Special thanks to the Australian Prayer Network for this report...

In my continued research on the 'old wells of revival' I have discovered some incredibly contrasting bits of information, writes prophetic author Michael Edds.

One of the top televangelists in the nation was recently invited to preach in Baltimore, Maryland. His terms for coming were (1) that he must be picked up by a limousine at the airport, (2) that he must have $1,000 spending money, and (3) that he must be guaranteed at least $10,000 in offerings. This same televangelist/pastor lives in a multi-million dollar mansion, eats in the finest restaurants and wears the most expensive tailor-made suits.

Contrast this to the life and ministry of the great circuit rider, Francis Asbury in the late 1700s and early 1800s. While still in his 20's, he left his home and family in England forever to come to a wilderness called America. He came to be a traveling preacher/evangelist in a nation with little infrastructure, bad housing, few hotels and restaurants, poor sanitation and dangerous drinking water, few medical professionals and limited law enforcement.

One was selfless, the other selfish. One was a Kingdom builder, the other an empire builder. One demanded of himself, the other demanded of others. One gave freely, the other commanded a price. One was a servant, the other a celebrity.

Hebrews 11:32-38 speaks about the real heroes of the faith: They were "tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mocking and beatings,and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two,were tempted, were slain with the sword.."

How long are we going to tolerate the 'superstar syndrome' in the church?