-
Celebrities for Jesus
- How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church
- Narrated by: Nan McNamara
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $17.19
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
Many Christian leaders use their fame and influence to great effect. Whether that popularity resides at the local church level or represents national or international influence, many leaders have effectively said to their followers, "Follow me as I follow Christ." But fame that is cultivated for its own sake, without attendant spiritual maturity and accountability, has a shadow side that runs counter to the heart of the gospel. Celebrity—defined as social power without proximity—has led to abuses of power, the cultivation of persona, and a fixation on profits.
In light of the fall of famous Christian leaders in recent years, the time has come for the church to reexamine its relationship to celebrity. Award-winning journalist Katelyn Beaty 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. She shows us how evangelical culture is uniquely attracted to celebrity gurus over and against institutions, and she offers a renewed vision of ordinary faithfulness, helping us all keep fame in its proper place.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
A Church Called Tov
- Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing
- By: Scot McKnight, Laura Barringer
- Narrated by: Michael Beck
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is the way forward for the church? Tragically, in recent years, Christians have gotten used to revelations of abuses of many kinds in our most respected churches―from Willow Creek to Harvest, from Southern Baptist pastors to Sovereign Grace churches. Respected author and theologian Scot McKnight and former Willow Creek member Laura Barringer wrote this book to paint a pathway forward for the church.
-
-
Mostly good, but has a major issue
- By T.J. on 11-30-21
By: Scot McKnight, and others
-
The Evangelical Imagination
- How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis
- By: Karen Swallow Prior
- Narrated by: Susan Hanfield
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed author Karen Swallow Prior examines evangelical history, both good and bad. By analyzing the literature, art, and popular culture that has surrounded evangelicalism, she unpacks some of the movement's most deeply held concepts, ideas, values, and practices to consider what is Christian rather than merely cultural. The result is a clearer path forward for evangelicals amid their current identity crisis—and insight for others who want a deeper understanding of what the term "evangelical" means today.
-
-
Fantastic Content, Unfortunate Narration
- By Matthew Carson on 09-02-23
-
All My Knotted-Up Life
- A Memoir
- By: Beth Moore
- Narrated by: Beth Moore
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All My Knotted-Up Life is a beautifully crafted portrait of resilience and survival, a poignant reminder of God’s enduring faithfulness, and proof positive that if we ever truly took the time to hear people’s full stories . . . we’d all walk around slack-jawed.
-
-
Finished in one day
- By nedmac mama on 02-22-23
By: Beth Moore
-
A Woman's Place
- A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home, and the World
- By: Katelyn Beaty, Christine Caine - foreword
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The managing editor of Christianity Today and founder of the popular Her.meneutics blog encourages women to find joy in vocation in this game-changing look at the importance of women and work.
-
-
So that's it, then?
- By Mel A Presco on 08-16-16
By: Katelyn Beaty, and others
-
Tell Her Story
- How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church
- By: Nijay K. Gupta, Beth Allison Barr - foreword
- Narrated by: Nijay K. Gupta
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Women were there. For centuries, discussions of early Christianity have focused on male leaders in the church. But there is ample evidence right in the New Testament that women were actively involved in ministry, at the frontier of the gospel mission, and as respected leaders. Nijay Gupta calls us to bring these women out of the shadows by shining light on their many inspiring contributions to the planting, growth, and health of the first Christian churches.
-
-
Biblical exploration of women’s role in the Bible
- By Adam Shields on 08-18-23
By: Nijay K. Gupta, and others
-
When Narcissism Comes to Church
- Healing Your Community from Emotional and Spiritual Abuse
- By: Chuck DeGroat, Richard J. Mouw - foreword
- Narrated by: Jim Denison
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We've seen the news stories and heard the rumors. Maybe we ourselves have been hurt by a narcissistic church leader. It's easy to throw the term around and diagnose others from afar. But what is narcissism, really? And how does it infiltrate the church?
-
-
Excellent coverage of topic
- By Elisabeth R. on 05-28-20
By: Chuck DeGroat, and others
-
A Church Called Tov
- Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing
- By: Scot McKnight, Laura Barringer
- Narrated by: Michael Beck
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is the way forward for the church? Tragically, in recent years, Christians have gotten used to revelations of abuses of many kinds in our most respected churches―from Willow Creek to Harvest, from Southern Baptist pastors to Sovereign Grace churches. Respected author and theologian Scot McKnight and former Willow Creek member Laura Barringer wrote this book to paint a pathway forward for the church.
-
-
Mostly good, but has a major issue
- By T.J. on 11-30-21
By: Scot McKnight, and others
-
The Evangelical Imagination
- How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis
- By: Karen Swallow Prior
- Narrated by: Susan Hanfield
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed author Karen Swallow Prior examines evangelical history, both good and bad. By analyzing the literature, art, and popular culture that has surrounded evangelicalism, she unpacks some of the movement's most deeply held concepts, ideas, values, and practices to consider what is Christian rather than merely cultural. The result is a clearer path forward for evangelicals amid their current identity crisis—and insight for others who want a deeper understanding of what the term "evangelical" means today.
-
-
Fantastic Content, Unfortunate Narration
- By Matthew Carson on 09-02-23
-
All My Knotted-Up Life
- A Memoir
- By: Beth Moore
- Narrated by: Beth Moore
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All My Knotted-Up Life is a beautifully crafted portrait of resilience and survival, a poignant reminder of God’s enduring faithfulness, and proof positive that if we ever truly took the time to hear people’s full stories . . . we’d all walk around slack-jawed.
