Celebrities for Jesus – How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church

Many Christian leaders use their fame and influence to effectively say to their followers, "Follow me as I follow Christ." But when fame is cultivated for its own sake without spiritual maturity and accountability, it has a shadow side that betrays the heart of the gospel. Celebrity--defined as social power without proximity--has led to abuses of power, the cultivation of persona, and a fixation on profits.The time has come for the church to reexamine its relationship with celebrity. Award-winning journalist Katelyn Beaty explores the ways fame has reshaped the American church, explains how and why celebrity is woven into the fabric of the evangelical movement, and identifies many ways fame has gone awry in recent years. She shows us how evangelical culture is uniquely attracted to celebrity gurus over and against institutions, and she offers a renewed vision of ordinary faithfulness, helping us all keep fame in its proper place. Now in paperback."This book is a great gift and should be required reading for all who love the church."--Rich Villodas, pastor of New Life Fellowship; author of The Deeply Formed Life