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Don’t Idolize Pastors
We’re supposed to respect them, not worship them
I have known friends who love particular pastors. Some of these ministers form mega-churches and seem to have cult followings. Sometimes they will preach things that are not Biblical.
For example, there are the ministers who preach the gospel of wealth. But God does not promise His children earthly riches. In fact, Jesus often seems to side with the poor, such as when he praises the poor widow in Mark 12:41–44, which says:
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on.”
There are other places in the Bible where Jesus lifts up those who are poor but righteous and denigrates those who are wealthy but arrogant.
One of the key virtues emphasized in the Bible is humility. 1 Peter 5:6–7 says:
