Different Types of Christians

Continuing the series of what kinds of Christians there are, this month we're going to have a quick look at the celebrity Christian :  actors, rock singers, authors, senators or leaders, sports commentators and TV chefs etc...   I have to admit to feeling a little sorry for the celebrity Christian, every word and gesture they make can sometimes be taken to read "how they are in the Lord".  I once met Cliff Richard (famous British singer) back-stage at the fine Royal Albert Hall in London .  A few days later I mentioned it to someone, their first question was, "Is he on fire for the Lord?"  "Well he seemed like a nice guy to me" isn't the answer they were looking for; but how can I judge someone's heart, isn't it God's job to look into people's hearts?  If a well known Christian band, "The Zealots" put a song on their new album that isn't directly about God, it's easy for people to say, "Hey did you know that The Zealots are backsliding and selling out to the World?"  But if well known rock band "ColdPlay" put a song about God on their new CD it's easy for people to say "Hey did you know that ColdPlay are coming to the Lord?"  We demand so much from people, and make value judgments on such little evidence.  The Church can be quick to capitalize on someone who is famous becoming a Christian, we tell those around us, "look he's a Christian and he's famous".  I think we do this because if someone well known and talented starts going to church we seize the opportunity to let people know because it puts us in a better light, we must have some credibility, we must be right, we must have life all figured out because he's become one of us and he's famous.  We know that people look up to someone who is famous, so they can start looking up to us now because we have someone on our side that is famous.  The fact is we don't need anyone's help except Jesus.  If people are going to look down on us because we are Christians then a famous person coming to the Lord won't stop it.  The sceptic's words will probably be "yeah, well I never liked ColdPlay anyway their music sucks and their singer sings too high like a woman".  Bob Dylan became a Christian some years ago; he released three albums that said pretty much all he wanted to say about his faith.  He went on to look at other subjects in subsequent albums, subjects that affect us all in one way or another,  being deserted by a lover for instance, "hmmm that's not very spiritual is it?"  I'm not quite sure what people mean in that sense by "spiritual" but being deserted by a lover is certainly something that a lot of people can relate to.  How do we cope with it?  Maybe Bob's music can help us; music is God's medicine for the human frame, it heals and sooths.  God's love is very broad, a lot broader than the church sometimes preaches, because someone doesn't fall into our church denominations fundamental Statement of Faith, doesn't mean that God can't use them.  God uses anyone who is willing to be used and will give them as much light as they can bear.  The fact is a number of celebrity Christians may be young in faith, they make mistakes, they mess up, say things they later regret, do things they wonder about.  In other words they're just like the rest of us.  In heaven the celebs will be those who shine like stars and the way we get to shine like stars is by humbling ourselves here on earth.  We can pray for those Christians who are well known, we can also, and should, pray for our friends who are not well known.  Maybe we shouldn't be so concerned about celebrities; perhaps we should let Britney Spears' neighbours pray for her and we can get on praying for our own neighbours.

Paul Poulton

Contact Paul at: www.myspace.com/paulpoultonproject or www.paulpoulton.com