How Should We Feel About Pastors to Celebrities?
Suppose your pastor was friends with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West and has his own reality TV show. Can a pastor be immersed in pop culture and still effectively preach the Gospel? That's the central question raised in pastor and writer Thomas Christianson's recent article, "We Need More Christian Celebrities."
Christianson, inspired by Pastor Rick Wilkerson Jr. of Vous Church in Miami – who fits the profile above – to address this topic, told The Christian Post Tuesday evening that he wasn't out to "pass judgment" on Wilkerson and his ministry style. Rather he wanted to make sense of pastors who have atypical ministry and how to process them.
"There's a lot of times where God gives influence to people that some of us look at and think, 'God, why in the world are You giving that person influence?" Christianson told CP. "But in the end we have to have faith that God knows what He's doing…"
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In his article, Christianson likens Wilkerson's nontraditional style to the times of Jesus, when He was seen as a maverick who was upsetting the status quo. "The 'notorious sinners' of Jesus' day weren't being brought closer to God by the religious leaders of the day, because these leaders had no influence with them," Christianson writes. "Jesus showed up at weddings and parties and dinners and built relationships. Out of these relationships, lives were changed."
He writes that leaders need access to gain influence, "because you can't influence people who aren't paying attention to you."
"The world needs Christians who are willing to be influencers in all different areas of our culture — this means we need 'celebrities' who are also Christians, not just 'celebrities' in church spheres. Those who have been given access are responsible for using that access to point people toward healthy relationship with God."
When it comes to pastors' unique style to win souls, Christianson explains it best by saying, "Had no one ever translated the message of Jesus into the language I understand, I would most likely not be a Christ-follower today."
