The Church Doesn’t Need More Influencers—It Needs Faithful Leaders

“One of the most effective ways a church can prevent spiritual abuse is by seeking leaders with integrity over talent, character over charisma, and maturity over verbal eloquence.”

— Lisa Compton and Taylor Patterson, Skills for Safeguarding, p. 18

In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of powerful, charismatic leaders who capture the loyalty of their followers not because of their wisdom, but because of their ability to dominate the conversation. This is true in politics, where conservatives chose a bully in Donald Trump, elevating strength over wisdom, spectacle over substance.

It’s also becoming true in progressive Christian circles, where some are making the mistake of trying to beat the Right at their own game—elevating their own influencers, charismatic thought leaders, and social media figures.

But here’s the problem: Power doesn’t change people—it amplifies what is already inside them. And if the church doesn’t prioritize wisdom, accountability, and integrity over visibility and influence, it will keep creating the same toxic leadership cycles, no matter how well-intentioned the movement.

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The Red Skull Effect: Power Amplifies What’s Inside

A scene from Captain America: The First Avenger offers a perfect analogy for this danger. Before Steve Rogers becomes Captain America, Dr. Erskine explains the stakes of his transformation:

“The serum amplifies everything inside—good becomes great; bad becomes worse. That is why you were chosen. Because a strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power… But a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows… compassion.”

Contrast that with Johann Schmidt—better known as the Red Skull. Obsessed with power, he took the same serum, but instead of transforming into a hero, he became something even darker. The power didn’t make him a monster—it revealed what was already there.

The same principle applies to leadership. Power does not corrupt in isolation—it magnifies what is already within a leader’s character.

• If a leader is humble and wise, their power will deepen those traits.

• If a leader is insecure, arrogant, or self-serving, their power will make them even more dangerous.

This is why the Right’s choice of Trump was inevitable. A movement that had long prioritized dominance over humility, power over service, and victory over virtue was always going to elevate a leader who embodied those values.

But here’s the challenge: Progressives are now at risk of doing the same thing—just with a different brand.

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The Progressive Temptation to Build a Mirror Image

Many progressives saw the cult of personality around Trump and conservative megachurch leaders and swore, we’ll do better. But instead of rejecting the system altogether, some are now trying to replicate the same media empire, just with different talking points.

• Instead of megachurch pastors, we have social media influencers shaping theology.

• Instead of Christian political activists, we have viral progressive voices dictating what “faithfulness” looks like.

• Instead of careful discipleship, we have soundbite faith formation.

The problem? You can’t fight toxic leadership by copying its methods. The church is not meant to be a media brand, a political machine, or a movement built on celebrity leaders. It is a community—one that takes time, accountability, and relationships to sustain.

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Case in Point: The New Evangelicals Scandal

A day after I began writing this Substack, news broke online about allegations of abuse of power from a leader within The New Evangelicals (TNE) organization. The recently published report by GRACE: Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment titled “Independent Investigation of The New Evangelicals Final Report & Recommendations” details alarming findings. The report states:

“Individual 1 held significant influence within TNE, leveraging charismatic, referent, and coercive power to shape organizational decisions and interactions.”

The investigation further revealed that Individual 1 exhibited controlling behavior and abused their influence within the organization, leading to significant harm.

And what was Individual 1’s background or qualifications for faith leadership?

“In late 2020, Individual 1 began posting on social media about issues related to faith, politics, and culture. He had no background as a paid clergy person, although he had been serving on a church worship team. He was eventually asked to leave that position due to his social media work on issues of faith.”

Let’s be clear: Individual 1 became a leader in the Progressive Christian space—including being platformed at Tripp Fuller’s Theology Beer Camp and sharing time with luminaries like Diana Butler Bass—because he went viral on social media.

I saw this coming from a million miles away, and that’s what makes it so frustrating—especially the personality-driven approach embraced by folks like Fuller and his Theology Beer Camp. The emphasis on charisma over character, platforming over pastoral integrity, has led to predictable results.

It’s no surprise Fuller’s Beer Camp is struggling to find a welcoming space. And while many frame Theology Beer Camp as a fresh, informal way to engage faith, let’s not pretend alcohol consumption is without cost. I’ve spent too much time in ICU rooms with lives wrecked by addiction and seen too many families devastated by drunk driving to ignore the risks. While some frame it as an act of theological rebellion or cultural relevance, the reality is more complicated.

We’ve seen this story play out again and again

Many Christians were outraged when The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Podcast exposed Mark Driscoll’s abusive leadership. Podcast host Mike Cosper repeatedly pointed out that elevating leaders without testing their character leads to disastrous consequences. His book, The Church in Dark Times, attempts to process how the American church could be “tricked into thinking that evil was good.”

