Self-Promotion: Pride, A Necessary Evil, Or A Ministry Opportunity?

In a paper written by my friend Robert Roberg titled "The Hidden Danger of Art", the first thing he mentioned is the self-promotion that is involved, when Christians should focus on others and God.

At Taylor University's Professional Writers Conference a month ago, my friend James Watkins gave a different point of view when he stated, "The first two letters of 'message' is 'me.'"

Over the decades, I've heard Christians debate the issues of self-esteem and self-love. One quote I've heard is you need to love yourself before you can love your neighbor as yourself. Others say that when Scripture talks about self, it doesn't use words like "love" and "esteem" but rather "control", "deny", and "crucify."

It is important to remember Proverbs 27:2: "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips." 

Today we see politicians promoting themselves. That wasn't the norm in the past. In the 1800's, few presidential candidates did not do as much speaking on their own behalf, and those that did always lost. While William Jennings Bryan was running himself ragged going to the crowds in the 1896 campaign, William McKinley stayed home where the crowds came to his house to hear him. Things are different now, but are they better?

Likewise, nowadays self-publishing or releasing your own music project is more common than it was a few decades ago. I remember getting a call from a self-publishing company where the saleslady repeated two primary points - 1) the book I wrote needs to be published, and 2) self-publishing allows me to keep 100% of the profits. (Never mind that I spend my money upfront so a percentage still goes to the publisher.)

But is all self promotion pride? Let's go back to Proverbs 27:2. Notice the word is "praise". We're not to praise ourselves. If we're stating that our book is the best song ever written, then we're stepping over the line. But if we feel we're supposed to communicate something, we have the opportunity, the privilege, the mandate to get the message out. Everybody came to McKinley's house. If they're not coming to yours, you need to go and promote the message.

Now, is the message God's message or ours? The answer should be yes. There are times we feel God's direction. But I've heard songwriters say, "I didn't write this song, God did." Well, He may have guided the composer in writing it, but God used the writer's language, vocabulary, and music style in writing it. 

I read James Scott Bell tell about aspiring writers saying, "I could never write like (insert name of famous author)." Bell replies, "No, you can't write like them. And they can't write like you." Moving from arts to ministry, I get blown away by apologists like Gary Habermas, Francis Schaeffer, and Ravi Zacharias and think that I can't defend the faith like they do. But God has enabled me to contend for truth the way Jeffrey C. Reynolds does.

We need to remember the focus is on the message, not the messenger. But that doesn't mean the messenger should not give his best. Plus, the messenger needs to deliver the message for it to be heard.

What message has God given you to share? What can you do to allow the message to be heard?