There are many Christians who are critical of Kanye West’s recent interview with Joel Osteen and subsequent concert at Lakewood church. They say he was promoting a false Jesus and a false gospel and leading people to hell—even calling his concert a satanic ritual filled with New Age symbols. They do not believe West has been truly converted. Instead, they believe he’s a deceiver. Are they right?
I watched most of the interview and the concert, and was blessed, encouraged and edified by it all. I even wept and laughed through some of it. Those who believe West is a deceiver and are being vocal about it are missing the mark. They’re criticizing West when they should be watching and praying over his soul. I believe he has been genuinely converted but remains a famous celebrity rapper and billionaire, while at the same time, being a baby in the faith.
Don’t you think the devil would make him a main target of his attacks? He is proclaiming and singing about Jesus! Thousands are now reading the Bible who weren’t before. Thousands are attending church who weren’t before. Thousands are coming to Christ. Damage is being done to the kingdom of darkness. But there is a war and a fight for his soul.
Meanwhile too many believers keep forming weapons against him by questioning his conversion and calling him a great deceiver. Frankly, it displays a great immaturity and a lack of genuine love and concern for a young lamb whom wolves are seeking to tempt and devour.
Yes, he is raw. Yes, he has his rough edges as all new believers do when they are new converts. But I have no doubt he is a bonafide believer in Jesus Christ and is reaching multitudes with his testimony and message. But too many keep harping on every little thing he’s doing in his concerts and looking for the devil in it all. Then they tell the whole world he’s a false convert. They’re playing right into the hands of what the devil wants. More strife, more discord, more divisiveness in the body of Christ. Please stop the divisive rhetoric and the heresy hunting.
West is our brother, but the temptations are great at the level of influence he is at right now in the kingdom. This is where caution must also be exercised. I say this because there’s a second group of Christians who must refrain from giving him idolatrous adulation and borderline worship. He’s been idolized and worshipped by the world, but must learn that kingdom principles run counterculture to the world.
West’s Christian critics, really self-proclaimed watchmen, are actually rooting for West to be exposed and fall. They would be happy for it because then they would be right and proclaim to everyone who wouldn’t listen to them, “I told you so!” This is a religious, pharisaical spirit. It manifests in a self-righteousness and accuses preachers of abdicating their responsibilities of “protecting the sheep” from West because we won’t call him out for the deceiver they believe he is. What arrogance!
The right spirit is to rejoice in West’s salvation and testimony while being sober and watchful in prayer for him. Those who are walking in the right spirit are cheering for West, hoping that he will overcome the many temptations of a high-profile celebrity and become a mature disciple.
Pray for West. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt. 6:13). {eoa}
