Celebrity Culture

“I belong to Apollo’s,” and other says, “I belong to Paul.” St Paul in the book of 1 Corinthians 3 vs.1-9, was
dealing with the culture of celebrants. We as human beings have a tendency to
hero worship. That is not a bad thing itself. We need mentors; we need people to
inspire us. The danger becomes when these people whom we have idolised take the
place of God. Remember God made everything and that all power belongs to him.
Herod Antipas whom we come across in Acts 12 dies because people had begun to
say he was a god and the Holy Spirit struck him down. What we need to remember
is that all have been called by God to have a specific ministry and function.
Those who are called to preach should preach those called to be teachers should
do it selflessly; those called into intercessory should do it selflessly. Paul
says, “Therefore neither the one who plants no the who waters is anything, but
only God, who causes the growth.”  So Paul is teaching us to be on guard against this celebrity culture, for
it is a road that leads to destruction. All power belongs to God. In the
Christian Church celebrity culture has risen, that people go to church not
seeking God but to listen to Pastor so and so, instead of worship God.  Pastors, just like Herod Antipas have
been proclaimed as a god, which is in violation of the First commandment which
clearly states that one should Love God alone.  The culture of celebrities creates
disunity in the Church of God.  For we are all workers, building and extending the kingdom of God not own
Kingdoms.
Fr. Barnabas Nqindi