-
-
Finished in one day
- By nedmac mama on 02-22-23
By: Beth Moore
-
A Woman's Place
- A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home, and the World
- By: Katelyn Beaty, Christine Caine - foreword
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The managing editor of Christianity Today and founder of the popular Her.meneutics blog encourages women to find joy in vocation in this game-changing look at the importance of women and work.
-
-
So that's it, then?
- By Mel A Presco on 08-16-16
By: Katelyn Beaty, and others
-
Tell Her Story
- How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church
- By: Nijay K. Gupta, Beth Allison Barr - foreword
- Narrated by: Nijay K. Gupta
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Women were there. For centuries, discussions of early Christianity have focused on male leaders in the church. But there is ample evidence right in the New Testament that women were actively involved in ministry, at the frontier of the gospel mission, and as respected leaders. Nijay Gupta calls us to bring these women out of the shadows by shining light on their many inspiring contributions to the planting, growth, and health of the first Christian churches.
-
-
Biblical exploration of women’s role in the Bible
- By Adam Shields on 08-18-23
By: Nijay K. Gupta, and others
-
When Narcissism Comes to Church
- Healing Your Community from Emotional and Spiritual Abuse
- By: Chuck DeGroat, Richard J. Mouw - foreword
- Narrated by: Jim Denison
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We've seen the news stories and heard the rumors. Maybe we ourselves have been hurt by a narcissistic church leader. It's easy to throw the term around and diagnose others from afar. But what is narcissism, really? And how does it infiltrate the church?
-
-
Excellent coverage of topic
- By Elisabeth R. on 05-28-20
By: Chuck DeGroat, and others
-
The Ballot and the Bible
- How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here
- By: Kaitlyn Schiess
- Narrated by: Kaitlyn Schiess
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do Bible passages written thousands of years ago apply to politics today? What can we learn from America's history of using the Bible in politics? How can we converse with people whose views differ from our own? In The Ballot and the Bible, Kaitlyn Schiess explores these questions and more. She unpacks examples of how Americans have connected the Bible to politics in the past, highlighting times it was applied well and times it was egregiously misused.
-
-
A must read/listen
- By Rebecca A Thomas on 10-05-23
By: Kaitlyn Schiess
-
Bully Pulpit
- Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
- By: Michael J. Kruger
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most pastors and leaders are godly, wonderful people that don't abuse their sheep. They shepherd their flocks gently and patiently. But we can't ignore the growing number who do not. We need gentle shepherds now more than ever, and in Bully Pulpit, seminary president and biblical scholar Michael J. Kruger offers a unique perspective for both church leaders and church members on the problem of spiritual abuse, how to spot it, and how to handle it in the church.
-
-
Perfect Pairing, Effeminate Narrator and Author
- By Jacob Bragg on 12-24-23
-
Immeasurable
- Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc.
- By: Skye Jethani
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"In my first seminary class, we were asked to introduce ourselves and say why we enrolled. I'll never forget what one student said: 'My denomination wants me to have an M.Div., but once they see I can grow a big church, I don't think they'll make me finish the program.'" The priorities of this future pastor were startling, but he's not alone in them. In the years since that class, author and minister Skye Jethani has seen more and more pastors swallowed by the celebrity syndrome. Immeasurable will help ministers recognize the forces shaping their view of the calling.
-
-
Great & thoughtful critique
- By R.Ham on 10-26-19
By: Skye Jethani
-
Losing Our Religion
- An Altar Call for Evangelical America
- By: Russell Moore
- Narrated by: Russell Moore
- Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
American evangelical Christianity has lost its way. While the witness of the church before a watching world is diminished beyond recognition, congregations are torn apart over Donald Trump, Christian nationalism, racial injustice, sexual predation, disgraced leaders, and covered-up scandals. Left behind are millions of believers who counted on the church to be a place of belonging and hope. As greater and greater numbers of younger Americans bleed out from the church, even the most rooted evangelicals are wondering, “Can American Christianity survive?”
-
-
A Prophetic Call to Renewal
- By Rachel Stanton on 07-26-23
By: Russell Moore
-
The Lord Is My Courage
- Stepping Through the Shadows of Fear Toward the Voice of Love
- By: K.J. Ramsey
- Narrated by: K.J. Ramsey, Curt Thompson MD, Gabe Wicks
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Walking through Psalm 23 phrase by phrase, therapist and author K.J. Ramsey explores the landscape of our fear, trauma, and faith. When she stepped through her own wilderness of spiritual abuse and religious trauma, K.J. discovered that courage is not the absence of anxiety but the practice of trusting we will be held and loved no matter what. The Lord is My Courage is for the deconstructing and the dreamers, the afraid and the amazed, for those whose fear has not been fully shepherded but who can't seem to stop listening for their Good Shepherd's Voice.
-
-
More than an exposition
- By Jonathan Bonetti on 07-01-22
By: K.J. Ramsey
-
The Preacher's Wife
- The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities
- By: Kate Bowler
- Narrated by: Kelly Burke
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since the 1970s, an important new figure has appeared on the center stage of American evangelicalism - the celebrity preacher's wife. Although most evangelical traditions bar women from ordained ministry, many women have carved out unofficial positions of power in their husbands' spiritual empires or their own ministries. The biggest stars - such as Beth Moore, Joyce Meyer, and Victoria Osteen - write best-selling books, grab high ratings on Christian television, and even preach.
