Today for Fiction Friday I’m sharing my book recommendation for Celebrity Pastor by Creston Mapes.
Here’s the Book Description:
His Heart Was Right . . . Until It Wasn’t
Pastor Neil Gentry embarked on his ministry with genuine intentions, unwavering passion, and undeniable charisma. He had a gift for drawing people in and teaching profound truths that resonated deeply with the masses. As his influence grew, so did his fame.
Vine & Branches Church became one of the fastest growing in the world, with campuses in Atlanta, LA, Austin, NYC, and a TV ministry spanning the globe. Soon, Pastor Gentry and his wife Becky resembled royalty, enjoying fame and power—and basking in the adoration of their devoted followers.
Beneath the glitz and glamor, however, whispers of misconduct began to surface.
Accusations ranging from coverup and manipulation to corruption and sexual harassment cast a shadow over the once-glowing reputation of Vine & Branches. Was Pastor Gentry leading his flock above reproach, or was he using them to fuel his own ambitions? Could the rumors of emotional manipulation and abuse of power within the church’s inner circle possibly be true?
As the allure of popularity and power consume the Gentrys, they find themselves plummeting into the abyss of moral compromise. With the weight of their actions threatening to shatter everything they’ve built, one dire question remains: can anything or anyone break the spell before the unthinkable happens? Find out in the latest tension-filled thriller from acclaimed suspense novelist Creston Mapes.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I loved reading Celebrity Pastor and I read the book quickly, within twenty-four hours, because I couldn’t put it down. The story opens with a journalist interviewing people regarding complaints about Pastor Neil Gentry. The ensemble cast of characters are connected to Neil and his successful mega-church that’s based in Atlanta, Georgia, and has expanded into an international ministry.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely sums up Neil’s character. Neil is power hungry and ruthless in how he runs his church. Neil’s inner circle is tight. The men who have benefitted from the church’s prosperity and exponential growth all stand tall with their leader. They choose to view the complaints against Neil as a spiritual attack on their ministry. Their goal is to shut down the poor publicity that threatens their jobs and prosperity.
From the opening pages of the story, I was struck by how relatable Nicole’s situation is. She has been sexually harassed by a powerful and charismatic pastor who had fallen in love with the world and lost sight of God. Neil’s appalling behavior suggests that money and power were always a primary motivator in his life. He created a power base that allowed him to indulge in a secret hedonistic lifestyle where he was his own God.
Sadly, like most people, I’ve experienced sexual harassment from a person in a position of power in a Christian context. I didn’t report it for similar reasons to Nicole. As I read on and learned more about Nicole’s story, I was so thankful that in my situation I could talk honestly and openly with my husband and we could deal with stuff together.
The suspense builds in the story as the net tightens around Neil. The complaints by Nicole, and other women, put Neil under immense pressure that also impacts his relationship with his wife. Desperate people can make poor decisions. The consequences of those poor decisions play out in the story in a wild ride that leads to a satisfying conclusion.
The story is hard-hitting and a compelling read that digs deep and explores the wide ranging and devastating consequences of Neil’s narcissistic behavior. I recommend Celebrity Pastor to suspense and thriller readers who are prepared to put aside preconceived ideas about how pastor’s should behave and discover a murky and dangerous world that repels people from wanting to belong in a church community.
Learn more about Creston Mapes and his books at his website.
Interesting post, and sounds like a riveting read. I would just gently question that “most” people have experienced sexual harassment “from a person in a position of power in a Christian context”. I doubt this is true. A lot of people have, tragically, but surely not most people. Not even most women. I hope I’m right. It certainly is inexcusable that it does happen, and causes such terrible harm and hurt.
Julia you may not have experienced or you may not have realised you experienced. We learnt doing shop safe training that even small things can be harassment or assault. I suffered at school and never considered it as assault (harassment yes). But often we are conditioned so we don’t think that person who leers at you or every time you turn they are staring at you so you feel uncomfortable is harassment. It doesn’t have to be big but if you think about it I bet you have had someone made sexual comments or putdowns. (like women shouldn’t do something or women can’t do something it may not be much but its still harassment it puts a person down). I actually walked out of a lunch with a group of ladies who were making fun of a lady who was uncomfortable the actions of someone. I was quite horrified they were belittling and making fun of her. Thankfully she never heard it but this is a form of harassment and why people don’t speak up
Mmm. I see what you mean. It is pretty awful that this is so common and people can think it’s normal. I only was questioning the specific point that “most people have experienced sexual harassment from a Christian leader”. I do hope it isn’t so universal. And I do hope that we would show your courage in walking out of a group who were belittling someone.
I have certainly experienced plenty of put-downs, in all sorts of contexts, and I hope it has made me compassionate and watchful of my own behaviour. I’m sure I still have a long way to go on that. And your post is a reminder to keep trying to improve in our kindness and encouragement of others.
Thank you for your filling out the topic.
Hi Julia,
“Sadly, like most people, I’ve experienced sexual harassment from a person in a position of power in a Christian context.”
That’s my quote and I did put some thought into the words I chose. It’s largely a hidden problem that’s invisible to those outside the situation,
A person in a position of power in a Christian context is broader in scope than Christian leadership. A Christian context includes non-church congregation settings. eg. workplaces, schools, and events held by Christian organisations.
Victim blaming and the shame that has been associated with sexual harassment and assault is a reason why people don’t talk about their experiences.
All child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone in a position of power. The Royal Commission revealed the scope of the problem and how a single predator can impact a large number of people.
Another book that explores this topic in a church context is ‘Thou the Bud Be Bruised’ by Jo Wanmer. I started reading Jo’s book in 2012 but couldn’t finish it because it was too hard hitting – my kids were younger back then. It’s an eye opening read and one day I’ll brace myself and read the book from start to finish.
I thought a lot about this later last night. I am so very sorry this was your experience. I hope you have had wise and loving support as you dealt (and deal with) with what happened. Last night I thought about the other kinds of harassment/bullying I experienced, and how hard that has made it for me to see my heavenly Father as unfailingly gentle and accepting. We must be so careful in our dealings with one another to show the love and character of Christ. I am blessed indeed to be where I am now, but it is not easy to heal from angry and belittling words said in the past elsewhere. Jesus commanded us to love one another as he loves us, and so show ourselves to be his disciples, and I’m not sure we take this as seriously always as we should. God bless you in and for your writing.
There are wolves in sheep’s clothing who are very clever at hiding their self-centred motivations in how they relate to others. These toxic people use bullying tactics to harass people to get what they want. Creston’s book provides insights into how toxic people can seek positions of power and surround themselves with loyal foot soldiers who may have the best of intentions but are actually enabling the toxic person to hurt people. I hope you’ll have an opportunity to read Celebrity Pastor. I’m thankful we have Jesus and His grace that can help us in our journey to forgive, heal and move on.