ian.

Christ-marked or Christ-market?

Jul 18, 2025

First off, can I just say, 90+ subscribers?! That’s honestly wild to me. I have no idea how to act right now lol. Thank you for subscribing, and I really hope I don’t fall off or give you a reason to undo it. Especially since we’re talking about sin today…definitely not the most comfortable topic.

For the majority of my life, if you asked me about the scariest part of the Bible, I would without fail mention Revelation. Probably something about a 12-headed dragon with six tails and thirteen triangular eyes. I never read it to completion. Partly because it seemed so abstract, but also for the fact that it was weirdly super descriptive. And not in the most pleasant of ways.

Today, though, I think there is a part that is a million times scarier when you consider the magnitude of what it conveys. Matthew 7:21-23.

²¹“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²²Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

I had seen this verse more than once. But for the longest time, I thought it referred to fake men of God. Charlatans who paraded as pastors just to make bank. It wasn’t until quite recently that I realized it was talking about me. And you, too. People who go to church with the right intentions. Imperfect, stumbling along the way, but genuinely trying to stay in the presence of God. Not people who knew they were fake, but people who thought they were genuine all along. And in right standing with God.

And that’s when it hit me. What if I do all of this, trying to walk the narrow path, resisting the tempting pleasures this world offers? Only to hear Him say, “Depart.”
Jesus Christ!

What if I’ve been building my life to look like Christ on the outside, while quietly drifting away on the inside until it’s too late? Posting all these reflections yet silently missing the mark.

I’m not some big-name pastor or gospel musician with a huge platform. But even with just 90 Substack subscribers and the people around me, I’ve come to realize I still have a circle of influence. And it’s not just me. It’s you, too. Maybe you’re an executive in your local church, in the choir, a pastor, or an older sibling. In some way, people look up to you. They see this well-put-together, Christian image.

But then He comes, and you hear Him say, “Depart.”

That’s terrifying.

I've been struggling with this for a while, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized I wasn’t the only one. I happened to catch a friend’s post on Instagram, one of the rare times I open the app (TikTok has me in a chokehold these days, I won’t lie).

Like her, many people have a Christian appearance on social media, in school, at work, you name it. And it is very easy for people to put them on a pedestal. Which is good, but can also be their own undoing. Just like her, my posts surprise me sometimes. They may make it look like I know Jesus so much and our relationship is in the best of places, while oftentimes I struggle. And this is the very thing that a lot of people with a Christian “brand” could face. Brand here is not limited to music, clothing lines, but even personalities.

Thankfully, one of my favorite rappers ever speaks directly to this in what I consider the best two-track run of all time (argue with your grandma). In Art of Drifting and Art of Hope from the Today We Rebel album, KB captures this struggle perfectly. And while I go through the essence of the songs, I really hope you do an introspection.

NB: Art of Drifting tells the story of a Christian artist who has lost his way. At first glance, it might seem like a message meant only for people in that industry. Worship leaders, gospel artists, faith writers, Christian content creators, and preachers with a platform. But I genuinely believe it’s not just for them. It’s for all of us who call ourselves Christ’s ambassadors. Every time you check “Christian” on a form, every time you introduce yourself as a believer, or when you mention church to a colleague, pray for a friend, post a Bible verse, wear a cross necklace, or even just say “God bless you”, you’re representing Him. Just like these creatives do.

And here’s the thing: it can all go wrong. It’s not just influencers, musicians, or public speakers who are vulnerable. Sure, they might be the main focus of the track, but this message hits home for anyone trying to walk this faith journey. Including you reading this, even if you don't see yourself in that category. So wherever you see “artist” subsequently, put yourself there.

You don't love the church no more
You don't wanna serve no more
You just love the perks homeboy (yeah)
And countin' money from your merch homeboy
Ticket ticket ticket tickets
And we ain't got time no more
God is not God no more
He is just a job homeboy, oh boy

We set the scene. A Christian artist who used to love God and serving, but has now become a slave to the perks that come with serving in the church, the money from ticket sales. God is now just a job. Something we can easily become guilty of. We “serve” because it’s a requirement. Because we get something from it. Money, fame, praise, likes, and reposts. That becomes God. Not God.

I had a dream last night, this is what I saw (yeah)
You can build a Christian empire without God

YOU. CAN. BUILD. A. CHRISTIAN. EMPIRE. WITHOUT. GOD.

This line has stuck with me since I heard the song circa 2017. What prompted me to write this in the first place.