-
-
Excellent and comprehensive review of the American female evangelical experience
- By bamamed on 08-07-24
By: Kate Bowler
-
The Making of Biblical Womanhood
- How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth
- By: Beth Allison Barr
- Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Biblical womanhood - the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives, virtuous mothers, and joyful homemakers - pervades North American Christianity. From choices about careers to roles in local churches to relationship dynamics, this belief shapes the everyday lives of evangelical women. Yet biblical womanhood isn't biblical, says Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr. It was born in a series of clearly definable historical moments.
-
-
Fantastic thought provoking book
- By busymom on 04-22-21
-
Into the Heart of Romans
- A Deep Dive into Paul's Greatest Letter
- By: N. T. Wright
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
N. T. Wright—widely regarded as the most influential commentator and interpreter of Paul—deftly unpacks this dense and sometimes elusive letter, detailing Paul's arguments and showing how it illuminates the Gospel from the promises to Abraham through the visions of Revelation. Wright takes a deep dive into Romans 8, showing how it illuminates so much else that God reveals in Scripture: God the Father, Christology, and the Spirit; Jesus' Messiahship, cross, resurrection, and ascension; salvation, redemption, and adoption; suffering and glory; holiness and hope.
-
-
Deep dive into Romans 8
- By Adam Shields on 11-27-23
By: N. T. Wright
-
How Far to the Promised Land
- One Black Family's Story of Hope and Survival in the American South
- By: Esau McCaulley
- Narrated by: Esau McCaulley
- Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For much of his life, Esau McCaulley was taught to see himself as an exception: someone who, through hard work, faith, and determination, overcame childhood poverty, anti-Black racism, and an absent father to earn a job as a university professor and a life in the middle class.
-
-
An excellent story of Redemption
- By James Carmichael on 09-23-23
By: Esau McCaulley
-
How to Inhabit Time
- Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now
- By: James K. A. Smith
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Many Christians are disconnected from the past or imagine they are "above" history, immune to it, as if self-starters from clean slates in every generation. They suffer from a lack of awareness of time and the effects of history—both personal and collective—and thus are naive about current issues and fixated on the end times. Popular speaker and award-winning author James K. A. Smith shows that awakening to the spiritual significance of time is crucial for orienting faith in the twenty-first century.
-
-
Embracing time is part of embracing our humanity
- By Adam Shields on 10-13-22
-
Women and the Gender of God
- By: Amy Peeler
- Narrated by: Amy Peeler
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While many Christians would readily affirm this truth, the widely held assumption that the Bible depicts a male God persists—as it has for centuries. This misperception of Christianity not only perniciously implies that men deserve an elevated place over women, but also compromises the glory of God by making God appear to be part of creation, subject to it and its categories, rather than in transcendence of it.
-
-
thought provoking book
- By Martin Homan on 08-11-24
By: Amy Peeler
-
A Non-Anxious Presence
- How a Changing and Complex World Will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders
- By: Mark Sayers
- Narrated by: Matthew Baker
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For much of recent history, individuals and institutions could plan, execute, and flourish with their visions of a better world. Volatile, complex forces could be addressed and confronted with planning and management. But crisis is a great revealer. It knocks us off our thrones. It uncovers the weaknesses in our strategies and brings to light our myths and idols. Our past strategies run aground, smashed by unpredictable and chaotic waves. Yet in the midst of the chaos of a crisis comes opportunity.
-
-
Great content but I really don’t like the voice
- By Dr Jen on 07-29-22
By: Mark Sayers
Related to this topic
-
The Next Christians
- The Good News About the End of Christian America
- By: Gabe Lyons
- Narrated by: Gabe Lyons
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Turn on a cable news show or pick up any news magazine, and you get the impression that Christian America is on its last leg. The once dominant faith is now facing rapidly declining church attendance, waning political influence, and an abysmal public perception. More than 76% of Americans self-identify as Christians, but many today are ashamed to carry the label. While many Christians are bemoaning their faith’s decline, Gabe Lyons is optimistic that Christianity’s best days are yet to come.
-
-
Optimistic about the church
- By Ellen Gilmartin on 09-12-24
By: Gabe Lyons
-
Christians in the Age of Outrage
- How to Bring Our Best When the World Is at Its Worst
- By: Ed Stetzer
- Narrated by: Wayne Shepherd
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Today there are too many examples of those claiming to follow Christ being caustic, divisive, and irrational, contributing to dismissals of the Christian faith as hypocritical, self-interested, and politically co-opted. What has happened in our society? One short outrageous video, whether it is true or not, can trigger an avalanche of comments on social media. Welcome to the new age of outrage. In this groundbreaking book featuring new survey research of evangelicals and their relationship to the age of outrage, Ed Stetzer offers a constructive way forward.
-
-
A Balanced Look at an Unbalanced World
- By Tony E. on 11-01-18
By: Ed Stetzer
-
Rumors of God
- Experience the Kind of Faith You've Only Heard About
- By: Darren Whitehead, Jon Tyson
- Narrated by: Darren Whitehead, Jon Tyson
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Where is the life God promised us? Life is busy. We live like slaves to our fast-paced, suffocating schedules. We spend our energy and time in triviality, relegating God to the background. He seems distant to us, and we resist the idea that God wants to give, say, and show us more; we dismiss it as rumor. But Jesus calls us to a better way. Another dream - an unimagined future. Close the gap between what you hear about and what you see.
