Recently I once again stumbled across a big name in the Christian industry who some call a Christian influencer. She has a raw, real, and humorous writing voice that makes her honest and authentic-styled writing persuasively connect with the average person. In her writing, she writes mostly about what she knows her audience (mostly evangelical Christian women) wants to hear, which in her early writing days was about being a better wife or parent, and how to overall live a better, more satisfying life. Despite her popularity, I had dismissed her about ten years ago as I noticed she had theologically begun to veer away from adherence to evangelical norms and beliefs. However, while I was not paying attention, her popularity and her publications have continued to grow during the last decade whilst simultaneously her personal life has fallen apart with a painful divorce.
What brought my attention to her once again was her recent interview by a major network’s morning show highlighting her latest publication. My interest piqued, for when major newspapers and networks are eager to showcase you, this worldly popularity is generally a tall tale sign of a compromised Christianity. I wanted to know what she is saying for these networks to champion her. What I discovered is that her thinking has evolved over the last decade, deconstructing her evangelical faith and moving towards a more progressive Christianity. Her message has shifted to a message she knows another audience type (mostly post-Christian women) wants to hear––how to embrace being the true person you are, how to be freed and liberated from traditional evangelical expectations, how to still have Christianity outside church walls and its oppressive beliefs. And indeed, in her most recent book, which showcases her latest painful trial, she is eager to blame organized, dogmatic, patriarchal religion with its toxic purity-culture. Deeply hurt by the church, particularly by the responses she got when she stepped outside of evangelical orthodoxy, she throws traditional church institutions and structures under the bus, choosing to de-convert and leave the church machine to rather build a community outside of church walls, which she largely does through her writings and podcast. Whatever one thinks of her conclusions, her writing clearly resonates with many who feel disillusioned with institutional church life as she recently toured across America with her new book to many sold out audiences.
Simultaneously, I’m reading about another Christian influencer, deemed the single most influential person to affect and grow the church into what it is today––the apostle, Paul. As someone who wants to influence others to follow Jesus, Paul certainly did not go about it according to best practice of the day or by following a guaranteed, tried and tested, path for success. In reading through his letters to the Corinthians, I became struck by the contrast displayed between both influencers, particularly in three major ways.
Firstly, Paul explicitly states that he is not trying to use wise and persuasive words to win over the Corinthians with clever rhetoric and eloquence (2 Cor 2:1–5), as was best practice of the day. Impressive Greek orators cleverly persuade their audience through polished rhetorical techniques, invoking the mind, will, and emotions. And the really talented speakers grow in popularity and fame based upon how persuasively and eloquently they entertain the crowds. It is on this stage that Paul enters, preaching the gospel in many Greek cities. But rather than imitating and competing with the most impressive speakers, seeking to persuade with cleverly-worded and high-swaying speeches, he delivers what must have sounded dull in comparison. For Paul did not model the world’s wise way of persuasive communication. He wants the gospel message to be delivered with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that the Corinthians could be sure their faith is not built upon the sandy foundations of oratorical manipulation, but upon the solid foundation of God’s saving power.
I imagine if Paul were to speak into our world today, many well-meaning people would probably tell Paul that his approach is ineffective and dull, the Christian industry would turn him away as outdated and not keeping up with the times, his agent would tell him he has no chance of gaining a following, competing as one boring speaker in a sea of entertaining voices. Similarly, Jonathan Edwards gave his most famous sermon, “Sinner’s in the Hands of an Angry God,” whilst doing nothing fancy. No polished presentation. No direct eye contact. Literally just reading the words straight off his notes. And yet, the Spirit powerfully demonstrated his might by moving parishioners to utter weeping and sorrowful repentance. Unlike the modern influencer, Paul deliberately chooses not to mimic the attractive and polished ways in which the world persuades in order for all to be sure that the Corinthians’ faith is really built on the mighty movement and power of the Spirit.
Secondly, Paul did not write to the Corinthians what they want to hear. Quite the contrary, Paul often rebukes them harshly for the evils they perform are worse than the pagan society around them (1 Cor 5:1)! Paul’s number one aim is not to please man with a soothing or popular self-help message of either how the Corinthians can live their best, most fulfilling lives in this world or how the Corinthians need to be brave enough to embrace and love themselves just as they are (whilst blaming stringent purity laws and patriarchal traditions of getting in the way of their happiness and well-being)! For both of these messages are a distortion, not the true gospel. Rather than validating our human experience by pridefully embracing the sinful persons that we are, Paul reminds the Corinthians of what they once were before they were washed, sanctified, and justified (1 Cor 6:9-11). Paul boasts that they have renounced their secret and shameful ways and that the Lord is transforming them into Christ’s likeness (2 Cor 3:18–4:2)! We are not to pridefully and bravely stay in the chains of sin, but in humbly turning to the Lord, we find freedom and an ever-increasing reflection of God’s magnificent glory. Though as humans we want self-soothing messages of temporal happiness and easy living, Paul faithfully preaches the truth the Corinthians need to hear.
Finally, Paul did not give up on the church even as they deeply hurt him. After Paul writes his first letter to the Corinthians, full of corrections and rebukes, he visits the Corinthian church on his way to Macedonia, planning another trip on his way back from Macedonia (2 Cor 1:15–16); however, the first visit did not go as hoped as it is a painful visit that leaves him grieving for the Corinthians (2 Cor 12:1–2), cancelling his follow up trip. Throughout the two letters, Paul expresses many emotions the Corinthian church has evoked in him, ranging from baffled and shocked to grieved and pained. For Paul has toiled, suffered, hungered, laboured, endured hardships, sustained persecutions, and faced death to carry the gospel to places like Corinth (1 Cor 4:9–13; 2 Cor 1:8–10; 2 Cor 6:3–10). Paul has become like a father to them, which is why their behaviour is so particularly painful, desiring they would open their hearts towards him (1 Cor 4:14–15; 2 Cor 6:11–13).
Yet, despite painful experiences Paul has experienced by Christian members, he has not given up on the church. He has not thrown in the towel on her, sought to rebrand her, change his message for her, or lower the standards for her to meet. He called out the errors and evils within the Corinthian church, calling for them to repent and turn towards living a life of holiness and purity. For Paul loves the believers in Corinth and is not willing to give up on them despite his pain, toil, and hardship. Though he is grieved by their response to his message and presumably the way they treated him upon his painful visit, he never gives up on these precious believers. Paul expresses his deep love for the Corinthians who hurt him (2 Cor 2:4) and his driving desire to present the Corinthians as a pure virgin to their bridegroom, Christ (2 Cor 11:2)!
What a tale of two Christian influencers starkly juxtaposed against one another! For the modern-day influencer ever so subtlety puts her focus more and more on herself––by posing, posting, and podcasting through selfies, self-promotion, and autobiographies––trusting self as a reliable guide for others to follow. Contrast this against Paul who constantly sought to put the spotlight on Christ––follow me as I follow Christ (1 Cor 11:1)––only trusting Christ as the reliable lighthouse to guide Christians safely home. “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor 4:5).
All of us, whether desired or not, are influencers who impact and shape others. What kind of influencer will you be? Will you persuasively influence others toward your opinions, toward accepting the leanings of the world, and toward yourself? Likewise, all of us, whether realized or not, are influenced by others. Who will you allow to influence your beliefs and your behaviours? In a world filled with influencers, carefully determine which voices you allow to influence you.