The Voice Of Competition

One of the great struggles I see in the Church is the competition for eyeballs and ears by ministers of the gospel. Hype has become commonplace in ministry for the purpose of profit. And self promotion by ministers is becoming normative. What’s wrong with this present picture of ministry? Is competition a healthy way to build successful churches and ministries? Should we compete as we preach the gospel of Christ?

Yikes! How would Jesus react to such shameful conduct in His Church? Is He really okay with this kind of conduct taking place? Jesus, in His ministry, faced the competitive environment that was fostered by the Jewish leaders of His day. Yet He, rather than indulging in that competitive environment, chose to confront it. And in doing so, He differentiated Himself from that environment of fame and fortune, being interested in neither, yet obtaining both.

There came a point in Jesus’s ministry where they wanted to make Him a king. And who would blame Him for accepting a kingship from His people, after all, He was (is) the King of the Jews. But Jesus would have none of it; He wasn’t meant to be crowned King by people. No, He was to be crowned King by God. Jesus, and His forerunner in ministry, John the Baptist, recognized the  truth of genuine authority: “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.” Jn. 3:27, NLT. 

God is the one who creates, or limits, our sphere of authority and influence. He’s the one who causes eyeballs and ears to be attracted to us (or not). And it’s extremely important to understand this point as we consider the voice of competition in the Church. Why is that? Because holding Church was never meant to be a competitive sport. No! The Bible is completely contradictory to such an attitude. Yet such an attitude is commonplace today. Yikes!!!

Please understand: I am cognizant and confident of this fact: the voice of competition will fade away and in its place the voice of God will arise. I know Church leaders will submit to the stone or they will be crushed by the stone. As Jesus said to the Jewish leaders of His day, so He says to those leaders who have yielded to the voice of competition: “Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” Matt. 21:44, NIV.

Recently, I have been reading George Kouri’s book, The Sign of the Kingdom, where he talks about what happened as a result of the rejection of God’s voice by those Jewish leaders, and the complete destruction of the temple that took place in 70 A.D., and I am left wondering, what will happen in our day to those who reject God’s voice over the competing voice of competition in our day? As the Apostle Paul said, “if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.” Rom. 11:21, NIV. 

Now some may say, “We have grace!” But if the author of grace was willing to judge and take His kingdom from His own people, the Jewish people, due to their inability to hear His voice, what makes those who continue in sin, giving voice to the false voice of competition in our day instead of God’s voice, that they will be spared in our day? Hint: He won’t. Yes, He will judge and remove that which tarnishes His name.

How do I know? Since my salvation on February 23, 1987, I have witnessed the rise (and fall) of numerous ministers and ministries. When I was first saved, it was Jim Baker and the PTL club, and Jimmy Swaggert. Today, it’s Mike Bickle and IHOP. In all these things, I am unmoved. Why is that? Because I know that voices, including voices of competition, rise (and fall) at God’s command. But the voice of God remains.

As such, I have chosen to set myself apart from the voice of competition inundating the Church. While I am grateful for those who are able to do much with what’s given to them, I remain faithful to what God has given to me. And I recognize all that I have, including my weaknesses, as beings gifts from God; they have kept me out of trouble. My strengths have opened doors and my weaknesses have closed them. Yet I rejoice in both. Why? My strengths, including my gifts are plainly observable, and unfortunately, they can draw unscrupulous people. By the same token, my weaknesses keep them away. 

There’s something to be said to leaving competition behind, especially in ministry settings. It’s important to recognize that God opens and closes doors; He’s the one who gives and takes away influence and authority. Walking in competition never ends well for those walking in it. The voice of competition is a very demanding voice. Its yoke isn’t easy and its burden isn’t light. It takes a lot to keep up with the Jones, or Smiths, or whoever may be prospering at the moment. Don’t give in to the temptation to follow the voice of competition! It leads to fools gold. 

Instead, choose the voice of God. The voice of God always leads to the top (in His time). Yes, God is the one who promotes and demotes. He’s the one who lifts up and puts down. Knowing that frees us from the drumbeats of competition beating in the world. And it enables us to find contentment in our lives. The Apostle Paul taught, “As long as we have food and clothes, we should be satisfied.” 1 Tim. 6:8, God’s Word Translation. 

Yes, the voice of competition leads to discontentment and the voice of God leads to contentment. Isn’t it time you leave the voice of discontentment caused by the voice of competition behind? Yes, it’s time to leave your discontentment behind. Yes, it’s time to pick up the mantle of being one who carries the voice of God. For it’s as we are delivered from the voice of competition that we can rise and become the voice of God to this generation. 

And that’s what people long to hear in our day — the true voice of God amid the false prophetic voices of our day. Yes, it will be okay. Don’t get discouraged and discontented by what you see. Wait! Watch! See what’s coming, as God deals with the voice of competition in our day. Oh, and by the way, it won’t be pretty. 

Selah!

— Scott Wallis