-
-
Excellent book
- By S. HARRIS on 06-24-15
By: Darren Whitehead, and others
-
A Church Called Tov
- Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing
- By: Scot McKnight, Laura Barringer
- Narrated by: Michael Beck
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is the way forward for the church? Tragically, in recent years, Christians have gotten used to revelations of abuses of many kinds in our most respected churches―from Willow Creek to Harvest, from Southern Baptist pastors to Sovereign Grace churches. Respected author and theologian Scot McKnight and former Willow Creek member Laura Barringer wrote this book to paint a pathway forward for the church.
-
-
Mostly good, but has a major issue
- By T.J. on 11-30-21
By: Scot McKnight, and others
-
Why Men Hate Going to Church
- By: David Murrow
- Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Murrow's groundbreaking new book reveals why men are the world's largest unreached people group. With eye-opening research and a persuasive grasp on the facts, Murrow explains the problem and offers hope and encouragement to women, pastors, and men. Why Men Hate Going to Church does not call men back to the church - it calls the church back to men.
-
-
An honest view of church from a man's perspective
- By G on 02-05-12
By: David Murrow
-
No Perfect People Allowed
- By: John Burke
- Narrated by: Tom Casaletto
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do we live out the message of Jesus in today’s ever-changing culture? The church is facing its greatest challenge - and its greatest opportunity - in our postmodern, post-Christian world. God is drawing thousands of spiritually curious “imperfect people” to become his church - but how are we doing at welcoming them? No Perfect People Allowed shows you how to deconstruct the five main barriers standing between emerging generations and your church by creating the right culture.
-
-
No Perfect People Allowed
- By Robin on 04-19-09
By: John Burke
-
The Next Christians
- The Good News About the End of Christian America
- By: Gabe Lyons
- Narrated by: Gabe Lyons
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Turn on a cable news show or pick up any news magazine, and you get the impression that Christian America is on its last leg. The once dominant faith is now facing rapidly declining church attendance, waning political influence, and an abysmal public perception. More than 76% of Americans self-identify as Christians, but many today are ashamed to carry the label. While many Christians are bemoaning their faith’s decline, Gabe Lyons is optimistic that Christianity’s best days are yet to come.
-
-
Optimistic about the church
- By Ellen Gilmartin on 09-12-24
By: Gabe Lyons
-
Christians in the Age of Outrage
- How to Bring Our Best When the World Is at Its Worst
- By: Ed Stetzer
- Narrated by: Wayne Shepherd
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Today there are too many examples of those claiming to follow Christ being caustic, divisive, and irrational, contributing to dismissals of the Christian faith as hypocritical, self-interested, and politically co-opted. What has happened in our society? One short outrageous video, whether it is true or not, can trigger an avalanche of comments on social media. Welcome to the new age of outrage. In this groundbreaking book featuring new survey research of evangelicals and their relationship to the age of outrage, Ed Stetzer offers a constructive way forward.
-
-
A Balanced Look at an Unbalanced World
- By Tony E. on 11-01-18
By: Ed Stetzer
-
Rumors of God
- Experience the Kind of Faith You've Only Heard About
- By: Darren Whitehead, Jon Tyson
- Narrated by: Darren Whitehead, Jon Tyson
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Where is the life God promised us? Life is busy. We live like slaves to our fast-paced, suffocating schedules. We spend our energy and time in triviality, relegating God to the background. He seems distant to us, and we resist the idea that God wants to give, say, and show us more; we dismiss it as rumor. But Jesus calls us to a better way. Another dream - an unimagined future. Close the gap between what you hear about and what you see.
-
-
Excellent book
- By S. HARRIS on 06-24-15
By: Darren Whitehead, and others
-
A Church Called Tov
- Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing
- By: Scot McKnight, Laura Barringer
- Narrated by: Michael Beck
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is the way forward for the church? Tragically, in recent years, Christians have gotten used to revelations of abuses of many kinds in our most respected churches―from Willow Creek to Harvest, from Southern Baptist pastors to Sovereign Grace churches. Respected author and theologian Scot McKnight and former Willow Creek member Laura Barringer wrote this book to paint a pathway forward for the church.
-
-
Mostly good, but has a major issue
- By T.J. on 11-30-21
By: Scot McKnight, and others
-
Why Men Hate Going to Church
- By: David Murrow
- Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Murrow's groundbreaking new book reveals why men are the world's largest unreached people group. With eye-opening research and a persuasive grasp on the facts, Murrow explains the problem and offers hope and encouragement to women, pastors, and men. Why Men Hate Going to Church does not call men back to the church - it calls the church back to men.
-
-
An honest view of church from a man's perspective
- By G on 02-05-12
By: David Murrow
-
No Perfect People Allowed
- By: John Burke
- Narrated by: Tom Casaletto
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do we live out the message of Jesus in today’s ever-changing culture? The church is facing its greatest challenge - and its greatest opportunity - in our postmodern, post-Christian world. God is drawing thousands of spiritually curious “imperfect people” to become his church - but how are we doing at welcoming them? No Perfect People Allowed shows you how to deconstruct the five main barriers standing between emerging generations and your church by creating the right culture.
