The mesmerizing gospel of the celebrity pastors

Over the past few years I have noticed a disturbing trend with so-called "celebrity pastors" – the trend actually isn't related to them, but rather the hatred that is thrown towards them on a regular basis.

Whether it's Billy Graham, Joel Osteen, Carl Lentz, or Rich Wilkerson Jr., there always seem to be certain pastors that garner more attention and notoriety than others. While I don't agree whole heartedly with each of these pastors' doctrine, preaching style or opinions, I do think that they each of them have the capability to bring people to Christ. 

Additionally, I do not believe that they deserve to be demonized simply because they have been labeled as popular, cool, modern, hip or famous. Instead, I believe they deserve our support, because they are reaching people that no one else can.

People like to condemn these pastors and others like them for their celebrity status when in reality being a celebrity isn't exactly something you can control. It isn't like they all woke up one day and said, "I think I'll become a famous celebrity pastor." Becoming famous should never be the goal of a pastor, but if it occurs while trying to reach people that generally means you will reach even more people.

I believe that many people who are against these kinds of pastors fail to realize that Jesus also dealt with an unwanted celebrity status as he traveled to preach the Good News (Mark 1:28).

While Jesus didn't desire fame or notoriety, He didn't reject the crowds. Instead, He used it as an opportunity to reach more people. He often preached where crowds of thousands would gather (Luke 12:1, John 6:2).     More..

Note:

Are these celebrity preachers presenting the real Jesus of the bible that loves the sinner but hates sin, that  is an equal entity of grace measure to an equal entity of justice,  that walked 2000 years ago on this planet, that rejected tradition and put the word of God above any tradition, that would touch the leper, or just another Jesus? An experiential Jesus? A Jesus based on feelings and not on the word of God? A Jesus based on emotions and not on principles? Martin Luther said regarding the Jews: “if they could reject the one that healed the sick, that comforted the broken hearted, that raised the dead, what kind of God must they have; I hate to know what kind of God they had.” Are we going to do the same? Are we going to fail to recognize the real Jesus of the bible just as the Jews did and nail the Lord to the cross and reject his mercy and truth?  We need a heart felt religion. We need a real experience with the Lord, not a plastic one. 

2 Corinthians 11:4 says: For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.