CELEBRITY TESTIMONY IS NOT THE GOSPEL
ROMANS 1:16 - FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES, TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.
Somewhere along the way, the church has replaced the gospel with using someone's testimony in bringing people to salvation.
I remember as a teenager going to youth camp at Shocco Springs in Talladega and the week was filled with some Bible preaching and special music groups to come in and do a night or two of concerts. But the biggest draw was seeing which "celebrity" Christian they could bring in to give their testimony. One year they brought in Paul Orndorff, aka, "Mr. Wonderful" from the WWF. He had been born again and so the camp organizers thought it would be cool to bring him in to give his testimony. Every year it seemed like they had to one-up their game and try to get someone more famous to come in.
As I've gotten older, it seems mainstream Christianity relies too heavily on "celebrity" Christians to be what draws those outside the church into the church. They think, "Oh, if we can get so and so here to give their testimony, maybe we can draw people in and we can see people get saved." It's been a couple of years since it was made known that celebrity tattoo artist, Kat Von D, had been saved and I remember her talking in an interview that the last thing she wanted to become was the "token" Christian.....people using her as a pawn to draw more people into Christianity and, boy, was I glad she said that. Christian leaders/pastors tend to want to drag newly converted "celebrity" Christians into the spotlight when, in reality, they're not in a great place spiritually to be there.
First of all, the power of God unto salvation, according to Romans 1:16, is THE GOSPEL. It doesn't say it's someone's personal testimony, but yet Christian leaders shell out lots of money to bring in people with "powerful" testimonies because they want to lure people in for the purpose of getting them saved.
Second, as a young person growing up and hearing all the dramatic testimonies of those whose lives were changed by God, it sort of made me feel "less than", for lack of a better term. Yes, I was blessed to be brought up in a Christian home, and yes, there could've been the opportunity that my life could've gone in a different direction through rebellion against my parents and God, and thankfully it didn't. But, for some reason, these Christian leaders put the spotlight on those who have testimonies who have been brought out of really bad circumstances, whether it's drug/alcohol abuse, prostitution, pornography, etc., how it was a "miracle" that God saved them, and many times those who grew up in the church are left thinking, "Wow, my testimony isn't THAT exciting." Why can't pastors put the focus on the fact that salvation is a miracle no matter who God gifted it to?
Celebrity (or non-celebrity) testimonies are no replacement for true gospel preaching. I'm not saying they don't have their place. Testimonies are great in one-on-one conversations or even within the church among fellow church members. Our pastor had some of us to write out and give our testimony in church one Wednesday night. But taking famous "Christians", especially newly converted ones, and pushing them into the spotlight when they really haven't had time to gain some maturity in the faith is not a good thing. There's been those who claimed to be new believers that Christians were so quick to fawn over only to find out later their faith was a sham. This is what happens when Christian leaders no longer have faith in the power of the Gospel. They cast aside the Bible and put popular "Christians" on the stage in the hopes of seeing new converts.
Somewhere along the way, the church has replaced the gospel with using someone's testimony in bringing people to salvation.
I remember as a teenager going to youth camp at Shocco Springs in Talladega and the week was filled with some Bible preaching and special music groups to come in and do a night or two of concerts. But the biggest draw was seeing which "celebrity" Christian they could bring in to give their testimony. One year they brought in Paul Orndorff, aka, "Mr. Wonderful" from the WWF. He had been born again and so the camp organizers thought it would be cool to bring him in to give his testimony. Every year it seemed like they had to one-up their game and try to get someone more famous to come in.
As I've gotten older, it seems mainstream Christianity relies too heavily on "celebrity" Christians to be what draws those outside the church into the church. They think, "Oh, if we can get so and so here to give their testimony, maybe we can draw people in and we can see people get saved." It's been a couple of years since it was made known that celebrity tattoo artist, Kat Von D, had been saved and I remember her talking in an interview that the last thing she wanted to become was the "token" Christian.....people using her as a pawn to draw more people into Christianity and, boy, was I glad she said that. Christian leaders/pastors tend to want to drag newly converted "celebrity" Christians into the spotlight when, in reality, they're not in a great place spiritually to be there.
First of all, the power of God unto salvation, according to Romans 1:16, is THE GOSPEL. It doesn't say it's someone's personal testimony, but yet Christian leaders shell out lots of money to bring in people with "powerful" testimonies because they want to lure people in for the purpose of getting them saved.
Second, as a young person growing up and hearing all the dramatic testimonies of those whose lives were changed by God, it sort of made me feel "less than", for lack of a better term. Yes, I was blessed to be brought up in a Christian home, and yes, there could've been the opportunity that my life could've gone in a different direction through rebellion against my parents and God, and thankfully it didn't. But, for some reason, these Christian leaders put the spotlight on those who have testimonies who have been brought out of really bad circumstances, whether it's drug/alcohol abuse, prostitution, pornography, etc., how it was a "miracle" that God saved them, and many times those who grew up in the church are left thinking, "Wow, my testimony isn't THAT exciting." Why can't pastors put the focus on the fact that salvation is a miracle no matter who God gifted it to?
Celebrity (or non-celebrity) testimonies are no replacement for true gospel preaching. I'm not saying they don't have their place. Testimonies are great in one-on-one conversations or even within the church among fellow church members. Our pastor had some of us to write out and give our testimony in church one Wednesday night. But taking famous "Christians", especially newly converted ones, and pushing them into the spotlight when they really haven't had time to gain some maturity in the faith is not a good thing. There's been those who claimed to be new believers that Christians were so quick to fawn over only to find out later their faith was a sham. This is what happens when Christian leaders no longer have faith in the power of the Gospel. They cast aside the Bible and put popular "Christians" on the stage in the hopes of seeing new converts.
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