MSDA - Make SELF Dead Again 2.0

MSDA — Make Self Dead Again 2.0

For nearly all of Church history, mass media was not the means by which the Gospel spread or ministries grew. Quite simply, it didn’t exist.

That changed dramatically in the last 125 years. Modern media technologies—radio (first public broadcast in 1906), television (1920s), and most recently the internet (publicly accessible in the 1990s)—have revolutionized how the Gospel is communicated.

Radio and television enabled millions to hear and even watch the Gospel being preached and the Scriptures taught. The internet then expanded that reach to billions, across hundreds of languages. The good that has come from these advances for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom is undeniable.

And yet, at the very same time, these same developments have produced unprecedented crises within the Church.

Access to deception, false teaching, and moral corruption is unlike anything in human history. Few would deny that these dangers have destroyed the faith and lives of countless believers. The explosion of pornography alone over the past fifty years illustrates the depth of darkness that has been unleashed through modern media.

But there is another consequence—one that is rarely discussed.

Platforms and the Formation of Christian Influencers

Modern media has not only reshaped how the Gospel spreads; it has reshaped who is formed as a Christian leader—and how. The fruit this system has produced in the lives of many Christian influencers is deeply troubling, yet it is almost entirely ignored.

A larger platform is often assumed to be an unquestioned good—sometimes even labeled “a God thing.” And in an era marked by the steady exposure of fallen ministers, endless analysis is offered about why leaders fall. Yet one factor is almost never examined: the spiritual cost of rapid, untested, and global influence.

For most of Church history, influence was personal and local—either face-to-face or through written material. The printing press in the 1400s was a watershed moment, allowing Christian writings to spread more broadly. Even then, many influential works gained wide readership only after their authors had died.

Consider The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. It was compiled and published after his death in 1691, and the English version did not appear until 1895—nearly two centuries later.

Yes, there have always been men and women whose influence exceeded their own time and place. Megachurches did not originate in the 1980s. Large congregations emerged as early as the fourth century in major urban centers, eventually giving rise to the great cathedrals. Their leaders functioned as the “celebrity pastors” of their day.

John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople in the late fourth century, drew enormous crowds because of his preaching. Yet his influence remained largely local during his lifetime. His enduring impact came primarily through his writings, preserved and received across generations.

Even itinerant ministers were constrained by slow transportation—horses and sailing ships. Influence spread slowly.

The Unprecedented Shift

In the last century, an entirely new reality emerged.

Mass media combined with rapid global transportation created something never before seen in Church history: instant, worldwide influence. A person can now travel anywhere on earth in under 24 hours. A Christian influencer can gain global visibility overnight through a viral video—and be invited onto the largest platforms within weeks.

The question is not whether this is possible.

The question is whether the human soul is capable of handling it.

What we are witnessing today suggests the answer is often no.

When the Apostle Paul was converted, the Church acted with wisdom. He spent years in obscurity before stepping into apostolic ministry. He was not immediately promoted, platformed, or celebrated.

Today, a celebrity professes faith in Christ and is immediately showcased across Christian media. Conferences follow. Interviews follow. Platforms open. The new believer is given virtually no time to learn the ways of Christ before being thrust into public ministry.

The tragic implosion of Kanye West’s highly publicized “conversion” should have been a sobering lesson. Instead, the pattern continues.

Influence Without Humility

The explosion of Christian media has not been accompanied by a renewed emphasis on humility or death to self. This omission is catastrophic.

Historically, humility was regarded as one of the highest Christian virtues—perhaps the defining mark of maturity. Churches and ministries were never named after living individuals. Saints were honored only after death, when pride was no longer a risk.

Even religious orders reflected this value. The Franciscans were originally called The Order of Lesser Brothers—a deliberate identification with the poor and a rejection of self-exaltation. Only later, and after Francis’s death, did his name become associated with the movement.

Contrast that with today’s “Me, Myself, and I” Christian celebrity culture.

We now have ministries, brands, websites, conferences, and even Study Bibles bearing the names of living leaders. Naming a ministry after oneself is troubling enough. Placing one’s name on the Bible is far worse.

To be clear, not every instance originates with the leader themselves. Billy Graham did not choose to name his ministry after himself; his associates did. Yet the question remains unavoidable:

Would Jesus want ministries that exist for His glory to be named after His servants?

Scripture answers plainly:
“Apart from Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Christian ministries are not corporations. They are not hospitals or universities. They exist to magnify Christ—not the individuals who serve Him.

A Personal Conviction

For years, while ministering in the Middle East, I blogged and podcasted anonymously for security reasons. When we returned to the U.S., I assumed I would finally attach my name to my work.

Then the Lord asked me a question:
“Why would you want to put your name on something that is about Me?”

When the all-knowing God asks a question, it is not for His information. It is for our conviction.

That question settled the matter for me.

Recently, an article I wrote was published under the name of another author—without even my pseudonym included. When he offered to correct the mistake, the Lord made it clear I was to do nothing. The credit remained with him.

The rule remains unchanged: anything written for Christ and His Kingdom does not need my name.

Some may point to the Apostle Paul, who signed his letters. But Paul wrote Scripture under apostolic authority. That does not apply to modern influencers seeking reach or recognition.

Make Self Dead Again

This brings us to the heart of this message: MSDA — Make Self Dead Again.

For much of Church history, self was recognized as one of the greatest enemies of spiritual life. Humility and dying to self were central to discipleship.

Today, that emphasis has largely vanished.

I have known hundreds of Christian leaders. I have hosted them. Traveled with them. Worked alongside them. Too many would not be described as humble by those who know them best.

The ones who left the deepest impression were not the most gifted, but the most humble. Those willing to associate with the lowly. Those who didn’t demand VIP treatment, green rooms, or guaranteed honorariums. Those who served without concern for recognition.

Jesus and His apostles had no speaking fees. No demands. No contracts.

Modern ministry, by contrast, often bears little resemblance to the New Testament pattern.

The wreckage is everywhere: moral failure, financial corruption, fabricated miracles, data-mined prophecies, broken marriages, and disillusioned believers. These platforms are toxic—not only for shepherds, but for sheep. Hero worship is rampant.

Few seem willing to acknowledge that the platforms themselves play a central role in this dysfunction.

A Different Way Forward

Yes, God is judging His Church (1 Peter 4:17). But He is also judging the model—the systems of power and influence we have normalized.

You will not find these structures in the Book of Acts or in the early centuries of the Church. While God may occasionally entrust extraordinary influence to individuals with extraordinary character, the majority are harmed by it.

Perhaps those God is truly lifting up are the ones not seeking platforms at all.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10).

Could it be that this verse is actually true?

I believe a remnant is emerging—men and women who will build differently. Who will once again value humility, obscurity, and faithfulness over visibility.

Jesus is returning for a Bride who looks like Him—one who serves for His glory alone, and not her own.