BRENDYN.

I have to make sense of it for myself. I just have to.

By now most people are familiar with the most recent scandals being produced by the Church. I’m referring to Juanita Bynum and Paula White. To be honest, neither of them would be my top pick to listen to or gain any spiritual food from. I’m picky. This post isn’t about my opinion about them though. I want to share what the Bible’s perspective is on the issue.

The Argument
I’ve been reading blogs all over the place regarding these two daughters of the King (unless God says otherwise, I consider them saved and his children). Most people are saying that the problem with their ministries is the overwhelming amount of income they receive. The implication is that a man is beating his wife or a couple is divorcing because of a loss of Christ-centered focus. The bloggers assert that Juanita and Paula are heavy self-promoters and use facts (such as ministry website content) to back them up. The speculation is that their husbands are either jealous, controlling, emotionally displeased, or a cocktail of the three. So, the bottom line is that a successful woman is having marital problems because of her success.

The Reality
Both ladies are successful. They are incredible at turning a product, appealing to their audience, and garnering attention. The evidence is in their lifestyles, consistent marketing and brand appeal, and obvious wealth of income. If they were in corporate America, they wouldn’t be as prominent but would still have the same success.

The Truth
Statement one: Self-promotion is a disservice to the Kingdom of God.
Statement two: Self-promotion is a credit to the Kingdom of God.

Both statements are true. However, the context in which they are used is crucial for their validity. A pastor self-promoting as pastor of a church is acceptable. Paul declared himself to be an apostle. He made it known. A pastor self-promoting as the church is unacceptable. The church shouldn’t revolve around the pastor. The pastor isn’t the church’s brand; the church centers around Christ.

I think we know that much, but when it comes to individual ministries, where do we draw the line? Should John Doe Ministry’s brand be John Doe or Christ? Let’s shift the perspective a bit. Imagine there being a salesperson at a company. They have business cards, personalized brochures, maybe even a personal website. While working as a salesperson that the company, do they represent themselves or the company? Right, the company. Let’s use another example. Imagine a servant in the Queen’s (of England) court. Maybe a gardener or maid. It is their reasonable service to garden or to tidy up things. That’s what they do, and within the kingdom, they can make their service known. However, they’re still working for the kingdom, right?

My point is this: servants of the Kingdom of God should focus on building the Kingdom of God. If you self-promote, ensure that your promotion still leads constituents to Christ and the salvation of the cross. That’s across the board from janitor to real estate agent to ministry CEO.