In God's Kingdom,  it's not up to us who gets promoted and who doesn't.  It's God's choice entirely and He doesn't base His choice on outward looks or circumstances at all. Some that men want to promote and exalt,  God would not promote at all, others that man overlooks and ignores, God promotes and highly exalts.

We are supposed to take the lowest seat in any fellowship, we are not to promote ourselves or seek honor for ourselves.  We are to wait to be bidden to a higher seat at the table. But who's table are we partaking of? The table set by man, full of his ways and thoughts? Or the Lord's table? The Lord's table or the table of devils? In many churches your promotion will never come because men are in charge not God and they are content to esteem themselves above the congregation. They decide who gets promoted and who doesn't  - and their criteria is usually how obedient you are to them, not God. You may be called by God but that call is not recognized or acknowledged in their midst. They only recognize the call of man. 

In many cases, if they do recognize God has called you and anointed you, they immediately begin to direct it, control it, take advantage of it by sending you to one of their "Bible Schools" or colleges where they can dictate what you'll believe and accept as truth. They'll teach you their pet doctrines  - some of them doctrines of men, some doctrines of devils but most importantly,  tragically,  they'll teach you to rely on THEM, for wisdom and understanding,  not the Holy Spirit,  who alone can lead us and guide us into all truth.

You will not be recognized by them as worthy of ministry till you've proven yourself faithful and obedient to them, to their thoughts and ways. All of this is right and goid, if you are seeking the praise and honor of men. If you want promotion in man's kingdom  you must servevand obey men, following their ways. If you want promotion and honor in God's kingdom  - serve and obey God (1 Cor: 7:23).

When the Apostles,  God's appointed and annointed authority,  were confronted by the Pharisees,  man's appointed authority, the apostles,  in response to their anger and accusations because they weren't submitted to them, replied "WHETHER IT BE RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD TO HEARKEN UNTO YOU MORE THAN GOD, JUDGE YE".

And today, two thousand plus years later - I ask you - should you hearken unto men more than God?