Is Hero Worship Driving Our Expectations?
Recently, a woman visited our church with one goal in mind: to hear the founding pastor speak live. She confirmed ahead of time, double-checked with someone on campus, and attended with excitement. But when she found out the 10:00am service featured a recording of the earlier 8:00am sermon, she became visibly upset.
What caused such a strong reaction? Was it disappointment? Frustration? Or was it something deeper—a sense that the message would somehow be less powerful, less real, or less anointed if it wasn’t delivered in person? Had she crossed a line from appreciation to hero worship?
“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:7 NKJV)
This situation opens the door to an important spiritual discussion: Are we following Christ, or are we following men? Let’s explore how Scripture speaks to this issue.
The Temptation to Exalt People Instead of Christ
In 1 Corinthians, Paul addressed a similar issue in the early church. The believers had begun dividing themselves based on which preacher they preferred. Some said, “I follow Paul,” others, “I follow Apollos.” Paul called this kind of thinking carnal—fleshly and immature.
“For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not carnal?” (1 Corinthians 3:4)
It wasn’t that Paul or Apollos were false teachers. In fact, they were godly men used by God. The problem was that the people began glorifying the messenger more than the message. Paul clarified their roles: they were only servants. It was God who gave the increase—not Paul’s voice, not Apollos’s eloquence, but God alone.
This is the first biblical warning: when we begin to prefer personalities over truth, we risk elevating man and minimizing God.
The Messenger Is Temporary, But the Message Is Eternal
Let’s be honest—many of us have favorite preachers. We resonate with their voice, their style, their stories. That’s not wrong in itself. But the moment we think, “If he’s not preaching, I’m not coming,” we’ve crossed a line.
Even the greatest leaders of Scripture knew they were just instruments.
John the Baptist, when crowds began following him instead of Jesus, humbly said:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)
John understood his place. His job wasn’t to build his own platform but to point others to Christ. Later, Jesus rebuked the crowds who thronged to John but didn’t listen to his message of the Messiah because they were offended by him not being a hero to worship. (Matthew 11)
Likewise, the Apostle Paul didn’t build his ministry around himself. In fact, he said:
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:15)
He called himself the worst of sinners—not because he was self-deprecating, but because he genuinely understood how far God’s grace had brought him.
Even Moses, when challenged by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16), didn’t defend his own importance. He fell on his face before God and let the LORD determine who was truly called. His authority came from God—not from charisma, personality, or popularity.
What’s Really Lost When We Idolize Leaders?
Let’s go back to the original situation. What did that woman really lose by hearing a recording?
- Did the Holy Spirit’s power diminish?
- Was God’s Word suddenly less true?
- Did the sermon lack eternal value because it wasn’t live?
Absolutely not.
God’s Word is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12), and Isaiah 55:11 promises it will never return void. A live delivery doesn’t make the message more divine. Technology may change the format, but truth transcends the method. The real issue here wasn’t the format—it was the expectation that God only works in a specific way, through a specific man, in a specific moment.
Martin Luther once said, “Who is Luther but a bag of bones?” It’s a good reminder that even our heroes in the faith are just humans. They’re not the source of the power—they’re just vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7).
How Can We Respond and Redirect Others Biblically?
If you ever face this kind of situation again, here are some gracious truths you could share with someone struggling:
- “We love and respect our founding pastor deeply. He’s faithfully served for many years. Now, due to health, he preaches live only once a morning—but the Word he preaches is still the Word, whether recorded or live.”
- “The power of God’s truth is not tied to whether the message is delivered in person. What matters most is that we are receptive to what God is saying.”
- “Let’s thank God for a pastor who planned ahead to ensure the Word continues going out, even when his strength doesn’t allow him to do what he used to.”
Scripture gives us many examples of faithful men of God who knew their place was not to be idolized but to glorify Christ. Let’s follow their example.
Review & Discussion Questions
- What does 1 Corinthians 3 teach us about preferring certain preachers over others?
- Why is it dangerous to depend on a person more than on God’s Word?
- Can the Holy Spirit use a recorded message just as powerfully as a live one? Why or why not?
- What are some subtle ways hero worship shows up in churches today?
- How can we encourage others to focus on the message rather than the messenger?
Final Thought
It’s natural to admire those who have blessed us spiritually. But admiration becomes idolatry when we need the person more than we seek the Savior.
Let’s remember the words of Hebrews 12:2:
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”
Not a preacher.
Not a platform.
But Jesus Christ alone.