“If you tell a 30-something male that he’s Jesus Christ, he’s inclined to believe you.” - Scott Galloway, professor of marketing at NYU, speaking on the documentary film WeWork about founder Andrew Neumann (more on him later).
Google defines charisma as “compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.”
Charisma is a good thing… until it’s not.
I recently finished re-reading C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, in which a supervisor demon writes to his nephew about how to tempt a young man. One of the consistent strategies Uncle Screwtape advises is to push the man’s natural strengths to the extreme, to the point they become weaknesses.
“Compelling attractiveness or charm” is a tool - much like technology - that can be used for good or evil. As proof, I ran a quick Google search for the “most charismatic people.” One particular list caught my eye, from TheTopTens.com:
Most Charismatic People of All Time
Jesus Christ
Winston Churchill
John Lennon
Richard Feynman (in case you are wondering, according to Wikipedia, Richard Phillips Feynman was an American theoretical physicist known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics)
Oscar Wilde
Albert Einstein
Queen Elizabeth II
Stephen Fry
Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean)
Madonna
Also making the list,
Adolf Hitler, 13. Paul the Apostle, 16. Elvis Presley
Indulge me, as I present three examples… One mythological, one secular, and one Christian.
1. Narcissus of Thespiae
In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a hunter from Thespiae in Boeotia who was known for his beauty. According to the Roman poet Ovid, Narcissus rejected all advances, eventually falling in love with his own reflection in a pool of water, tragically not realizing it’s similarity, entranced by it.
“Unable to leave the allure of this image, Narcissus eventually realized that his love could not be reciprocated and he melted away from the fire of passion burning inside him, eventually turning into a gold and white flower.”
The character of Narcissus is the origin of the term narcissism, a self-centered personality style. This quality is usually marked by three key symptoms:
- grandiosity
- excessive need for attention and admiration
- an inability to empathize.
On grandiosity…
“I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me. I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.” - Ron Burgundy
Narcissism says “I’m bigger, better, more important than these peasants around me.” Jesus said, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve… to give his life.”
Narcissism says, “Get out of my way. Everyone get on my train, come to my house, break your backs building my vision.”
Jesus said, “Zachheus, today I must stay at your house.”
Jesus also said, “If anyone would be first among you, he must be your servant.”
Jesus also said, “Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
On excessive need for attention…
Narcissism says, “Everybody look at me.”
Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done.”
Hours before his death, Jesus said, “Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.”
Also Jesus, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [rather than fame and glory], for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
On an inability to empathize…
Let’s get out of the way for Jesus again…
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.
2. Andrew Neumann, WeWork
To make a very long story short, Andrew Neumann is charismatic. Multiple people in the documentary (which I highly recommend, currently streaming on Hulu) talked about being swept up in his vision, in the narrative he crafted not only for the business, but for the type of people he wanted on board.
WeWork, at its core, was a real estate company renting desks and offices. *Snore* But plain black gas station coffee, infused with charisma can produce magic. And magic is always - ultimately, tragically, an illusion. I’ll come back to coffee in a minute…
Neumann raised his first million dollars in 2011, and gave countless rousing presentations over the next few years of a world where instead of me working, and you working in the same vicinity, “we… wait for it… work together!” In other words, instead of people working side-by-side on their own things, oblivious to the world around them, Neumann envisioned creative work in open spaces, where people working on a dizzying variety of things combine their collected talents and networks to amplify all of their work.
It’s a VERY attractive vision - particularly, speaking as a millennial, to my generation - and he’s a charismatic guy.
But less than three years later the company was valued over a billion dollars, and Neumann had, like Narcissus, fallen in love with his own legend. He started talking about change on a larger, more universal scale. In 2016, WeWork opened a batch of apartments called “WeLive,” Where instead of coexisting in the same building, “we” would instead - what do you think I’m going to say? - “LIVE together.”
In January 2019, WeWork peaked at a $47 billion valuation.
Here’s the thing… Go back to gas station coffee: It’s 99 cents. But imagine those same beans, brewed in the same water… But instead of a gas station logo and a line of sticky, leaking creamer bottles lined up next to it, we design a clever, ambiguously climate-conscious logo, print a fake origin story on each cup and charge $6, science says your brain will trick you into thinking it tastes better. It’s magic.
When investors started digging into WeWork before its impending initial public offering, they found a company burning through cash, expanding at an unsustainable rate and rapidly accelerating losses.
How did it get that far? How did the valuation keep exploding without demonstrable profits? Charisma. Neumann was a brilliant speaker and people fell in love with his vision.
Thousands lost their jobs. And worse, because WeWork had convinced people they should build their entire social circles with like-minded “We-ites,” countless young professionals lost their entire circles of support and encouragement.
Charisma is a good thing… until it’s not.
3. Last example: Mark Driscoll
I highly recommend the podcast from Christianity Today, “Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.”
One line from the podcast that gave me chills, early in the story. Pastor Mark planted Mars Hill strategically in a rapidly growing, suburban area near Seattle. One of those close to him, looking back on the rapid expansion of Mars Hill’s scope and influence said,
“His charisma outran his character.”
At one point, while attending a conference, Pastor Mark had the opportunity to interact with many church leaders with decades more experience. One advisor suggested he seek out mentoring from John Piper. Driscoll’s response was, “How can I ask his advice? My church is bigger than his.”
As the church expanded, Driscoll’s followers were blinded by his charisma to the symptoms…
- grandiosity
- excessive need for attention and admiration
- an inability to empathize.
Driscoll talked of bigger - more money, higher attendance, more glory to Mars Hill, as opposed to glory to God. More power in his own pockets, as opposed to his leaders and elders.
Driscoll sought out opportunities to promote himself - his brand as the new era of marketing would say. His online presence, book deals, speaking engagements… He needed to be recognized and praised, even if by smoke and mirrors. Even if by a hip new logo and fabricated origin story on gas station coffee. Even if he had to buy thousands of his own books to make the coveted “best sellers” list.
Lord God, King of Heaven, please never burden me with charisma beyond my character, beyond my maturity and humility to handle the responsibility.
Jesus, a carpenter preaching a new covenant, new road to salvation from a fishing boat, was charismatic. Peter, preaching in Acts 2, to thousands of Jews in Jerusalem had to be charismatic. Billy Graham was charismatic and God used him to save thousands. Phil Wickham is charismatic and God uses him to inspire worship in thousands of churches - and homes and vehicles and classrooms - every week.
Charisma is a good thing… until it’s not.
But beware the responsibility of your charisma.
Hitler was also charismatic.
We are meant to be different.
Let me close by presenting Jesus’ six examples for how his followers are meant to be different…
Matthew 5:21 "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.'
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court."
Verse 27: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery'
but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart."
Verse 31: "And it was said, 'Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce';
but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the cause of unchastity, makes her commit adultery."
Verse 33: "Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.'
But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool."
Verse 38: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'
But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you."
Verse 43: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'
But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Not only does Jesus greet his betrayer in the garden as a friend (Luke 22), not only does Jesus rebuke Peter for lashing out, reminding him this is all part of the plan, but he heals the guy! He specifically acts opposite what others had been teaching…
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?
You are different. 2 Corinthians 5, Paul tells the church,
“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” John says “We love because he FIRST loved us.” And Jesus says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
So, Christian - person literally claiming to be “of Christ” - beware your charisma. It is a gift, given for a purpose, namely to glorify God. As I tell students early and often, “Your entire life purpose is to know God and make him known.”
As soon as your charisma brings you more glory than God, it begins to serve your enemy.
Is the Church a Lost Cause?
Mostly no, “the church” - as in the sum total of believers in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, their Lord and Savior, who died and rose again as the lone atonement for total human depravity - is not a lost cause… Chiefly because the church is the bride of Christ, drawing its value from Christ and being loved immeasurably, unconditionally and irrevocably b…