Judah Smith, pastor of The City Church in Seattle, has praised Justin Bieber for “fighting” for his faith and “taking the risk” of pursuing a relationship with Christ, no matter the cost.
Smith posted a photo on social media of the Canadian singer-songwriter at one of his recent concerts earlier this month. In the post, Smith called Bieber a “friend” and “brother for life,” and thanked the 23-year-old pop star for using “the gift God has given him” to “lift people’s souls.”
Smith caption the photo: “What I witnessed last night as I watched my friend and brother for life @justinbieber completely give himself to the gift God has given him and lift people’s souls was nothing short of astounding…Justin I love you, thank you for fighting for your faith and taking the risk of relationship! Let’s get better every day and when we are 70 years old let’s be kind, sweet, devoted men who look like Jesus.”
Bieber’s mother, Pattie Mallette, raised her son Christian and first introduced him to Smith’s sermons when he was 7 years-old, according to The Christian Post.
In a November 2015 interview with Billboard, Bieber invited the reporter to Smith’s church where the pastor overtly preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. And during the interview, Bieber admitted that once question his faith and had many questions for his pastor.
“I’d come and listen to him and try to hear him out. I had all these questions and things were not adding up. ‘Well, why is this, then? How did all those animals fit on Noah’s Ark, then?'” he told Billboard. “That’s what it’s all about – not questioning it.”
The two gradually formed a close bond, and Smith said they send each other messages frequently.
“We text almost daily, and it’s not just me sending him Bible verses anymore,” Smith told Billboard during the same interview. “He’ll send them to me, along with encouraging thoughts or an encouraging emoticon. I’m committed to helping him and protecting him, but it’s fair to say we’re there for each other.”
Check out Faithwire’s interview with Smith below at the 1 hour 11-min mark: