Does Kanye Mean That Jesus Is Cool Again?

FOLLOW ALONG WITH AN AUDIO NARRATION OF PS. WARNER’S BLOG

Today was the drop of Kanye West’s Jesus Is King album, bringing to mind the message I preached last week about celebrity conversions.

It’s a topic that has intrigued me for a couple of years now, not because I’m caught up in the web of celebrity culture, but because I truly do want to have an understanding of the times.

“I truly believe that God will bring a great revival once more to this generation – not because of anything we do or don’t do, but because Jesus Himself is so great...”

I was saved during the Jesus Movement, during which tens of thousands of young people were coming to Christ in the late ’60s and early ’70s, adopting the sign of one forefinger extended towards Heaven to signify the One Way, Jesus. I believe that God can do this again.

That’s why I’m so disturbed by articles that describe the Millennials or Generation Z as the “Rise of the Nones,” asserting that young people are leaving the church in droves, and laying the blame at the door of the church. Generally, these pundits offer the wrong reasons entirely for this alleged mass exodus, but I’ll save that gripe for later.

I truly believe that God will bring a great revival once more to this generation – not because of anything we do or don’t do, but because Jesus Himself is so great, and because He loves people so much, and because He desperately wants them to know Him.

Back to celebrities in general, however, and to Kanye in particular: what do I think?

Well, no one can know his heart but God, and the one who knows him second best would be his wife Kim Kardashian, who said, “He has had an amazing evolution of being born again and being saved by Christ.”

Hmm… I wonder what people had to say about me when I, too, was amazingly born again and saved by Christ on November 15, 1970. There were the skeptics and the supporters, to be sure. There always have been both, and there always will be.

“In Kanye’s case, I’d imagine the skeptics are in the majority.”

Source: Instagram

In Kanye’s case, I’d imagine the skeptics are in the majority. Coming forward boldly for Christ definitely doesn’t sound like a bid to build his brand or angle for a Dove award. I have to think that something deeper is going on. Otherwise, why risk it?

Is he that desperate for validation? I doubt it; and if even 1/25th of the reports are true, he wrestled with his demons, just like you and me.

It reminds me of another celebrity, Saul of Tarsus, who vehemently persecuted Christians before his “amazing evolution” on the road to Damascus. So profound was the change in him that “immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20).

Caroline Blumberg/EPA/Shutterstock

The people of that time were rightly amazed and not a little skeptical. Even his Christian brothers thought he was a poser and that he had to be working some angle. His supporters were few. Fortunately, there were some like Barnabas who, seeing that Jesus had genuinely touched Paul’s life, took him under his wing. I believe we should be glad for that, since that “celebrity” wrote 2/3 of the New Testament (in spite of a significant drop in his celebrity status).

Am I saying that Kanye is the next Apostle Paul? No, but I do believe we should think and pray biblically here. Naïve and insecure Christians wrongly think that if celebrities talk about Jesus, it gives legitimacy to their own faith. See, Christianity isn’t so uncool, after all!

When George Harrison of The Beatles released his song “My Sweet Lord,” I remember a rumor in the Christian community that George had gotten saved. Did you hear? He’s singing my sweet Lord! Yeah, and he’s saying Hallelujah! Only one problem: the “lord” George was singing to was Krishna. Oops.

The problem lies with people who rush to lift up celebrities as the next great example of the Christian faith. Some actually exploit them for the sake of status, but supposedly that’s okay, as long as it’s done “in Jesus’ name.”

Just as bad, however, are the skeptics who line up to laugh or scoff at celebrities who confess Jesus as Lord. They’re awfully quick to dismiss or denigrate their profession of faith. Oh, yeah, right: we’ll see how long this lasts. I remember people saying this about my conversion only 50 years ago.

If the new convert should say or do something that isn’t quite kosher, mature, or completely godly (like when I went out to buy weed for a visiting friend) then they’re quick to start devouring the baby Christian. After all, we’re the more mature, truly holy ones, right?

Moses was one of Egypt’s major “rock stars” when he chose to follow God’s call. His own people scoffed at him and doubted his sincerity, but the Lord used him for His purpose.

My point is we should at least be willing to make some room for the new celebrity converts; to save a seat for them at the Table.

“My point is we should at least be willing to make some room for the new celebrity converts; to save a seat for them at the Table.”

Consider the Rich Young Ruler, who was smack in the middle of the celebrity crowd of his time. The Bible tells us in Luke 18:18 that he came running (eagerly) to Jesus and knelt (humbly) before Him, asking questions about eternal life. This is not shallow stuff. He had timeless, vital questions about how to find meaning and purpose in life.

We tend to focus on the bad decision he made in turning away from following Jesus, but we should also realize how compelling Jesus was, to provoke such a response. My Jesus is still oh, so beautiful and wonderful! Is yours?

“Okay, so, Kanye West: what do I think? I’m not totally sure, but I sincerely do hope and pray that he’s drunk deeply from the fountain of living waters; ”

Here’s my posture: didn’t Jesus die for the rich and famous just like He died for you and me?  Does He love them as much as He loves us? Is He able to call them just like He called us?

Can we love, encourage, and pray for them, and rejoice with them just like we do for our next-door neighbor who comes to church and prays to be saved?

In 1 Corinthians 1:26, Paul says, “You see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.” Truly, those who follow Jesus from among the celebrity crowd are not many, but it doesn’t say not any!

Source: YouTube

Okay, so, Kanye West: what do I think? I’m not totally sure, but I sincerely do hope and pray that he’s drunk deeply from the fountain of living waters; that he’s had the “well of water springing up to eternal life” planted within him that Jesus freely offers to all (John 4:14).

Then, I might listen to his music, because rap is a great outreach tool. I still may not choose it as background music for my office, though.

If I ran into him, I’d first try to listen to him, and then maybe say, “Kanye, would you like a cup of coffee? I’d like to hear what happened to you.”

After listening to his testimony, maybe we could pray for each other. I know that we both need a lot of that.