-
-
No Perfect People Allowed
- By Robin on 04-19-09
By: John Burke
-
Overrated
- Are We More in Love with the Idea of Changing the World Than Actually Changing the World?
- By: Eugene Cho
- Narrated by: Eugene Cho
- Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Many people today talk about justice, but are they living justly? They want to change the world, but are they being changed themselves? Eugene Cho has a confession: "I like to talk about changing the world but I don't really like to do what it takes." If this is true of the man who founded the One Day's Wages global antipoverty movement, then what must it take to act on one's ideals? Cho does not doubt the sincerity of those who want to change the world.
-
-
OK memoir but the message was regurgitated from other sources
- By Laura M. on 03-28-16
By: Eugene Cho
-
Befriend
- Create Belonging in an Age of Judgment, Isolation, and Fear
- By: Scott Sauls
- Narrated by: Dean Gallagher
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Is real friendship too risky? We live in a world where real friendship is hard to find. Suspicious of others and insecure about ourselves, we retreat into the safety of our small, self-made digital worlds. Tragically, even the church can become a place that reinforces this isolation. Jesus models a much richer vision of friendship. Scott Sauls, pastor and teacher, invites you to see the breadth of Christ's love in this audiobook, Befriend.
-
-
Great post election therapy.
- By Manoli on 12-20-16
By: Scott Sauls
-
The Preacher's Wife
- The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities
- By: Kate Bowler
- Narrated by: Kelly Burke
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since the 1970s, an important new figure has appeared on the center stage of American evangelicalism - the celebrity preacher's wife. Although most evangelical traditions bar women from ordained ministry, many women have carved out unofficial positions of power in their husbands' spiritual empires or their own ministries. The biggest stars - such as Beth Moore, Joyce Meyer, and Victoria Osteen - write best-selling books, grab high ratings on Christian television, and even preach.
-
-
Excellent and comprehensive review of the American female evangelical experience
- By bamamed on 08-07-24
By: Kate Bowler
-
Rebuilt
- Awakening the Faithful, Reaching the Lost, Making Church Matter
- By: Michael White, Tom Corcoran
- Narrated by: Michael White, Tom Corcoran
- Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drawing on the wisdom gleaned from thriving mega-churches and innovative business leaders while anchoring their vision in the Eucharistic center of Catholic faith, Fr. Michael White and lay associate Tom Corcoran present the compelling and inspiring story to how they brought their parish back to life. Rebuilt is a story of stopping everything and changing focus. When their parish reached a breaking point, Fr. Michael White and lay associate Tom Corcoran asked themselves how they could make the Church matter to Catholics.
-
-
Don't Do What's Suggested Unless You Will OWN IT.
- By Julia S on 02-06-18
By: Michael White, and others
-
Barefoot Church
- Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture
- By: Brandon Hatmaker
- Narrated by: Adam Black
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There's got to be more to church than this. People around the world are seeking a community that focuses more on others than on themselves. Yet most don't know where to start. Drawing from his own journey, Brandon Hatmaker reminds us that serving the least is not a trendy act of benevolence but a lifestyle of authentic community and spiritual transformation. In Barefoot Church, Brandon offers practical ideas for creating service-based, missional communities and explains how the organizational structure of a church can be created or restructured for mission in any context.
-
-
Awesome
- By John on 01-16-13
By: Brandon Hatmaker
-
Interrupted
- When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity
- By: Jen Hatmaker
- Narrated by: Rebecca Gallagher
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Are you one of the millions who crave a new direction in the church, fed up with religious games, empty promises, and cultural Christianity? You are not alone. You are not crazy. Maybe Jesus is ready to interrupt your life. Snatching Jen Hatmaker from the grip of her consumer life, God began asking her questions like, "What is really the point of My Church? What have I really asked of you?" Transparent and imperfect, Jen will engage and inspire you to go beyond comfortable and answer for yourself the question she faced.
-
-
If you're ready to be interrupted too...
- By Tamara Shope on 10-08-15
By: Jen Hatmaker
-
To Light a Fire on the Earth
- Proclaiming the Gospel in a Secular Age
- By: Bishop Robert Barron, John L. Allen Jr. - contributor
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this compelling new book - drawn from conversations with and narrated by award-winning Vatican journalist John L. Allen Jr. - Barron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, proclaims in vivid language the goodness and truth of the Catholic tradition. Through Barron's smart, practical, artistic, and theological observations - as well as through personal anecdotes about everything from engaging atheists on YouTube to his days as a young die-hard baseball fan from Chicago - To Light a Fire on the Earth covers prodigious ground.
-
-
Not by Bishop Barron
- By M. Waters on 05-22-18
By: Bishop Robert Barron, and others
-
The Unsaved Christian
- Reaching Cultural Christians with the Gospel
- By: Dean Inserra
- Narrated by: Tim Lundeen
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What to do when they say they’re Christian but don’t know Jesus. Whether it’s the Christmas and Easter Christians or the faithful church attenders whose hearts are cold toward the Lord, we’ve all encountered cultural Christians. They’d check the Christian box on a survey, they’re fine with church, but the truth is, they’re far from God. So how do we bring Jesus to this overlooked mission field? The Unsaved Christian equips you to confront cultural Christianity with honesty, compassion, and grace, whether you’re doing it from the pulpit or the pews.
-
-
Me. Me. Me! That was me! I thought I was a Christian...
