For today’s entry in the Friday Five interview series, we catch up with Jefferson Bethke.
Jefferson Bethke is author and YouTube sensation. His latest book is Jesus>Religion. Currently Jefferson is co-director of For the King, a college ministry, and co-founder of Claro Candles, a social entrepreneur start-up that seeks to bring light to social injustice.
Today we chat with Jefferson about fame, Why I Hate Religion, and pornography.
You rose to prominence after your YouTube video, “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus,” which has been seen by over 26 million people. How have you handled the fame since then?
Fame is a weird thing, especially in modern evangelicalism. For me, honestly it’s weird a lot of the time. But the thing that I make sure to do is stay accountable, under mentors, and in a community of friends that can call me out. My friends aren’t “impressed” by me if that makes sense.
You’ve often employed spoken word to communicate your message. Why do you think this medium is so effective?
It’s artistic, short, catchy, and falls under the large banner of hip hop culture which is literally everywhere these days, so it makes it accessible. Also, it’s unique. And lastly, you can say things in it that you can’t say in normal conversation. I can call people “whores” like I did in the “Why I Hate Religion” video and no one batted an eye, if I did that preaching it’d be a whole different story. It lends itself to a more prophetic edge.
You’re new book carries the same title, but you’ve said in interviews that it really is much broader than that first video. What inspired this book?
The book was inspired by my journey. I’m about as honest as it gets in my failures, struggles, and story. I want people to read something by a “Christian” and think, “me too” not “oh man I’ll never be like that.” We have enough ivory towers in Christendom we don’t need anymore.
Pornography has been a subject of much of your public speaking. How can the gospel free young men from porn’s grip?
The good news of Jesus is that he has brought new creation right here in the midst of the old one. The kingdom is near as he says and that means his rule, his reign, a place of beauty, and shalom is right next to us. Because of this Jesus and new creation are more beautiful than anything we can imagine. So we don’t have to white knuckle our behavior modification, but apply effort and discipline under the banner of grace knowing that going towards Rev. 21 is a lot more beautiful place and brings depth and richness into our life. The good news is that Jesus bore all the evil, shame, guilt, hurt, on the cross for us so we are free and getting free is a matter of leaning in on that truth and pursuing Jesus.
If you could give one piece of advice to church leaders about communicating to this generation, what would that be?
Be honest.
Daniel Darling is vice-president of communications for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Activist Faith.
