This sad abandonment of the humble way of Jesus shows up today in pastors of large and small churches, in beloved Christian celebrities, prolific clergy authors and bloggers, dynamic church planters, and seemingly godly men and women. The frightening reality of narcissism is that it often presents in a compelling package. Narcissism is the “glittering image” we present to the world, as novelist Susan Howatch describes it in her novel Glittering Images, which tells the story of a mid-twentieth century clergy narcissist. Could it be that the very men and women who are called to be shepherds of the flock struggle most with narcissism?

Taken from When Narcissism Comes to Church by Chuck DeGroat. Copyright (c) 2020 by Chuck DeGroat. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com