Donald Trump and Christian Leadership

In the past 10 years, and in the dozens of leadership seminars that I have presented,  I have begun each and every seminar asking the participants what goal is emphasized into the theme song of Donald Trump's show "The Apprentice".

I then follow up with the question "What important subject is embedded in the entertainment? Can you remember the goal and what is the underlying show subject?

The end goal repeated in the theme song is -  Money, Money, Money, Money. The embedded subject being taught is Leadership.

If you regularly watched this program, I would suspect that most of you did not realize that you were being taught "Trump Leadership". You thought you were just being entertained. What you did not know was that the leadership worldview of power, position, fame and fortune was slowly entering and penetrating your view of valid leadership. 

May I suggest that when we watched programs like this, we were giving permission for Trump and the producers to tickle our sub-conscious interests. We did not knowingly allow this. It is all being done down in the abyss of our sinful nature. Here are examples of what is being tickled down there.

1. The desire to be a winner by any means, at the expense of others.

2. The desire to someday experience the perceived pleasure of telling someone "Your Fired!"

3. The desire to be somebody enormous in wealth or popularity.

Would it not be true if I said that while many of you are reading this, some of you already have some thought of disagreement entering your mind. Some of you might point out they should not be blanket statements, but based on the context of a person's situation. Please be careful, ... some contextual debate is simply an attempt to justify an unrighteous principle or act. Before you cast a final vote of disagreement, let's check out the situation of the one whom we Christians claim is our leader, and the one Christians claim to follow.

Philippians 2:3-7  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.

Matthew 4:8  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Satan tempted Christ by raising him to high places where the view of wealth and power was visible. He then offered him a way to possess it all. He offered Him everything in view if He would only become his "apprentice" and bow down to him. Satan put on a great show, and today Trump is putting on a show in his presidential campaign. Satan tempted Christ like Trump is tempting us by making promises to make American so great that we will all get "sick of winning"! He is promising you everything a person could ever want from a president.

Satan was trying to germinate a desire that would not grow in Christ. However, Trump, in his growing campaign is bringing to life a leadership that includes the practice of revenge and the ability to deliver insulting criticism with an uncontrolled "tone". He began tickling our sinful desires and now almost every day he is massaging that desire. Friends, we must become more aware that there is an abyss in us where unrighteousness germinates and grows. The darkness of our abyss blocks our consciousness of the danger of being tickled by Trump's promises. It is in this unconsciousness, where what is wrong,  is converted by human logic, into what we think might be legitimate leadership. I write this to warn of what might be happening in our abyss. 

I believe Trump is a dangerous leader. Like what Satan did with Christ, Trump is promising 'the world' if we would only vote for him. I believe Trump trying to get us to accept what Christ refused to accept. He is teaching and spreading his venomous leadership principles where people are insulted, demeaned, and where revenge is king.

At the end of his TV show, everyone sits at the judgement seat of Donald Trump. Metaphorically, do you really want to be his "apprentice"? Several pundits and polls seem to say many Christians do. If Trump becomes president there may be some changes that might seem to benefit us. However, the president of the United States has a huge impact on the perimeters for American morals and what is acceptable behavior. Along the with immediate risk of Trump's temper and revenge regarding our adversaries, the long term damage to our children and grandchildren's view of leadership is not worth the short term gains.

I strongly encourage everyone to invest in the long term, and then seek to support and vote for another candidate where the leadership philosophy is more biblical.


P.S.  Since preparing this over a month ago, my pastor delivered a message regarding our biblical response to our governing authorities. While most difficult, I have, and will encourage everyone to pray for Donald Trump, ... that someday whether president or not, ... a testimony that "Jesus is Lord of his life" will be delivered with a believable tone.