Navigating Platforms, Fame, & Celebrity Christianity | Derwin Gray

Mar 24, 2026

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Are you building a platform, or are you being formed by the Presence? In this episode of NextUp, Grant sits down with Pastor Derwin Gray for a raw, high-stakes conversation about the Platform Gospel and the subtle idolatry that often creeps into next gen leadership. Derwin—who walked away from the fame of the NFL to follow Jesus—shares how many young leaders today are inadvertently using Jesus to heal their own internal traumas or bolster their self worth. If you've ever felt the pressure to perform, the pull of the spotlight, or the spiritual insanity of using ministry to fix a broken identity, this conversation is for you. Grant and Derwin dive into: ✅ The Trap of Celebrity Christianity: Why a platform can't heal the parts of you that only the Father's love can. ✅ Identifying the Drift: How to tell when your ministry has shifted from an overflow of intimacy to a machine of self promotion. ✅ Practical Stewardship: What it looks like to honor God with the roses of success without letting the praise go to your head. ✅ The "Why" Behind the Work: Moving from being seen by people to being known by God. The stakes are too high for us to get this wrong. We don't need more celebrities; we need more disciples who find Jesus beautiful enough even if no one ever knows their name. Check out Derwin's Website: https://www.derwinlgray.com/ Transformation Church: https://transformationchurch.tc/

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