The Tragic Collapse of Kanye West

I’m always uneasy when a megastar comes to faith in Christ and immediately jumps into the deep end of Christendom’s celebrity culture. 


I will tell you why in a moment. 


The latest rise and fall from faith is the rapper-slash-mogul Kanye West (Ye).


The former husband of Kim Kardashian shared his epic salvation story with the world about four years ago. 


You might remember seeing the 50-person choir in the hills of California following Kanye’s musical lead, dressed in Jesus robes, in full-on worship mode. 


Listen... his songs were not just good… they were amazing. I had “God is” on replay for an entire week the first time I heard it. 

“From the rich to the poor

All are welcome through the door

You won't ever be the same

When you call on Jesus' name

Listen to the words I'm saying

Jesus saved me, now I'm saying

And I know, I know God is the force that picked me up

I know Christ is the fountain that filled my cup.”

“God is”
Jesus is King Album

And suddenly — and sadly... Kanye was done.
Done with God.
Done with Jesus. 


Here are his thoughts in a recent interview with Big Boy TV. 


"I have my issues with Jesus. There’s a lot of stuff I went through, that I prayed, and I ain’t see Jesus show up.”


He went on…


“I’m god. And anyone that disagrees I’m the god of me and you can’t tell me who I am. I could tell you all, but it’s you all job to listen. “I’m the god of me,” Kanye repeated. “I don’t know if I’m in heaven or not—I got a number one [album]. For all you know, I might be in like a fourth-dimension version of the lifestyle.”


Then there is this.


Kanye has announced plans to start a pornography studio with longtime pornographer Mike Moz, the ex-husband of adult film star Stormy Daniels.


In a past interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Kanye explained his descent into porn.


“Playboy was my gateway into full-blown pornography addiction. My dad had a ‘Playboy’ left out at age five, and it’s affected almost every choice I made for the rest of my life. From age five to now having to kick the habit. And it just presents itself in the open, like it’s OK.”

I have empathy for Kanye. I reached out to him in a DM about a year ago when he publicly posted his struggles with porn on his Twitter account. 


I feel like he fell into the same trap that I did a few decades ago. 


I call it “bypassing the cross and going straight to resurrection.” It never quite works out. 


Resurrection is a real thing. I have experienced it. I am living in it. 


But we can’t rise from life to life. We can only rise from death to life.


Jesus is clear about his call to be a disciple:


“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23


St. Paul doubles-down on Christ’s charge:


“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20


What is the cross to those who choose to follow Christ? 


It’s a daily death to our me-centered ways, our toxic ambition, and our grandiose perception of self. 


Seeking the spotlight.
Greeding my way to the top.
Holding on to what’s mine.
Being served rather than serving. 
Ego preservation.
Revenge. 
Positioning for power.


In more than a decade of working with men to conquer porn and sexual lust, here’s one inescapable truth. 


Men who want to stop sexual vice, but hold on to all their other self-serving behavior — never win the fight. 


You can’t hate your neighbor and quit porn. 
You can’t disrespect your wife and quit porn. 
You can’t be a jerk to your co-workers and quit porn.
You can't love money and power and quit porn.


Why?


Because at your very core — you are still a selfish individual. It is just a matter of time until that selfishness manifests in the world of lust once again. 


Here is the most misunderstood thing about crucifying self. 


The point of death to self -- is not to stop being you.  
It’s not -- the cancelation of you.  


It is the death of our false self. The “self” we were never intended to be. 


And it’s a resurrected realization of who God always wanted us to be.... our complete self — identifying fully in Christ. Born again into the beauty of Kingdom living. 

Sacrificial Love
Interior Joy
Daily Peace

And yes… self-control. 


Finally allowing the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead to quicken our mortal bodies… and live a Christ-controlled life.


Only Jesus.


Amen.