Coldplay. Taylor Swift. Blackpink. NewJeans. Ed Sheeran. All these bands and larger-than-life personae have visited our shores recently and held lucrative and massive sold-out concerts here. And, we are expecting more – IU, SuperJunior, and Itzy, just to name a few.
Celebrity culture has been common to mankind since ancient times. But why is there such a hunger for these celebrities among Singaporeans? Many starry-eyed fans spent months planning what to wear. And they screamed their way through the entire show. Mobile phones were whipped out and held high. Why this frenzy? (The same can be said for sports stars, F1-drivers, actors and influencers.) Allow me to share some of my musings.
Our Inner Thirst
Our response to celebrities highlights the way God designed human beings – we were made for intimacy with our Maker. Perhaps, this was what Jesus was saying when He proclaimed, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” (John 7:37 NIV)
I remember meeting one of my childhood idols, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, an American singer, songwriter and record producer. I recall queuing up to take a selfie together with him, after his performance. I was so enamoured and filled with awe as I approached him. I felt so privileged as he signed my CD. I was just starstruck when he shook my hand and I said, “Thank you for all your music!”. Years later, I asked myself why that was such a significant moment for me. I concluded that it had nothing to do with the autograph or even the hand shake. What I was really craving was a sense of intimacy with Babyface. I wanted to experience his incomparable music life. I wanted to experience him as a person. And… I wanted others to know that I got to meet him. This was why I bought the $120 ticket to his concert and queued for 30 minutes to meet him (lazy superfan). It was my longing for a moment of intimacy with my object of admiration that drove me to do all I did.
There is nothing wrong in wanting to meet your pop icon or your favourite band. But, I’ve come to realise that all that I am longing for is already found in Christ. Whatever I experienced with Babyface, I experienced in a greater measure with Jesus on a daily basis. And, I didn’t have to pay $120 for a ticket or queue for 30 minutes to meet Him. He is always there when I come to Him. He truly is the Living Water that my spirit and soul thirsts for.
Christian Celebrities?
Celebrity culture has also influenced the Christian community. We, too, have celebrity pastors, worship leaders, artists and speakers. They are well known and generate a buzz when they arrive and many Christians will make the extra effort to attend their events as opposed to a regular Sunday service. What then is the right approach towards this?
For Christians, our source of living water must always be Christ and not a celebrity. Renowned Christian celebrities must never replace God as the primary reason for one’s attendance at an event. In fact, the term “Christian celebrity” is almost an oxymoron. We are called to be servants and not superstars. So, let us not succumb to a celebrity mentality, but always remember the reason why we are gathered at each Christian/church event – it is God and not a gifted individual.
Last year, two of my superstars (I admired during my teenage years) came and held concerts – Steve Vai, a phenomenal electric guitarist, and the charming Malaysian jazz pop queen, Sheila Majid. I didn’t feel a need to attend their shows because I already met Jesus each morning. My soul was already full of life. And I saved $240 that week!
Ernie grew up wanting to become the next Michael Jordan, until an inter-school basketball competition, when he realised that he had no future in basketball. Instead, he is now content to be a father of three boys and the husband of one wife.
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