When Christian Heroes Disappoint: Finding Faith in Jesus

You have likely heard the statement, “Don’t meet your heroes because they will only disappoint you.” This means who they are in public is probably not who they are on private. What about those men or women you looked up to when God started your faith journey? What about when you meet them later in life?

I think two answers exist for those questions: a) you will be encouraged, or b) you may be disappointed. Let’s focus on the latter. What happens when you meet someone you once held in high regard, but they are no longer what you thought them to be?

This happened to me. There was a pastor I looked up to when I started dabbling in my walk with Jesus. I thought he hung the moon. He could preach, lead, and seemed to have all the answers. I tried to keep in touch with him over the years. We linked up recently and here is what happened: 1) he either didn’t know who I was or remember me (okay, you get older and forget people, no big deal), 2) I reminded him who I was and he showed zero interest, 3) he seems to only engage with those from “big” churches or who have “larger” platforms, 4) he was rude and crass, and 5) he spoke ill of other pastors.

I left his presence depleted, frustrated, and confused. What did I just experience? How was I supposed to process this encounter with someone I once looked up to? As you can see, it has been on my mind for quite some time. Here are three reflections from this encounter.

1. They point you to Jesus.

What I felt is probably similar to the Israelites after King David’s reign. David is one of the heroes of the faith–not the hero because Jesus holds that title. He slayed Goliath. The kingdom was united during his tenure. People loved him as the worshipping warrior. However, he commits adultery with Bathsheba and orders to have her husband murdered in battle. David is on the run after Absalom, his own son, sabotages his kingship.

David’s story points us to a future king. A king we truly need. A king who would not fail. One who would usher in his kingdom through a sacrificial act. His name is King Jesus. David was a good earthly king, but his rule shows us our need for an eternal king–i.e., Jesus Christ.

When we meet some of our heroes of the faith and they let us down, they remind us why we need Jesus to be our ultimate champion. We need the one who defeated sin, the enemy, and death through a cross and empty tomb. He is our only hope in life and death.

2. You appreciate those who are faithful.

When I was younger, this guy was my only pastoral model. I have met many other great pastors, preachers, and leaders since then. Guys who displayed the character that went along with their capabilities. My preaching mentor, Jim Shaddix, who has gone on to be with the Lord, was a faithful preacher, humble man, and solid pastor.

Dr. Shaddix preached at mega churches, wrote books with Jerry Vines, and taught at a prestigious seminary. Yet every time I sat with him, it was like speaking to what I thought it would be like to talk to the Apostle Paul. A godly man filled with wisdom and the Spirit, who had a heart to mentor me like Timothy. Maybe it was men like Shaddix–and others, that showed me there are others who lead, preach, and shepherd with a different demeanor and disposition. Sometimes being around genuine shepherds shows the flaws in others. Therefore, you grow to appreciate and love the faithful ones even more.

3. You are growing as a disciple of Jesus.

By the grace of God, I am no longer arrogant, proud, authoritarian, and overly critical of others. Sometimes God might lead us to outgrow those early heroes of our faith journey. Yes, God used this man when I was young, and I do not want to take any of that away from him. I have just grown up. I’m a new creation in Christ, and I am being transformed each day. As we grow in wisdom and stature, maybe these guys had a place in our journey at the beginning, but not a position at the end.

A growing follower of Jesus begins to see things that were not obvious at first glance. This is how maturity in the faith works. You grow and see things through a different lens. Sometimes these are the reasons situations like this feel so frustrating, confusing, and depleting. You just outgrow some mentors.

A Word of Caution

Those people and pastors that I still look up to were increasing in faithfulness. They never believed they had arrived. These mentors continue to learn, serve the church, develop their calling, and focus on their character development. As disciple makers, someone may be looking to you as their hero while they are young in the faith.

One of the ways they will maintain this thought about you is by watching you grow and mature in the Christian faith. What if this situation would have been different? What if all of those things would have been reversed? He would still be a hero of mine today. Therefore, use this personal experience as a means of walking closer with the Lord until the end so that we can be to others what Jim Shaddix was to me.

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