- By Nana B on 04-23-19
By: Dean Inserra
-
Lead with Humility
- 12 Leadership Lessons from Pope Francis
- By: Jeffrey A. Krames
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 2 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Fortune announced its list of the World’s Greatest Leaders, the top spot was awarded - not to a captain of industry - but to the new pontiff. In the year since his election, Pope Francis earned that accolade - and more. He has achieved the remarkable: breathed life into an aging institution, reinvigorated a global base, and created real hope for the future.How did a man who spent his life laboring in slums far from the Vatican manage to do this and so quickly?
-
-
Disjointed.
- By Richard K. on 03-10-17
-
Still Time to Care
- What We Can Learn from the Church’s Failed Attempt to Cure Homosexuality
- By: Greg Johnson
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the start of the gay rights movement in 1969, evangelicalism's leading voices cast a vision for gay people who turn to Jesus. It was C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, Francis Schaeffer, and John Stott who were among the most respected leaders within theologically orthodox Protestantism. We see with them a positive pastoral approach toward gay people, an approach that viewed homosexuality as a fallen condition experienced by some Christians who needed care more than cure.
-
-
Massively helpful book
- By rebecca on 04-11-22
By: Greg Johnson
-
The Great Spiritual Migration
- How the World's Largest Religion Is Seeking a Better Way to Be Christian
- By: Brian McLaren
- Narrated by: Brian McLaren
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With his trademark brilliance, generosity of spirit, and clear pastoral calling, Brian McLaren synthesizes an accessible and inviting understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.
-
-
A must-read for Christian thinkers
- By Amazon Customer on 10-26-16
By: Brian McLaren
-
Unfinished
- Believing Is Only the Beginning
- By: Richard Stearns
- Narrated by: Wayne Shepherd
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
So you believe in God. Now what? Just before he left, Jesus sent his followers into the world with a revolutionary mission: to change the world by proclaiming God’s truth and demonstrating his incredible love. But the single task he gave us to accomplish remains unfinished. Rich Stearns takes us on a breathtaking journey to rediscover the critical mission of Christ in our world today and the richness of God’s calling on our lives.
-
-
UNFINISHED
- By Anonymous User on 04-30-21
By: Richard Stearns
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Jesus and John Wayne
- How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
- By: Kristin Kobes du Mez
- Narrated by: Suzie Althens
- Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How did a libertine who lacks even the most basic knowledge of the Christian faith win 81 percent of the white evangelical vote in 2016? And why have white evangelicals become a presidential reprobate's staunchest supporters? Jesus and John Wayne is a sweeping account of the last 75 years of white evangelicalism, showing how American evangelicals have worked for decades to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism.
-
-
Like reading a history of my evangelical life
- By Renee on 10-15-20
-
The Religion of American Greatness
- What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism
- By: Paul D. Miller, David French - foreword
- Narrated by: Mike Lenz
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From America's beginning, Christians have often merged their religious faith with national identity. But what is Christian nationalism? Paul D. Miller, a Christian scholar, political theorist, veteran, and former White House staffer, provides a detailed portrait of—and case against—Christian nationalism. Miller shows what's at stake if we misunderstand the relationship between Christianity and the American nation. Christian nationalism is an illiberal political theory, at odds with the genius of the American experiment, and could prove devastating to both church and state.
-
-
Best critique of Christian Nationalism I have read
- By Adam Shields on 01-24-24
By: Paul D. Miller, and others
-
When Narcissism Comes to Church
- Healing Your Community from Emotional and Spiritual Abuse
- By: Chuck DeGroat, Richard J. Mouw - foreword
- Narrated by: Jim Denison
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We've seen the news stories and heard the rumors. Maybe we ourselves have been hurt by a narcissistic church leader. It's easy to throw the term around and diagnose others from afar. But what is narcissism, really? And how does it infiltrate the church?
-
-
Excellent coverage of topic
- By Elisabeth R. on 05-28-20
By: Chuck DeGroat, and others
-
How to Inhabit Time
- Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now
- By: James K. A. Smith
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Many Christians are disconnected from the past or imagine they are "above" history, immune to it, as if self-starters from clean slates in every generation. They suffer from a lack of awareness of time and the effects of history—both personal and collective—and thus are naive about current issues and fixated on the end times. Popular speaker and award-winning author James K. A. Smith shows that awakening to the spiritual significance of time is crucial for orienting faith in the twenty-first century.
-
-
Embracing time is part of embracing our humanity
- By Adam Shields on 10-13-22
-
The Evangelical Imagination
- How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis
- By: Karen Swallow Prior
- Narrated by: Susan Hanfield
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed author Karen Swallow Prior examines evangelical history, both good and bad. By analyzing the literature, art, and popular culture that has surrounded evangelicalism, she unpacks some of the movement's most deeply held concepts, ideas, values, and practices to consider what is Christian rather than merely cultural. The result is a clearer path forward for evangelicals amid their current identity crisis—and insight for others who want a deeper understanding of what the term "evangelical" means today.
-
-
Fantastic Content, Unfortunate Narration
- By Matthew Carson on 09-02-23
-
Practicing the Way
- Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did.
- By: John Mark Comer
- Narrated by: John Mark Comer
- Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We are constantly being formed by the world around us. To be formed by Jesus will require us to become his apprentice. To live by what the first Christian disciples called a Rule of Life—a set of practices and relational rhythms that slow us down and open up space in our daily lives for God to do what only God can do—transforms the deepest parts of us to become like him.
