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Halftime Shows, Kid Rock, & Celebrity Conversions

Conversions are often for the sake of expedience.  Android users adopt Apple products.  Energy drink drinkers start drinking coffee.  Fair-weather fans join the bandwagon for whatever team seems to be building a dynasty.  People are always changing their allegiances when it is convenient to do so.

Religious conversions are no exception.  Such a conversion is often costly, as Christians in places like Nigeria and Pakistan can attest, but it is just as often done for power, money, or respectability.  Christianity, especially the quaint, neo-conservative kind that opposes Commies, supports Israel, and produces alternative entertainment content, is kind of in right now, so it's fair to question celebrity conversions at this particular moment in American history.

Much has been made of the fact that Kid Rock headlined a conservative, religious alternative to Bad Bunny's halftime show.  If you don't know, Kid Rock hasn't exactly spent his career creating family-friendly content, so the choice was, to put it mildly, unexpected.  Many view him as the latest celebrity to pander to conservative Christians in hopes of giving his career a second wind.  Even so, he surprised with a touching rendition of a Cody Johnson song, complete with an original verse calling people to give their lives to Jesus.  

Who had that on their bingo card for 2026?  We are definitely in the weirdest timeline!

What has been even more surprising, however, is the response to Kid Rock's conversion.  Non-Christians have responded by reminding Christians of all the bad things Kid Rock has done, said, and sung (I use that last word loosely).  This should not be surprising.  After all, we shouldn't expect unbelievers to comprehend grace.  

What has shocked me is that many Christians have responded in an equally graceless way.  Don't you know who Kid Rock is?!  Don't you know what kind of music he has made!?

I will never stop being surprised by Christians being surprised by bad people turning to Jesus.  It's like they've never heard about the Conversion of St. Paul.  It's like they've never read the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.  We would all do well to remember our Savior's words to the Pharisee: Her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much.  But he who is forgiven little loves little.

Is Kid Rock's conversion real?  I don't know.  I'm not God.  I don't think we're really supposed to ask that question, at least not in the way we usually ask it.  Time and choices will reveal what is in Kid Rock's heart.  The question we should ask is, Do we believe in a God who can save the worst of sinners?

For my own sake, I certainly hope so.


P.S.

I fully believe that even a conversion for expedience can be used by God to spread his message.  See Phil 1:15ff.

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