A Not-Famous Pastor’s Take on the Evangelical Hollywood

An interesting post here dealing with the culture of fame that goes along with huge conferences in America like The Gospel Coalition.

I certainly felt that while I was at the conference.  I honestly brought back the memories of being in Nashville as a musician and experiencing the horrible culture of Christian fame that pervades that city.  An industry that seeks to promote Jesus while having to promote artists at the same time creates really weird relational dynamics for churches, small groups, and industry events.  Everyone is dying for attention.  If you get enough attention and validation, you get paid.  It's a horrible tension to try and navigate for those who know deep down that they need to draw all attention to Jesus.  Few handle that tension well and I don't blame them.  The Christian music industry structures itself that way and forces its artists to do it.  As far as I am concerned it needs to be blown up and given a fresh start.

This is not necessarily analogous to the Gospel Coalition but we certainly need to ask ourselves if we are more in awe of certain personalities than we are of Jesus.  What do we get more excited about?  Where do our affections lie?  Are we more excited about Christian celebrities and the books they write than we are about Jesus and book that is about him?  Would we feel more validation if someone "famous" knew us and liked us than knowing that Jesus knows us and deeply loves us?

Sadly, I recognize that my heart is not where is should be in reference to these questions and I pray that God would continue to press into my heart the great knowledge of Him that radically alters my affections and desires so that I can be free to need people less and love people more.