England's Most Notorious Pagan Becomes a Christian

               Russell Brand has been celebrated by the arts community for many years. He has won numerous awards for his comedy and his acting. He has been an unabashed hedonist, even publicly recognized for his various debaucheries. I remember a number of years ago watching him interviewed by Howard Stern and boasting about immorality. He has been a stand-up comedian, podcaster, film producer, and actor in dozens of films. His ungodliness is well known. 

But things began to change. It’s hard to know exactly when Brand began to doubt the path he was on but in a Tucker Carlson interview about a year ago Brand called himself a desperate person and he said, “I need God in order to cope in this world.” He saw what is missing in modern life--love and compassion. He realized he had fallen “face first” into the allurements of stardom and celebrity and that it had damaged his life. He stopped drinking and taking drugs and it allowed him to think more clearly. He found the idea that life might have a purpose to be engaging and powerful.

Then a few weeks ago he shocked us all by declaring he was going down to the River Thames in London to be baptized into the Christian faith. Afterwards he explained the experience on his Instagram channel. He said that drug use and the pursuit of pleasure had always left him disappointed. They simply had no ability to fulfill. He claimed his baptism was an overwhelming, transformative experience. He felt as though some new resource inside had been switched on. He is hoping he will now be a positive force in the lives of his wife and three children. (Just as an aside: How often do children cause a spiritual transformation in a man?) He says this is all new to him but it is now his ministry and mission to talk about what has happened in his soul. He finished by saying, “I am so grateful to be surrendered in Christ.”

How have people responded? There have been many a cynical comment and frankly my own attitude is, “We shall see.” Bethel McGrew writing in World magazine has an excellent column warning about celebrity conversions.

I do not know if Russell Brand’s conversion will stick. Jesus Himself warned us in the parable of the Sower that many would fall away after hearing the gospel. A writer in the Spectator asks, “Brand a changed man? Not likely. He has been a sexual hedonist too long and the change comes too late.” Of course, with Christ, as long as you live it is never too late. Most importantly, Brand’s testimony reminds me that God can reach anyone. In Acts 9 after Saul of Tarsus claims to have seen Jesus and been converted the Christian community was very suspicious of his testimony. And well they should have been. A mistake here could get you killed. But, as it turns out, Saul, later Paul, had a legitimate conversion, and Tom Holland claims that Paul’s message has been the most transformative in human history. I pray that Russell Brand’s conversion is real and permanent and impacts many. But even if it isn’t, millions are daily being truly transformed in Christ. You sit in church on Sunday with brothers and sisters whose circumstances were just as dire and worse that Russell Brand’s. And that’s why the Christian faith continues to be the most powerful force that has ever existed in human life.

God bless you Russell Brand. May He continue to grant you great joy.

More: “Why I Changed My Mind About Christianity”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XnXgq-Cbgs

“Why I Am Now A Christian”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=039-0HjWzso

Brand shares his testimony:

https://www.instagram.com/russellbrand/p/C6WNFDGKKiK/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Bethel McGrew warns us about celebrity conversions: https://wng.org/opinions/will-the-real-kanye-west-please-stand-up-1714531685?mkt_tok=NzEwLVFSUi0yMDkAAAGS05hE7uBRPcuZploc5UT0DfuWsvyzL1wWQi_Hp3kSpOdupk5_pSP-0SpK3cuI4mwMRcGaFOdIOvOTvW0CP98Gfa6OUgOSgQ3Vc_xuLSvzvFXx

The Babylon Bee encourages Brand to grow in his knowledge of Christianity by watching Veggie Tales: https://babylonbee.com/news/church-leaders-get-russell-brand-up-to-speed-on-christian-theology-with-veggietales-marathon?utm_source=The%20Babylon%20Bee%20Newsletter&utm_medium=email

Russell Brand talks about his need for God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXY62OU8ZKg

A more cynical view:

https://thespectator.com/topic/what-expect-russell-brand-baptism/?utm_source=Spectator%20World%20Signup&utm_campaign=aa42eb3804-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_05_01_07_16&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-aa42eb3804-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D