SCLQ – Platforms & Influence.

How do you grow a personal platform while at the same time honoring John 3:30 that says, "He must increase, but I must decrease?"

I don't have a solution, just a question, and it's one I've been struggling with.

I love that right now it's possible for ordinary people like me to build platforms and maybe have influence. Without social media, I wouldn't have been able to ever publish the Stuff Christians Like book . I love platforms!

But, as a Christian, I also wrestle with the ego aspects that often go along with them. (Which is a big part of the reason I joined the Dave Ramsey team. I feel like he's done a great job navigating these tricky waters, and I want to learn how to.)

For me, the great temptation is to say, "If I get a bigger platform, then more people will know about me, and I'll then be able to tell those people about God." And I think that starts in a good place, but eventually in my own life and countless other leaders I've seen, that idea gets corrupted into: "If I get a bigger platform, then more people will know about me. The end."

So with the thousands of tools we have to build our "personal brands," and the very real good that can come from platforms (we built two kindergartens!) where does John 3:30 fit in? What's the balance?

And if you know Hebrew and can say, "The heart of that verse has nothing to do with personal branding, proceed getting drunk on your own ego," that would really help me out.

Question:

In what ways can a Christian go about building a platform while keeping God front and center?