This Is A World Without Superheroes Part 2
by Chris Kamalski
“WHEN YOU LOOK AT TODAY’S CHURCH, it is easy to see the prevalence of individualism among ministers and priests. Not too many of us have a vast repertoire of skills to be proud of, but most of us still feel that, if we have anything at all to show, it is something we have to do solo. You could say that many of us feel like failed tightrope walkers who discovered we did not have the power to draw thousands of people, that we could not make many conversions, that we did not have the talents to create beautiful liturgies, that we were not as popular with the youth, the young adults, or the elderly as we had hoped, and that we were not as able to respond to the needs of our people as we had expected. But most of us still feel that, ideally, we should have been able to do it all and do it successfully. Stardom and individual heroism, which are such obvious aspects of our competitive society, are not at all alien to the Church. There too the dominant image is that of the self-made man or woman who can do it all alone.”
(Henri Nouwen, In The Name Of Jesus)
A devastating leadership myth continues to exert influence within the Church worldwide. Regardless of culture, denomination, ethnicity, or gender, the “Great Man Theory” of leadership propagates that “Great leaders are born, not made. Some people are born with more leadership gifts than others” (Ten Leadership Theories In Five Minutes). This self-belief, deeply rooted within Western culture (and in particular, the uniquely American “I can do anything I set my mind to” ethos), while helpful in creating an environment of confident expectation, can easily spill over to that of self-entitlement if unchecked by the healthy community a leader functions within. While largely individualistic in nature, this belief often catalyzes entire movements within the Church, tending to foster a culture of celebrity and stardom within the community of Christ-followers. We do this subtly, often without intention of elevating mankind over “Christ in me, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).
“Have you heard the new Hillsong record? The new track by the girl who sang ‘Oceans’ is incredible!”
“Why haven’t you purchased ________ by [insert popular author of the moment]? You’re missing out!”
“Do you download __________‘s podcast? His teaching is not to be missed!”
To be fair, there is nothing inherently wrong with following dynamic, powerful, visionary leaders, nor is it necessarily unhealthy to be one of those leaders. Often, it is transformative to align oneself with a captivating movement shepherded by a powerful leader with a compelling narrative. This remains true both within and outside of the Church’s reach. And yet, a small part of me wonders if we have confused the entire Superhero mythology, elevating our name and power, our sense of ability and accomplishment, our intrinsic sense of glory (Aren’t we made in the Image of God? What does this actually mean?), with the fame due to God alone. “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and your renown are the desire of our hearts” (Isaiah 26:8).