Celebrities for Jesus
Brazos Press, 2022
By Katelyn Beaty
WHO: Katelyn Beaty, a writer, journalist and editor who co-hosts the Saved by the City podcast.
SHE SAYS: “The problem of celebrity in the church has now far eclipsed any temporary gains it might have offered along the way.”
THE BIG IDEA: This book 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.
THE PROGRESSION: In Part 1, “Big Things for God,” talks about the dangers of the celebrity culture, especially in the age of social media. Part 2, “Three Temptations,” looks at how having and abusing power, trying to build a platform and creating a persona are the wrong things for church leaders to focus on. The book concludes with “The Way Up Is Down,” in which the author presents the example of a humble Jesus.
“Fame is at its finest when it comes to those who are not seeking it.”
