God Couldn’t Save Hollywood…Or Could He?

One by One, like dim stars lighting up the darkest night, figures in Hollywood are professing Christ; in their music, mid-concert preaching, and by getting baptized at the Jordan River, the same place Jesus was baptized, in Israel.

I remember Alice Cooper well. Rock band, “Kiss” playing on the small, remote-less t.v. at my great-uncles house. I could barely go into the room. I was terrified by the heavy make-up, the banging sounds, and moreso, something “dark” I felt, coming from the t.v.

Yet, in 2007, Alice Cooper denounced his wild world and stepped into his faith saying, “Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that’s a tough call. That’s rebellion.”

It was unheard of, unpopular, and some might say, a “career-crusher”, for anyone standing on a stage in Hollywood to declair they follow Christianity.

My husband and I listened to Bob Marley, the free-loving Rastafarian, th summer before we were married. Tops on both our cars down, beaches and friends…a time we will never forget.

Yet, it was reported, in 1981, just before his death, Marley converted to Christianity.

MC Hammer, changed the way we dressed in the 80’s. Wild pants, a crotch that decended almost to the knees. He topped the Billboard charts with, “You Can’t Touch This”, until He disappeared from the limelight and nobody heard from him.

Today, MC Hammer is a youth and prison minister. He became a Christian and was quoted saying, “I am honored that Jesus has taken a wretch like me and said ‘I got some work for you to do.’”

According to the Chicago Tribune, the rap-metal style band “Korn” was filled with, “perverts, psychopaths, and paranoiacs.” They flung their long hair back and forth on a stage where heavy beats ached and rhythmatic sounds came pounding from the stage.

Today, the head singer Brian ‘Head’ Welch found freedom from addiction, has publicly professed Christ and even shared his story in the Netflix movie, “Holy Ghost“.

How does God save wretches like these? How does a once slave master, turned gospel writer, John Newton, pen the world-renowned hymm, “Amazing Grace”? (Trailer of the movie, here)

And the professions?

In recent years, Mario Lopez, Demi Lovato, Quarterback Deshawn Watson, and singer/songwriter Lacrae got baptized in the Jordan River, in the Holy Land, Israel.

What is happening in Hollywood? Musicians as we know them? The world?

Who can describe or explain the recent move to turn away from sin and come to the saving grace of Christ in a world where fame, money, and popularity isn’t satisfying?

How do we explain the recent conversions of Kanye West, the world’s most famous rap artist and self-professed “bad boy”?

According to his own words, at the innocent age of five, Kanye was exposed to pornography and has had a problem with sexual sin ever since. One report said he was going to start a “porn awards show”, similar to the Grammy’s or the Dove Awards.

Yet, after a long stay in the hospital after a mental break-down, Kanye flipped his life-style, writing new music declaring the name of Jesus, in “Jesus is King”. Many told him it would be “suicide” to His career.

Yet, Kanye didn’t listen.

Thousands worshipped outdoors in Baton Rouge, Lousiana when his rebirthing came, not to the stage, but the outdoors, in a free concert where people danced, sang, lifted hands, and praised the name of Jesus.

Reportedly, over 1,000 got saved, resulting in faith-based words, including “Jesus” creating a huge spike in recent google searches. Kanye has renounced the night life and says his favorite thing is being a dad, eating dinner with his family, then going to bed with his wife, Kim Kardashian, laying there and reading the Bible.

You may be a cynic. You may say, these famous couldn’t know a God who rode into Jeruselem on a donkey or proclaimed a gospel where the one with two tunics gave the other away.

But I wonder, is God using the least likely, to shake things up with the most comfortable of Christians? Is He teaching the “well-churched” what grace looks like, humbling those who think they’ve got it “all figured out”?

I shared a Facebook Live Video last week on a private group, Mission-Minded Women, a group filled with Christian women leaders, Missionaries, those having ministries, and leading the faith in mighty, life-transforming ways.

What I shared was how the Prodigal Son came home. He was deep in slop. He betrayed and embarressed his father, after squandering his inheritance and dishonored him with his wild life-style.

When the “bad” son came home to His father, after wallowing with the pigs, Scripture tells us, His Father ran up to him and requested His son had, “the BEST robe”, a ring and sandals. He killed the fatted cow, and had a huge celebration. (Luke 15)

As I read about the Prodigal Son, I was reminded, the BEST robe was placed on the LEAST deserving. 

The son who had wallowed in mud, became literally wrapped in the Father’s love and blessing.

The Bible doesn’t tell us, “The father told his son to ‘Go WASH UP’ and THEN, he would be worthy of being wrapped up in a rob, ring, and sandals.” No!

Scripture tells us the Father announced, “Go get the BEST robe. Put it on MY SON”.

In addition, the Prodigal Son didn’t say, “Wait dad…I need to go clean up before I put on the BEST robe.”

He didn’t scrub the stench, wash and try to make himself WORTHY of the blessing.

Instead, the son just accepted the Father’s forgivenness, love, grace and mercy. He took entrance into His rightful home as a rightful son of his father. He wrapped himself up and took his place willingly, at the table, enjoying the feast.

I know, it’s not easy being a prodigal, coming home. Or being the parent who loves and forgives a child who has disappeared. Yet, God’s example is clear…

Family is priority. Family is God’s design. God’s prepared a place for us at the table. Will we come home to Him?

If we acknowledge our sin and run to the Father’s arms, like the prodigal son, God will ALWAYS welcome us home.

There is none too far gone from the grace and mercy of our GOOD FATHER who loves us immeasurely.

I have heard it said, “People like Kanye West couldn’t possibly have found Jesus.”

And I wonder, are they the self-righteous, like the “Good Son” in the story of the Prodigal, who blasted His Father’s decision to kill the fatted cow? Jealous and envious because he had served faithfully, yet never got the same treatment as the sqaundering brother?

When will we realize we serve a God who saved the man Saul, God transformed into Paul?

Paul almost instantly switched from condemning Jesus, to being the biggest evangelist of his time, after an encounter and rapid conversion.

None of us are so gone, Jesus can’t save us.

And to those who question the authenticity of Justin Beiber preaching or Kanye West declaring “Jesus is King”…

I would tell them…

The disciples ran to Jesus in Luke & Mark 9. They told him there were others who were doing miracles and casting out demons in the name of Jesus. “But they were not with us”, the disciples complained.

Jesus told them, “Do not stop them, for whoever is not against us, is for us.” 

So, let’s keep watching the stars turn brighter in Hollywood.

Let’s pray for revival of a culture, music and industry. Let’s believe for the souls of world influencers.

If a demon-possessed harlot can come to the faith (Mary Magdelene), a bold, unapologentic prostitute (Rehab), adulterer (King David) and murderer (Moses) can eexperience the saving grace from a man who died on a tree, and rose three days later…

Why can’t we stand with those in Hollywood, being redeemed by Jesus?

Let’s rejoice in the move of God we are seeing. Keep praying. Keep believing. Hollywood is brightening right before our eyes.

Actual, real “stars” are emerging. And what a miracle it is.