Jesus: The Next American Idol?

OK, I admit it. I'm a closet American Idol fan. I love watching the singers mature through the competition and seeing certain contestants shine. (For the record, I'm pulling for David Archuleta. Something about his amazing talent, his unassuming personality, and his young age draw me in. Maybe it's a youth pastor thing.)

I've noticed in the past few weeks that several of the artists have chosen to sing songs reflecting faith in Christ. Even guest performers sang Christian tunes -- Dolly Parton sang "Jesus and Gravity", and that other band (sorry can't remember their name) sang "This Little Light of Mine". I'm not sure about the quality of the theology in the lyrics, but Jesus seems to be getting a lot of air time on American Idol.

For me, the most shocking performance thus far was the finale for Idol Gives Back. The final 9 contestants sang, "Shout to the Lord". That's right, give a shout out to Darlene Zschech! However, I was a little concerned that they began the song with the lyrics, "My Shepherd, my Savior" instead of "My Jesus, my Savior". Were they trying to sterilize the song for primetime? Is Jesus too much for the Idol audience to handle? It turns out they did a reprise of the song Thursday night and sang the actual lyrics. Way to go, whoever did that.

So, what does Jesus think about being the next American Idol? I can't decide if I'm happy that people are being open about their faith, or if American Idol is trying to corner the Christian audience for their votes. Or maybe they are targeting our money to support the humanitarian efforts of Idol Gives Back. I guess it's good that people are using their influence for the Lord. At the same time, I'm not sure Jesus was a big fan of the stage or being the center of attention. He was about the small things, the poor and the meek, the cross. Perhaps, this is the kingdom secretly slipping into the entertainment industry. I'm not sure what to think.