Are we building Christian empires without Christ himself? Sounds improbable, right? But it’s very real and extremely possible.

How many times have we heard of a Christian artist coming forward to admit it was all just an act? That they were never truly walking with Christ. And yet, they sold out shows. They led altar calls. They seemingly led people to Christ. They sold all the merch. Tattooed Jesus on their skin. All without actually being with Him.

And like I said earlier, “artist” isn’t just for the ones in the limelight. In our own small corners, we build mini Christian empires too — and we can easily do so without Christ at the center.

“That guy is really prayerful.”
“She gives great counsel.”
“He’s such a solid Christian.”
“Her captions on Instagram are always fire and spirit-filled.”
“Her Christian blog posts are so deep.”
“His Christian podcast is powerful.”
“He drums like Jesus is on the set.”
“She only reads Christian books and listens to worship music.”

All of that sounds amazing. But here’s the hard truth: if Christ isn’t actually involved, if it’s all surface, if there are hidden motives behind it, or if it’s masking something broken and unrepentant, then it means nothing. It’s empty. It’s useless.

¹⁶Live like free people, but don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as those who are serving God.
1 Peter 2:16

We are admonished not to use the freedom we have as a cover-up for evil. But to strive to live holy lives. Something the artist in Art of Drifting (and some of us occasionally) fail to do.

You done let your eyes go
Started fornicatin' with your iPhone
…
Sayin' one thing to the crowd
But in your mind takin' her clothes off

One of the biggest sins that most Christians struggle with. Lust. It’s real. But we pretend it isn’t. And it continues to eat us up. We portray ourselves outwardly as though things were perfect, and struggle with what we see, what we watch, and what we do. The silent killer. Responsible for the fall of countless Christian artists over the years. I have faced heartbreak after heartbreak when a musician or preacher I really looked up to is fingered in one scandal or the other.

And while it’s easy to judge or distance ourselves, I’ve had to admit something hard: the only real difference between them and me is that I’m not as visible, and I haven’t been caught. Yet.

That realization shook me. Because if we, as Christ’s ambassadors, are building anything — platforms, influence, “ministries,” reputations, while hiding unaddressed sin, especially sin like this, then we’re building without God. Full stop. And if that’s the case, we’re no different from the people in the spotlight we criticize.

But how did we get here?

Nobody wakes up addicted
Every great fall's from 100 bad decisions
Whole legacy passed, you just no-looked it
Lost in the sauce, didn't know you're slow cookin'
..
Spendin' more time with Instagram than the Son of God, oh God
Miles from the shore now

It’s pretty self-explanatory; it starts small. Like a frog placed in cold water while the heat slowly rises until it is killed by the heat (slow cookin’), we often don’t notice what’s happening until it’s too late. Until we’ve drifted so far we can’t trace our way back. Until the building is complete, and only then do we realize we constructed it without Christ.

We’ve got the image. We’ve got the numbers. We’ve got the attention. It’s all “in Jesus’ name”… but He’s not in it. And that should terrify us. This is the message I have for you today. Don’t Build That Christian Empire Without Christ.

No matter what it is, don’t make that your God. Don’t get caught in the noise of it all, drowning in sin while fronting an image you’re not, straying so far and becoming a mess and a wreck, while the people outside love you. This is not a comfortable message, and it is very much for me as it is for you. But it is better to feel the discomfort now and change, than to hear Depart on that day. Because that is the worst thing you could ever want to hear.

Art of Hope speaks directly to that. And that’s why I think these two songs — Art of Drifting and Art of Hope — are so powerful together. The first confronts the slow fade, the quiet fall. The second reminds us that even in the wreckage, restoration is possible.

Somewhere in the field I think I lost my goals
Who is that man in the mirror really I don't know
..
I am not the man of God I'm paid to be
..
Oh God, I'm a wreck though (God, I'm a wreck though, yeah)
But can we pick up where we left off? (yeah)

A repentant heart was at the core of Jesus’ message. And it’s the key to restoration.

It starts with recognizing that somewhere along the way, our focus shifted. Our goals became about growth, recognition, and impact, but maybe not about Him. And if we’ve been building for Christ without actually including Christ, then the most important thing we can do is go back. Back to the beginning. Back to the drawing board. Back to Him.

I’m praying for anyone reading this, especially if, like me, you realize you’ve been building Christian empires, reputations, even ministries… without Christ at the center. It’s not too late to stop drifting. It’s not too late to return.

Amen

I hope the title of this post made sense after reading :)