Love him or loathe him, Justin Bieber knows a thing or two about getting into the news. Most of what he does usually hit the front page with a flourish. And, sadly, not always for the right reasons. There's no question about his talent. After all, your debut album doesn't hit the Billboard top spot for nothing. My feelings are he has just been a rather misunderstood and boisterous teenage celebrity, albeit doing appreciably more than most his age. I'm not condoning his activities one bit. At day's end, he's old enough to be responsible for his reckless actions.
The only significant downside being his activities are guaranteed to be fodder for the popular press.
Back on the rails with a 3 am phone call
Before the almost inevitable train crash where his life collapses around him, it's a welcome relief to report he has potentially got his world back on the rails recently, thanks to a 3 am Phone Call. The recipient was Hillsong's Carl Lentz - and it was a phone call he's unlikely to forget. No stranger to the Good Book, largely thanks to his mother, it could be said Justin Bieber's faith lapsed mainly down to receiving it second-hand. You could also say it was only a matter of time before the young star realized the error of his ways. And, according to reports, he was unwilling to wait any longer.
Ditching the paparazzi and taking the plunge
Naturally, the one burning issue was where do you find a suitable baptism pool at 3 am? It was also, inevitably, a challenge when it came to ditching the almost relentless pursuit of the paparazzi. Though it's questionable as to how they found out at that un-godly hour. Thankfully, fortune favors the bold and Pastor Lentz found the ideal, though somewhat unusual spot: NBA star - and friend - Tyson Chandler's seven-foot long bathtub.
An unlikely, but, nonetheless, effective place for literally taking the plunge and re-igniting a somewhat lapsed faith.
Humbled A-lister
So the one-time tear away teenager has maybe taken stock of the collision course he was on and become a far more humbled A-lister. I certainly don't view it as another publicity stunt. This runs far deeper than that.
Justin Bieber doesn't need that kind of headline. He has simply submitted himself to a Greater Being. And is it by accident or design that his 2017 tour has been named 'Purpose'? Call it a cry for help, call it a commitment. Whichever view you have, with Carl Lentz's support and patience, Justin Bieber might just be on the verge of setting out to help recruit other 'Beliebers' into the flock.