Long story short, we’ve seen this story play out again and again.

Maybe I’m just a jealous, envious podcaster and “influencer” in my own right, wishing I had even a fraction of TNE’s reach. Maybe.

But more likely, I’m frustrated because I know how worthless and unproductive this whole schtick is, and how much of an ego trip it tends to be.

I still stand by what I felt after walking out early on the first night of Theology Beer Camp when it was in the Denver Metro, when the aforementioned Fuller had the gall to get up on stage and say there were “two sh*tty candidates running for President.”

As I told a pastor friend:

I have the deepest respect for pastors who commit to the long, hard work of leading a church—building real relationships, walking alongside people they don’t always agree with, and faithfully shepherding their communities year after year. They are the true heroes of ministry.

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True Leadership Forms Over Time, Not Through Virality

I want to pause here for a moment and say that I’m not against highlighting faithful and “successful” ministry leaders—even those from large churches, like Rick Warren. In The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast, Mike Cosper points out that Warren, despite leading a megachurch, struggled and toiled for years, which helped shape his character and humility. That’s not to say he’s perfect—he’s human, after all—but the key difference is that Warren didn’t explode onto the scene through virality.

Yes, Saddleback’s rapid growth was influenced by shifting demographics, societal trends, and the appeal of the “seeker-sensitive” movement, just as much as it was by Warren’s own faithfulness and skill. But even with his rise to prominence, his character was already formed. And in the years since, while he’s certainly made some curious statements or missteps, he’s also done significant good—like his work to combat AIDS globally.

I’m also reminded of Brian McLaren, perhaps the biggest name in Progressive Christianity, and someone I’ve had on my own Future Christian podcast multiple times. Despite his influence and accolades, he has always come across as kind, gentle, and patient. I chuckle every time I see yet another book featuring a McLaren endorsement—surely, he has better things to do than read countless manuscripts or even appear on a small podcast like mine. But I think he does it not to build his own brand, but to lift others up.

That same night at Theology Beer Camp, funny enough, I sat down in the audience—only to realize moments later that McLaren himself had filed in right behind me. A man of his stature could have easily asked for a VIP seat, a Green Room pass, or some kind of special recognition in the introduction. Instead, he quietly took a seat among everyone else.

Meanwhile, what we did get was a smoke-and-light show announcing Tripp Fuller’s entrance—complete with a ridiculously over-the-top wrestling video mashup. The contrast was striking. A man like McLaren doesn’t need theatrics, attention, or brand elevation. He simply shows up, sits among the people, and does the work.

Integrity Over Influence, Character Over Charisma

Lisa Compton and Taylor Patterson’s quote is a warning to the church:

“One of the most effective ways a church can prevent spiritual abuse is by seeking leaders with integrity over talent, character over charisma, and maturity over verbal eloquence.”

This is the only way forward. Instead of chasing a progressive version of right-wing talking heads, we need to invest in slow, faithful, relational leadership.

• Discipleship over virality.

• Accountability over popularity.

• Spiritual depth over media influence.

To be clear, there will be some “cost” or loss of influence, at least in the near-term as we do the slow, tedious work of forming leaders. But we must, as Compton and Patterson share, seek leaders with integrity, character, and maturity, and these things can only be developed over time and discerned through long-term relationships—not social media virality.

And as much as I appreciate media and the reach and impact it can have (I am a podcaster and blogger after all), I understand that the best and most proven track record of forming people is through discipleship relationship within the local church.

If we don’t, we’ll find ourselves making the same mistake—creating a new Red Skull to fight the old one. But if we choose wisdom over spectacle, humility over power, and faithfulness over fame, we might just build something that lasts.

Are we willing to invest in and platform leaders not for their charisma or virality, but for their demonstrated humility, faithfulness, and self-sacrificial service?

Works Cited:

Compton, Lisa, and Taylor Patterson. Skills for Safeguarding: A Guide to Preventing Abuse and Fostering Healing in the Church. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2024.

Cosper, Mike. The Church in Dark Times: Understanding and Resisting the Evil That Seduced the Evangelical Movement. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2024.

Cosper, Mike, host. The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Christianity Today, June 22, 2021–December 1, 2022. Podcast. https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill/.

GRACE: Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment. Independent Investigation of The New Evangelicals: Final Report & Recommendations. March 15, 2024. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/67d36474e34101572f307e4f/t/67d752d37a873901b78c2b7e/1742164694515/TNE+Final+Report+and+Recommendations.pdf.