-
-
California Christian
- By Lisa Livingston on 06-26-24
By: John Mark Comer
-
Jesus and John Wayne
- How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
- By: Kristin Kobes du Mez
- Narrated by: Suzie Althens
- Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How did a libertine who lacks even the most basic knowledge of the Christian faith win 81 percent of the white evangelical vote in 2016? And why have white evangelicals become a presidential reprobate's staunchest supporters? Jesus and John Wayne is a sweeping account of the last 75 years of white evangelicalism, showing how American evangelicals have worked for decades to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism.
-
-
Like reading a history of my evangelical life
- By Renee on 10-15-20
-
The Religion of American Greatness
- What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism
- By: Paul D. Miller, David French - foreword
- Narrated by: Mike Lenz
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From America's beginning, Christians have often merged their religious faith with national identity. But what is Christian nationalism? Paul D. Miller, a Christian scholar, political theorist, veteran, and former White House staffer, provides a detailed portrait of—and case against—Christian nationalism. Miller shows what's at stake if we misunderstand the relationship between Christianity and the American nation. Christian nationalism is an illiberal political theory, at odds with the genius of the American experiment, and could prove devastating to both church and state.
-
-
Best critique of Christian Nationalism I have read
- By Adam Shields on 01-24-24
By: Paul D. Miller, and others
-
When Narcissism Comes to Church
- Healing Your Community from Emotional and Spiritual Abuse
- By: Chuck DeGroat, Richard J. Mouw - foreword
- Narrated by: Jim Denison
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We've seen the news stories and heard the rumors. Maybe we ourselves have been hurt by a narcissistic church leader. It's easy to throw the term around and diagnose others from afar. But what is narcissism, really? And how does it infiltrate the church?
-
-
Excellent coverage of topic
- By Elisabeth R. on 05-28-20
By: Chuck DeGroat, and others
-
How to Inhabit Time
- Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now
- By: James K. A. Smith
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Many Christians are disconnected from the past or imagine they are "above" history, immune to it, as if self-starters from clean slates in every generation. They suffer from a lack of awareness of time and the effects of history—both personal and collective—and thus are naive about current issues and fixated on the end times. Popular speaker and award-winning author James K. A. Smith shows that awakening to the spiritual significance of time is crucial for orienting faith in the twenty-first century.
-
-
Embracing time is part of embracing our humanity
- By Adam Shields on 10-13-22
-
The Evangelical Imagination
- How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis
- By: Karen Swallow Prior
- Narrated by: Susan Hanfield
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed author Karen Swallow Prior examines evangelical history, both good and bad. By analyzing the literature, art, and popular culture that has surrounded evangelicalism, she unpacks some of the movement's most deeply held concepts, ideas, values, and practices to consider what is Christian rather than merely cultural. The result is a clearer path forward for evangelicals amid their current identity crisis—and insight for others who want a deeper understanding of what the term "evangelical" means today.
-
-
Fantastic Content, Unfortunate Narration
- By Matthew Carson on 09-02-23
-
Practicing the Way
- Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did.
- By: John Mark Comer
- Narrated by: John Mark Comer
- Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We are constantly being formed by the world around us. To be formed by Jesus will require us to become his apprentice. To live by what the first Christian disciples called a Rule of Life—a set of practices and relational rhythms that slow us down and open up space in our daily lives for God to do what only God can do—transforms the deepest parts of us to become like him.
-
-
California Christian
- By Lisa Livingston on 06-26-24
By: John Mark Comer
What listeners say about Celebrities for Jesus
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 02-04-23
Wow, life changing
I cannot thank Katelyn enough for writing this book. So good and thoughtful and true.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Di from Oregon
- 05-10-24
The Snare of Celebrity Power
Excellent analysis of the evangelical culture of this time!
Enjoyed the quality of the narration immensely!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kelly
- 12-06-23
great listen
interesting back stories into some current church scandals, helps listeners navigate through those events and provide suggestions for the church, great points and thought provoking
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Merideth Hite
- 08-21-22
Listened to the whole thing in one day!
Such a great look at our world, inspiring a way forward in the Christian world. Thankful for Katelyn’s bravery and insightful mind.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Heather J Zimmerman
- 09-18-22
important read/listen
As someone training students for ministry, this is an important read for those with big hearts to influence God. it addresses the dangers of a great reputation of influence for Jesus. I would have liked to hear more of Beaty's thoughts on how the conference/speaking circuit perpetuates this, as well as how on the local church level, we can disciple believers away from creating the demand for celebrities (and even how we view our pastors). still, it's a timely read that will have me processing much personally.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lulu
- 01-18-23
req reading for Western christians
Leaders should read this to remember what they should not be doing (making their own names great). Ordinary people should read this to remember to stop following celebrity Christians as if they hold the keys to the kingdom.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Adam Shields
- 01-24-24
Worth reading
Summary: A discussion about how the rise of independent celebrity authors, pastors, speakers, musicians, and churches is a problem, not just because of abuse and a lack of accountability, but also because our culture is more focused on celebrities for their own sake.
In some ways, Celebrities for Jesus is a book that I am not sure why it needed to be written. I say this not because it isn't worth reading or because it isn't a good book, but because much of the main point should be self-evident. I think we should know that as churches are more focused on the size and celebrity of their pastors, this will create a harmful culture, even if there is no overt abuse or harm. It should be clear that when a church is centered around a well-known leader, the church is not primarily about Jesus but about the leader. (Or the will of the leader is assumed to be the will of Jesus.)
