Ministry Idols

If you feel comfortable with your faith you might want to stop reading this blog post now! I’m just giving you fair warning!

I was convicted today, convicted of idolatry! It seems a little scandalous to write that but it’s true. Today was one of those days when Christina went off to work and I got to stay home with the kids. I decided to use my time wisely and listen to a few sermons while I did the dishes and got the kids’ lunches ready.

I didn’t know what I was in for!

The first sermon I decided to listen to was from Timothy Keller called “The Gospel and Idolatry” from Acts 19:23-41.

Keller starts by showing how when Paul preached the gospel he always confronted the people’s idols. He said that it is really impossible to accurately preach the gospel without exposing and knocking down idols.

He identified three major types of idols:

1. Personal idols
2. Religious idols
3. Cultural idols

You can probably guess which of those three hit me square in the face RELIGIOUS!

Now, please take at least 5 minutes to listen as Timothy Keller explains what religious idols are and why they are so dangerous.

For the part on religious idols start the video at 36:30.

If you have time I highly recommend going back and listening the first half of this sermon.

Keller explains

An idol is some good thing you’re looking to as more crucial to your value and your security and your meaning in life than God is.

He identifies three areas where religious people often find their idols;

1. Truth
2. Gifts
3. Morality

As I listened to this sermon I was tempted to shut the computer down and go work in the other room so that I wouldn’t have to deal with my idols!

Ministry as an Idol

Here’s the point, as a minister I can easily turn my ministry into an idol. I can put preaching, teaching, doctrine, holy living and how many people attend my church on a pedestal above God! Unfortunately when these things become my ultimate end they will always let me down.

My experience tells me that the danger in making ministry an idol is far greater than we often realize. The question that every pastor and preacher need to constantly ask themselves is

“To what God am I bowing my life to?”

Identifying the Idol

As Keller mentions the problem is that we are often not very good at examining our own hearts. He suggests asking a question to help identify the idols in our life.

What could I not live without?

Would you be able to go on if you lost your ministry, your family, your house, your appearance, your mobility?

Replacing the Idol

We will never succeed in destroying our idols unless they are replaced by true worship of the true God. It’s not enough to simply exert our will power and force ourselves to stop worshiping these false God’s. The only thing that can destroy false worship is true worship.

Questions: In what ways do you think ministry can be an idol? What are some other good methods to identify idols in our life?

For further reading you should check out Counterfeit God’s by Timothy Keller.