Alignments are important…stay true to who you are.

A word of caution in today’s Christian ministry environment. Stay true to your calling. Don’t get caught up in the flesh.
We witnessed for years now, in the world of social media, that what once was the pressure for a pastor to have a big church, has now translated into the pressure for a pastor or ministry to have a large online following. It’s not a bad thing when used to spread the gospel, but it can become an idol or ensnare anyone if they are not careful. I want to talk about this a bit.

When I was young, I would remember pastor friends being discouraged when they would compare themselves to those who had much bigger churches. Many denominations would even greatly favor pastors with large ministries, platform them, and sometimes ignore or even belittle those who had smaller congregations. This would grieve my heart as I know many of those with smaller congregations were preaching a very powerful anointed message and stayed true to the Word. God used them and just because they didn’t have a “big church”, it didn’t mean they didn’t make a huge impact on their community and in saving souls and raising up true healthy believers.

Now, I see similar things happening when it comes to large online followings. While some with large followings are absolutely raised up by God due to their obedience, sincere heart, and the anointing of their message, not all people with large followings are equal. I am thankful and honored to know some personally who are the absolute real deal. Just as some mega-churches are real and others compromised their message in order to allure their followers into the “wide gate” theology, so too are some online people using methods other than God to gain power, influence, and wealth. This is why discernment is key.

Here is the warning. Be careful who you align yourself with. It’s tempting to want to partner with those who have large numbers as it would appear that’s God’s hand. Some people actually think this will help their ministry. This could be the case if it’s a God alignment, but it could also be a trap! Remember the devil is often slow in how he creeps in. He can use this to get a sincere minister/ministry off course by aligning them with someone who is compromised. You are much better off to have a small or midsize ministry with integrity than to compromise by entering into an alignment with someone who has other motives. Then you have to deal with the consequences that will eventually catch up to those who do compromise. The devil’s plan is to distract, disrupt, accuse, and derail. Be wise.

As we have learned many times before, just because something is big now, doesn’t always mean it will last. It all depends on what ground it’s built on. Is it built on the solid rock? Is there leaven?

What’s critical is the integrity and consistency of staying doctrinally sound, God-focused, humble, in the right heart and spirit, and not falling victim to adding things that produce temporary results. In other words…hype. It muddies down the gospel and creates open doors for the enemy. It also is not sustainable.

When praying about who to align with, make sure their motives are pure. True Kingdom alignments are healthy, lasting, and safe. Fleshly alignments fall apart, create division, and can end up bad.

Don’t be fooled into thinking followings equal anointing. They can, but not always. Let God order your steps and guide your path. Steward what He has given you wisely. Stay in His presence and be about His business. The rest will fall into place. Just like God has used smaller churches as the backbone of sanity and sound doctrine for years, you don’t have to have a large online following to be anointed and used by God.

Don’t compare yourself or fall into the pressure.
Don’t align as a career move. Align with those who God has put in your path to bring Him glory. Don’t compromise your message.

Guard the anointing. Stay true. Be real. God will honor you for doing this and you will have a lasting Kingdom impact and ministry and not just become a temporary blip.

Align with soul winners who truly love, fear, and serve the Lord. That’s the key.