Single Focus

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel…”
- 1 Cor. 1:17

As a pastor, I’ve noticed a troubling trend in the last few years: successful pastors developing large numbers of online followers, and then leaving their churches to become full-time “online influencers“. They think that the more people they “influence“, the more used of God they are. This seems like the people Paul was talking about in Corinth, who were Christian speakers and teachers given to counting up the numbers of people they had baptized, a New Testament version of what we might call “followers“ today. Of all people, Paul could have left the hard work of pastoring local churches and just become an “influencer”in his time. There were many freelance traveling teachers in that time making quite a good living.But that’s not what he believed Christ had sent him to do. Jesus works in local churches, through local shepherds, one life at a time. If you have a devoted pastor, thank him today for staying with his sheep, and not chasing the false flock of influence.

Father, help us to understand that in our lives, the daily ordinary work of our ministries is what we are responsible for now and will give an account for in heaven. We will have more than enough to be accountable for in the work that you’ve given us to do today. Help us not to chase the false dreams of tomorrow.In Christ’s name, amen.