Making God Famous

On this day thirty-nine years ago, musician John Lennon was shot to death outside his apartment in New York City. Years before as a member of the Beatles, John made the infamous remark, “We are more popular than Jesus.”

To some people, the Beatles are still more popular with them because they don’t know the real Jesus. That’s why God needs His people to go into the world and share the full gospel with others. Unbelievers need to hear about a Jesus that will heal their broken hearts, cure their diseases, and of course, forgive all their sins.

There was a time when John Lennon had a genuine interest in Jesus. According to Steve Turner’s book The Gospel According to the Beatles, John became a regular viewer of that era’s most influential TV preachers. In 1972 he sent a letter to Oral Roberts that the evangelist later shared publicly. Here are some of the comments Lennon wrote…

“The point is this, I want happiness. I don't want to keep on with drugs. Paul [McCartney] told me once, ‘You made fun of me for taking drugs, but you will regret it in the end.’ Explain to me what Christianity can do for me. Is it phony? Can He love me? I want out of hell.”

Five years later, Lennon told friends he had become a born-again Christian and went so far as to write several Christian songs. Unfortunately, that disturbed his wife Yoko Ono who eventually influenced John to abandon his newfound faith and embrace New Age practices.

I heard one minister say his goal in life was to make God famous. Let that be your daily mission as well. Open your mouth. Tell others about what the Lord has done in your life and that He loves them as well. Then Jesus will become more popular with them.

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?” - Romans 10:14

Sing to the Lord…a Secular Song

One of the biggest reasons I resisted Christianity during my youth was because of preachers crusading against secular rock music. I remember hearing one minister in particular who recommended listening exclusively to Christian rock and gospel music. This led me to believe God only approved of songs that made reference to Him. Later I learned there are two books in the Bible (Esther and Song of Solomon) that don’t mention God’s name at all.

Certainly we must be cautious of the words we allow to go into our ears. Jesus said in Mark 4:24, “Take heed what you hear.” Nowadays I avoid listening to most of today’s hits because of the increasing amount of profanity in the lyrics. There are currently two songs in Billboard’s Top 20 that have the F-word in its title. Shockingly, one of them (by rapper Cee-Lo Green) is up for two major Grammy awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year!

Nevertheless, secular songs can be used by the Lord to minister to people. I attended services at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship where the worship band played classic rock hits like “Love Is All Around” and “All Right Now” but sang them to the Lord. The same thing was done at a conference in Atlanta, Georgia with the Black Eyed Peas’ smash “I Gotta Feeling.” Another church I visited in Pensacola, Florida modified the second verse of the James Brown classic “I Got You (I Feel Good)” by singing, “I feel nice...because of Christ.” Liverpool, England native John Scotland often sings Beatles songs while ministering when the lyrics fit in with a topic he’s talking about.

Yesterday I met a couple that has a house church in Texas. The wife started talking about the old Eagles song “Desperado” and how the lyrics could describe someone running away from the Lord. That prompted me to find the song on YouTube and play it on my laptop computer. This woman started weeping and interceding as the presence of God came upon her.

Don’t let religious people sell you the idea that all secular music is of the devil. God is the true author of artistic works and can put His anointing on anything used for His glory.

“The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.” - Psalm 24:1