Beware of Ministry Pied Pipers

Beware of Ministry Pied Pipers… As the legend goes, the little town of Hamelin was overrun with rats. They tried as they could, but the town could not get rid of the rats, then came a pied piper, a man dressed in fun, colorful clothes and playing beautiful music. He claimed he could rid the town of its problem for a rather hefty price. He promised to be paid after the job was done.   He successfully solves the problem by leading all the rats away from the town and off a cliff.

However, the town decides they will not pay him his price and accuses him of sending the rats to the town in the first place. In his anger for not getting what he thought he deserved, the pied piper decided he would use his talents against the town. While the adults were in church one Sunday morning, the pied piper showed up in the public town square using his colorful clothes and music to bring all the children to come to him instead. Using his music, he led children out of the town, never to return as he did the rats.

Legend of this town continues in folklore and story, as a town without young people and a place of a lost and missing generation.

A few years ago, I sat with my previous pastor as he described a young man that was about to take over our church’s high school student ministry.   As we discussed this young man’s potential and talents, I heard little of his calling or gifting. Toward the end of the conversation, the pastor tried to explain his decision, using a phrase that seems to echo in my mind “He is a Pied Piper!”. 

Over the last few years or even a bit more, I have continued to read stories of young Christian leaders who have fallen off the cliff morally and intentionally left the faith altogether. Even this last week, we heard about another famous “celebrity” church leader being asked to step down because of moral failure. These young leaders are attractive, creative, and musically talented by the world’s standards.   Each time the words “pied piper” echo in my mind. With their latest clothes and expensive sneakers, these leaders take the most attractive pictures of themselves, their spouses, and even their homes as they seek fame and fortune. They use their book to advise us on how to date or not. They play the music that stirs excitement and emotion. They become models of ministry or a certain kind of life.

They seek less to be Godly, Biblical guides but more to be celebrities and influencers.

A whole generation is being led by them, separating them from the church and Godly adults.   A generation is drawn out of their Christian homes into the public “town square” of popular opinion, mesmerized by these leaders.   Even in some of the current famous churches and Christian movements, we see this becoming the mode   Once again, in that conversation I had not long ago, it was a church looking to become more attractive to the next generation by hiring a hip, cool quick fix. A temporary fix, in the end, did not last very long.

Beware of the Pied Pipers Ministry mindset! It will be a temporary solution to the perceived “rats,” and it will feel like we are finally free! It may only end up with us discovering that the real danger was in seeking the wrong person to have access to, leading the next generation of the church.