Dear BPCWAians, To all His disciples, Christ says “Follow me” (Matt 16:24) as part of His call to discipleship. Disciples must be followers, and we are to call others to do likewise. But as we fulfil the Great Commission, there are some aspects about following that we must be mindful of.

Whether it is Facebook or Instagram or Twitter, social media has made the idea of “follow” a part of everyday life. Pages and articles teach people how to build a followership. People want to be noticed, and knowingly or unknowingly, having a “following” panders to a person’s pride. The movie industry knows how powerful a motivator a fan club is to a movie star. And subtly, having fans or followers has moved beyond the movie industry to the man in the street. People like to follow. But people like it even more when they are followed. As disciples, we must not follow blindly and thoughtlessly. Likewise, no one must desire a following.

No Christian should desire to have a following. It is a heady feeling and one that bears a commonality with the first sin ever committed. Even in the early church, there were men who “draw away disciples after them” (Act 20:30). There are many ways that one could draw people to themselves. It could be by teaching erroneous doctrines that are attractive to itching ears that cause people to follow you. Or it could be by building friendships in order to make oneself popular. It could simply be through making a person feel a sense of indebtedness or loyalty to you personally. These are behaviours that arise out of the “pride of life, (which) is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1John 2:16) Pride is the first sin in the world, and the sin that caused so many other sins. It is most frightening to love the sense of self-importance, to be looked up to, and to have a hold on others. When one serves in the church and receives the attention of others as a result of his or her service, it can get to one’s head and heart. This is why the Bible warns against allowing novices to serve in leadership positions in 1Tim 3:6 “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil”. What a warning to be in the same condemnation as the devil! How should we avoid this condemnation? Every one of us must search our own hearts and be very honest before God that we serve and befriend others in the church with purest motives. Let it never be for any personal popularity, or to have others look up to ourselves, or for any other personal motivation or gain.

Serious warnings for wanting followers to ourselves. God further warns, Matt 23:11-16 “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. (12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (13) But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. (14) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. (15) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. (16) Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!” Would you like to be cursed? God will not bless or use any of such efforts at all. Instead, He pronounces multiples curses upon even those who may serve very hard and seem very spiritual; but for the purpose of exalting self and drawing others to themselves. God says they devour widow’s houses, meaning they have ulterior motives in their “spiritual help” – to gain something for self. Woes and damnations are poured upon such people who are so religious in appearance. May such people not be found in BPCWA, and may none of us ever follow such ones!

How do I know I am not trying to get a following? Ask yourself the following and answer honestly before God – Am I no better than Absalom (2 Sam 15:2), befriending or wanting to help someone with the expectation of some benefits or help in return? Do I desire in my heart to be admired? Do I desire to be viewed as a leader because I enjoy the attention and praise that I may receive for helping others? God uses the word hypocrites repeatedly in Matt 23:13,15. Do serve. Do serve zealously. But let us also be very careful and honest with our hearts and motives lest the sin of pride subtly enters into our hearts. Else, our efforts will bear no fruit. As true disciples of Christ, let us turn men to our Lord, and not to man – worst of all, ourselves.

Yours in our Lord’s service

Pastor