dawn Davis Lawrence on YouTube, and sermons from faith leaders like Jakes, and listening to those items on repeat. Before long, I began thinking that merely consuming that content was sufficient. It wasn’t. It isn’t. God wants our unique sacrifice of praise and prayer. It doesn’t have to be fancy and it doesn’t have to sound like the person with the large online platform. It simply needs to come from us. Christian content can supplement our devotion time, but it can’t substitute it.
I’m clear that for many, the matter involving T.D. Jakes is disappointing. I would gently and lovingly urge us to set our hearts and minds on Jesus. We should also be careful what we consume and how much we consume. We do not need to turn into investigators, trying to discern fact from fiction. Our job is to pray that we do not fall into sin, pray for justice and accountability, and pray for the desire to seek God — consistently.
Jennifer R. Farmer, aka The PR Whisperer®, is an author, lecturer and strategic communications expert. Check out our blog posts and subscribe for updates.