I hear the cry of a generation calling out for authentic relationship over marketed Christianity. Heart to heart conversations over clickbait drama. True and honest leaders who love those they serve, more than they do their chance at a podium. In the midst of gifts gone bad and fruit that is rotting, they are looking for something real that is up close and personal. The question is, how will we respond to their honest feedback? Will we get offended or be willing to take a closer look at ourselves?

Personally, I remember when prophetic ministry was a huge deal in the 80’s and 90’s. I remember the hunger and desire to grow in spiritual gifts and supernatural encounters. I also remember the constant pushback from mainline denominations and religious teachers of the day. I admired the spiritual fathers and mothers who were unwavering in their commitment to teach on these controversial gifts and defy the Pharisees of their day through their teaching and ministry.

Unfortunately, I believe in their zeal to open wide the gates to the spiritual realm, a door was also opened to counterfeit gifts and compromised messengers. And fleshly ambition. With the advent of the internet, good ministers felt pressured to compete with Hollywood-style stages and professionally mixed soundtracks. In an unspoken race for ratings, the Charismatic and prophetic messages morphed beyond simple and powerful biblical truths – to an entire industry. The push for media presence and follower counts became the benchmark for success. It has become big business for those who have been seduced into a lie that popularity equals anointing and name-dropping equals influence. What started as authentic relationships formed through mutual values, became a network of alliances and connections for the sake of building a brand. And though that may have a measure of merit, it has also created loyalties so deeply embedded, to pull away and cry foul in the current scandals, would be considered ministry suicide.

Certainly, this has not been everyone’s heart, nor practice. Not everyone has given in to peer pressure or to the devil’s whispers to “prove yourself!” Thank God there are still many authentic ministers who operate in the power of the Spirit without need for trending hashtags or slick packaging – or by popular vote. Yet, there are those who have fallen prey to an approach to ministry that’s more of a business model or marketing campaign, than a lifestyle of integrity and transformation. This has been a very subtle and slippery slope, and no one is to “blame.” I am not suggesting we throw out effective tools for reaching more people. But I do think it’s time we take responsibility for the message we’ve been sending. What patterns have we been exhibiting that are not only outdated and irrelevant – but even dangerous and toxic? Are we simply building our own platforms and ministries – or a legacy that sons and daughters can embrace and build upon for long-term fruit?

How important is character and lifestyle? How do we grow in spiritual gifts without becoming an insider’s club or charismatic clique? How important is prophecy compared to all the other gifts of the Spirit and the works that Jesus commanded? How are we modeling healthy leadership to a majority of sons and daughters who will never have a national platform or “full-time” ministry, but minister just as powerfully at home base in their own families and communities?

I hope you heart my heart. This critique does not apply to all. Even so, as I am seeing the current scandals come to light, I believe we are being given an opportunity to dig deep and take a serious look at what we’ve been building. It is clear that God is purging us of attitudes and practices that have become poisonous and destructive to the Body. He is exposing our idolatry of personas and our secularization of the gospel. He is revealing the motives of men’s hearts and challenging the gospel we preach. And He is removing the false messengers that got through the door we unknowingly opened.

I would suggest it’s time to rethink our values, re-examine our methods, and repent for any presumption on our part. There is a generation following with buyer’s remorse. The spiritual power and opportunity many thought they were getting has turned out to be a knock-off imitation – a shadow of something else that’s far more powerful – and valuable. Our challenge is to hear their cries, shepherd their hearts, and demonstrate the real thing.