Hero Maker
Author: Pastor Gerry Lopez
September 13, 2018
 Many of us have grown up watching super heroes on television
or in movies. Super heroes are normally presented as individuals with certain
powers and abilities, and usually with a muscular body frame. On one occasion, as a child, I thought I
could be Superman and jump off a second story stair case and possibly fly down
to the first floor. I soon realized that
I was not Superman and that I could not fly. I got really scared! Instead of jumping off and flying, I hung
swinging from the staircase and calling out for my mom. The superhero was my mom, because she rescued
me from falling! I wanted to be like those heroes and thought I had to do super
things in order to be like them, but I have found out that this is not true; I
must be a hero maker and not the hero.
This week I had the opportunity to attend a conference in
Chantilly, VA, as part of my Potomac Conference pastors group activities. The theme for the event, dubbed an
Exponential Conference, was Hero Maker. Even though it was geared towards
church planting, I learned much from it regarding leadership and discipleship. I
have been in ministry for almost 12 years and have been involved with working
with volunteers who have taken various roles in leadership. An important question for me is, have I
helped others become leaders in Christ’s ministry, or have I had my own
agenda? Leaders are needed to ensure
that there is success in the ministries God has handed to me, because without
them those ministries will be unsuccessful.
Often in ministry, leadership can easily fall into thinking that
one must be the hero for a particular ministry and try to rescue it or do
everything in it. At the Exponential Conference,
Pastor Devin Turner from Revolution Church in DC, touched on a focus point and stated,
“Either my ambition must be in line with God’s provision or I’m not multiplying
disciples; I’m just adding cultural Christians.” In other words, it’s easy to make cultural
Christians, those that believe that Jesus exists, possibly pray and attend church
but who don’t submit to Him as Lord and Savior…just religion followers. The true Heroes are those whose motives in
leadership is simply building the Kingdom of God. Many of you have been or are in leadership. Have
you been a Hero Maker or just a Cultural Christian Maker?
As leaders at Sligo Church, our goal should be to make heroes
- leaders that understand who Jesus is and could be in their lives. In order to do that, one must also be made
into a hero, not like the ones on television or in the movies, who have super
powers, but rather a disciple of Jesus. This
is more like the heroes in the Bible, who were given a great commission to follow
Jesus as their Savior and tell others of His love, His grace, and His sacrifice
for sinners. So, as Pastor Turner said,
“Either my ambitions must be in line with God’s provision or I’m not
multiplying disciples; I’m just adding cultural Christians.” Our mission should
not be becoming a hero but rather, being a hero maker!
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