In my life, I have been exposed to many megachurch leaders. Like many, I have read many books and watched many sermons by those leaders. But I have also been involved in small closed-door meetings with some megachurch pastors. And honestly most of those in the meetings are no longer in leadership. A few retired without scandal. But many, including James MacDonald and Bill Hybels, who are both profiled in the book, had significant scandals, and that scandal felt to me like it was just a matter of time from when I met them in the early 2000s. I also spent years as a member of a mega church without significant scandal, and in deciding to leave that church, the issue of celebrity was involved because it felt to me that the church was making decisions to continue to center the pastor in ways that made me concerned for the long term future of the church.
Despite my somewhat facetious question about why the book was written, it is helpful to think about what has shifted. Part of the early book is about the difference between fame and celebrity. I am oversimplifying here, but fame is about being well-known for a position, talent, or product (being a good writer, speaker, or musician). But as Beaty describes it, celebrity is a shift from being famous for what you have done to being known for being known. Celebrity, especially with the rise of social media and mass media, means we have a false "illusion of intimacy while drawing our attention away from the true intimacy available within a physical community." Said more simply, Beaty says that the summary of the problem of celebrity is "social power without proximity." Not only do celebrities influence us without us actually knowing them as a whole person, but in some sense, we do not want to know them as a whole person because to know someone as a whole person would break the illusion of intimacy and perfection that we have of celebrities.
Celebrities for Jesus, after giving the illustration of Bill Hybels as a quintessential celebrity Christian, extends to illustrate that there are three particular temptations of celebrity that are dangerous not just to the average Christian but also to the celebrity Christians themselves. Those are power, platform, and persona. Americans do not really like talking about power, but power exists, and Christians need to understand power so that it can be welded well and under appropriate accountability. (This is where Andy Crouch's work has been helpful.) It is difficult to hold celebrities accountable because the very nature of celebrity is that it overwhelms and is more important than organizations that should be structured in a way to hold them accountable. I think there have often been assumptions that celebrity Christians were just resistant to accountability, but I think Beaty shifts the focus to how the very nature of celebrity makes accountability almost impossible, even if both the organization and the celebrity want it to happen well.
Platform and Persona are also well-known problems that she deals with well, but the era and culture make it more problematic than in other times and cultures. Platform, becoming a brand, and then having demands to fulfill because of the nature of the algorithms and expectations will lead to a particular type of person, and even with that particular type of person, burnout is pretty much inevitable. The temptation to take shortcuts, buy followers, use ghostwriters, or plagiarize is common because our tools have expectations beyond what a human individual can fulfill. And that is part of the problem because institutions are not celebrities; people are celebrities, which leads to the "Persona" problem. Created, whole people have limitations. There is a difference between privacy, hiding, and secrecy. Normal people deserve privacy; not everything is for public consumption. But a persona can lead people to hide their whole selves or to encourage a type of secrecy that is harmful in the long term. Real people need to be able to repent, be forgiven, and be accepted as humans with natural limitations. But celebrity encourages putting people on pedestals, which asks of them more than anyone can be (while simultaneously limiting them by asking them only to be what you want from them.)
Because Beaty works with words, initially as the youngest managing editor at Christianity Today (and I think the first woman) and now as an acquisitions editor at Brazos, many of her examples involve publishing. We know that ghostwriting is a problem in Christian publishing. It is a form of lying when it happens without any credit or acknowledgment. And we know that people buy books because of celebrity even when they are not great books. In a limited marketplace, many good writers will have a harder time getting published and noticed because so many default to the known.
There are suggestions at the end of the book for handling things better, both from the perspective of the average Christian and for the potential celebrity Christian. Those suggestions are good, but I think that part of the problem will be spiritual formation that leans toward maturity over image and youth. The very nature of youth culture is that we give people platforms they are unequipped to handle. And then we blame them for not handling the celebrity well (which we should not burden them within the first place.) Some of this is just a problem of the age, which we cannot fully push back against. But part of the message here is that there is value in pushing back and paying attention even if we cannot solve the problem completely.
I have listened to Beaty's current podcast and her earlier "Quick to Listen" podcast. I think this would have been better if she had narrated it. There was nothing wrong with the narration other than a few words and names mispronounced, but I do prefer authors narrate their own books whenever possible. And this is an example where it would have been better with Beaty narrating it herself.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amanda
- 02-10-23
The Problem with Celebrity Culture
Wow. This book really sheds light on the culture of celebrity that is at work in a lot of our western church’s today. It provides great detail of how it all began and paints a picture of why even as Christians we can get caught up in worship of man over our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ. It really takes me back to the OT testament when God tells the Israelites through Samuel that they don’t want a King because of all he will put on them and in turn they still ask God for a King. We must all continue to focus on King Jesus and resist the temptations from the enemy of power and influence that is not God honoring. Amazing read!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Peter H. Davids
- 08-28-22
Great warning with wise words
Her ability to appreciate the good in famous people and the danger when it warps into celebrity culture is remarkable and her advice in pointing to solutions is the wisdom of the ages. Well written and well read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Concerned Believer
- 04-27-24
Very timely
Great historical look at that the celebrities that are in Christendom. In a great conclusion that it is not us that brings the key of God we are just image bears.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!