Some thoughts for young pastors and ministers about stages and platforms.
There’s a lure to them, a powerful draw.
The lights, the audience, the feeling of importance —
it’s intoxicating.
It suddenly becomes all to easy to find our identity
in those images of us holding a microphone,
commanding the stage.
But beware.
This desire can tap into a darker urge:
the urge to perform,
to be seen,
to be valued for our utility.
Yet, the truth is stark and simple:
The stage isn’t the stage.
Life is the stage.
Consider the words of Jesus:
*”Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”* (Luke 9:23)
Daily. Not just on Sundays. Not just in the spotlight.
What happens if the stage is taken away?
What remains of our ministry then?
Remember, 99% of Christians don’t have such stages.
Their lives — ordinary, everyday lives —
are their platforms to live out the Gospel.
In homes, in workplaces, in communities,
they demonstrate the love of Christ.
We are called to teach them how to do this,
But if our entire Christian identity is wrapped up in what we do on the stage… how can we actually teach them?
Is ministry about creating more people to stand on stages… or disciples of Christ?
The stage can be powerful, yes.
But it can also be seductive.
In whispers of fame and influence,
it can distract from the true essence of ministry:
serving, loving, living out the Gospel in the everyday.
As John Stott says, “At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is the greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend.”
Remember:
Your worth is not measured by the size of your audience,
but by the matchless size of Jesus’s love for you.
Your impact is not gauged by applause,
but by the love you show in the quiet, unseen moments.
Having a platform to help others seek Jesus is a massive gift and blessing.
But do not anchor your identity to the physical stage, because these platforms can crumble and disappear in an instant.
The real stage is the world around you,
and your true audience is the One who called you to serve God and your neighbor.
Young Pastors & The Allure of the Stage was originally published in GoodLion Theology on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
