This brouhaha about Lauren Daigle, a Christian recording artist, being on the Ellen show last week just doesn’t make a lick of sense to me. If you didn’t know there’s a brouhaha, don’t read up on it…. just trust me, it’s sad. In a nutshell, Lauren tried out for American Idol three times. One of those times just happened to be the one season when Ellen was a judge. Lauren wasn’t so successful on Idol but went on to be a Dove Award-winning, Billboard Music Award-winning, American Music Award-winning, Grammy-nominated artist. Her new CD is being well-received and crossing some musical boundaries. Ellen remembered her from AI and invited her to be a guest on the show to sing the new single, Still Rolling Stones. Ellen and the audience appeared to enjoy it. Every audience member got to take home a copy of Lauren’s CD. End of story. I wish. Some well-meaning folks (giving grace here) got all twisted up about it and said some ugly things about Ellen and, shoot, everybody ended up looking bad. Except Lauren and Ellen and Jesus.
Lauren is a terrific singer-songwriter who is passionate about ending modern day slavery and helping victims of human trafficking. Her songs are deeply moving and when she had the chance to sing on the Ellen show she did what she always does, she sang about Jesus. Still Rolling Stones is a great song about him conquering death and darkness for himself and for us. It was like church up in there – I saw the YouTube. Church on the Ellen show. I’ll just leave that right there.
I may have some thoughts about Ellen and her life-choices. I imagine if she knew me from a man in the moon she might have some thoughts about my life-choices as well. None of which amounts to a hill of beans. It’s true we probably don’t have much in common – except that we are both deeply loved by God. There’s that. But, in spite of any differences, Ellen invited Lauren to sing about Jesus on national television. And at the end of the show, Ellen reportedly said, “Take the same great feeling of joy and acceptance you felt here today out into the world with you.” Sounds a bit like a commissioning – a sending forth. Church on the Ellen show. I’ll just leave that right there.
What we may have failed to realize is that Jesus was on the Ellen show last week, too. Front and center. Please don’t think me sacrilegious (second thought, go on ahead and think what you will) but I would loved to have seen Jesus dance his way in, give Ellen a big hug and plop down on the couch beside Lauren. Maybe he would put an arm around her and say, “You did a great job! I love that song. I’m really proud of you.” (Well done, good and faithful servant.) And then turn to look into Ellen’s pretty blue eyes and say, “I love you, Ellen. Come, follow me.” And to the multitude, um audience, “That goes for you, too. Come with me. I am the restful way.” Open invitation. Church on the Ellen show. I’ll just leave that right there.
And as a parting gift (offering -in-reverse, perhaps), about 400 people went away with Lauren’s CD in their hands. Filled with story-songs about the Savior. The Word (made flesh) goes out and will not return void. Church on the Ellen show. I’ll just leave that right there.
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