__"Required reading for all who love the church"__   
Many Christian leaders use their fame and influence to great effect, effectively saying 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.  
  
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.   
  
"This book is a great gift and should be required reading for all who love the church."  
--__Rich Villodas__, pastor of New Life Fellowship; author of The Deeply Formed Life  
  
"Beaty beautifully reminds us that pastors and churches should work toward resembling the life of Jesus by making 'little Christs.' Celebrities for Jesus is a much-needed book at this very moment in the church."  
--__Chris Hennessey__, stay-at-home dad  
  
"Stupendously convicting and well-researched. Celebrities for Jesus provides a timely, sober reflection on the toxic culture that often arises when piety and popularity mix."  
--__Jemar Tisby__, New York Times bestselling author of The Color of Compromise and How to Fight Racism  
  
"With the tone of a trusted confidant, Beaty shines a light on what happens behind the scenes of Christian celebrity culture. She illuminates the problem this presents to the church, while offering hints of ways we might change our current trajectory to prevent repeating history. It's a timely read."  
--__D'Shan Berry__, follower of Jesus and lover of words  
  
"Beaty brings knowledge and insights that will help anyone wanting to disentangle their faith from celebrity culture. But, even more than this, she offers an honest, humble self-examination that is a model many of us in the church need to follow."  
--__Karen Swallow Prior__, professor, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; author of On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books "A must-read for anyone invested in the fate of evangelicalism."--__Publishers Weekly (starred review)__

__Katelyn Beaty__ is a writer, journalist, editor, and keen observer of trends in the American church. She has written for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Washington Post, Religion News Service, Religion &amp; Politics, and the Atlantic and has commented on faith and culture for CNN, ABC, NPR, the Associated Press, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She also cohosts the Saved by the City podcast (Religion News Service). Beaty previously served as print managing editor at Christianity Today and is the author of A Woman's Place: A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home, and the World.

"Beaty's journalism bona fides are on full display as she highlights familiar and maybe unfamiliar stories about large segments of American Christianity filled with unchecked power, manipulative charisma, and cultures of enablement. Her vulnerable self-reflection and theological survey are an added bonus that strengthens her credibility."  
\--__Christina Edmondson__, leadership development consultant, Certified Cultural Intelligence facilitator, and cohost of the Truth's Table podcast  
  
"Celebrities for Jesus perfectly captures how and why we continuously see popular Christian celebrity leaders fall from the high pedestals we put them on. Amid the scandals and heartbreak caused by trusted leaders, this book is a reminder of the power of proximity and true friendship that we Christians need the most."  
\--__Kellie Koch__, strategic communications professional  
  
"With insight and empathy, Beaty diagnoses the broken patterns of leadership we see in the church. But this book is no mere jeremiad. It points the way forward to renewed visions of power, accountability, and humility."  
\--__Russell Moore__, chair of public theology, Christianity Today  
  
"Celebrities for Jesus chronicles the abuses and scandals invited by the rise of eminent Christian personalities. It persuasively demonstrates that the embrace of celebrity culture is folly: whatever growth or outreach it achieves for the church comes at great personal and institutional costs."  
\--__James Havey__, attorney  
  
"For evangelicalism a celebrity is someone who has formed, cultivated, and platformed a persona of themselves that attracts a following. We need a demotion of the celebrity culture and an expansion of leaders who are followers of Jesus. I am so glad to see Beaty expose this serious problem in our churches. It will be a must-read for all those who want to lead."  
\--__Scot McKnight__, professor, Northern Seminary

__★ Publishers Weekly starred review "A must-read for anyone invested in the fate of evangelicalism."--Publishers Weekly__   
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.

An award-winning writer shows how and why celebrity is woven into the fabric of the evangelical movement, identifies many ways fame goes awry, shows us how we all unwittingly foster a celebrity culture, and offers a vision of faithfulness to the Messiah who was despised and rejected.

__Contents  
  
Part 1: Big Things for God__ 1. Social Power without Proximity  
2. The First Evangelical Celebrities  
3. Megachurch, Megapastors  
__Part 2: Three Temptations__ 4. Abusing Power  
5. Chasing Platforms  
6. Creating Persona  
__Part 3: The Way Up Is Down__ 7. Seeking Brand Ambassadors  
8. The Obscure Messiah and Ordinary Faithfulness

Beaty, Katelyn

Back Cover

★ Publishers Weekly starred review  
  
"A must-read for anyone invested in the fate of evangelicalism."--Publishers Weekly  
  
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.

Celebrities for Jesus

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