Christians love a good redemption arc. A wayward celebrity finds faith? We’re all in—until they do something that reminds us they’re human. Then, the same people who put them on a pedestal are the first to grab the sledgehammer.
On this week’s RELEVANT Podcast, the crew unpacks this recurring cycle, dissecting the reactions to The Weeknd’s recent statements about his faith and Mumford & Sons’ latest worshipful track. But beyond the headlines, they ask the bigger question: Why do Christians struggle with giving public figures the grace they claim to believe in?
Derek Minor puts it plainly: “I feel like I have to repent sometimes for being such a gatekeeper. I hear these stories, and my first reaction is, ‘Is this real? Do they really mean it?’ But I had to check myself. At least they’re talking about it.”
This skepticism isn’t new. From Kanye West’s Jesus Is King era to Justin Bieber’s well-documented faith journey, Christian culture has a pattern of celebrating newfound belief—until the individual stumbles or doesn’t conform to certain expectations. Then, as Cameron Strang points out: “Christians immediately embrace them, put them on a pedestal, hold them up to that standard. And they’re not ready for that yet. They end up falling and Christians then discard them completely.”
So what’s the move here? Maybe stop expecting spiritual overnight shipping. Instead of demanding perfection, the church needs to embrace discipleship, allowing space for growth, questions, and, yes, even missteps. “Faith is a journey,” Derek continues. “If we’re honest, none of us have gotten everything right from the start. Why do we expect celebrities to?”
It’s a conversation worth having, and this episode of The RELEVANT Podcast dives deep into the nuances of faith, fame and the grace we all need. Jump to 9:45 to listen now.
Episode 1240: John Eldredge