Theyre cool,reallycool.
They wear trendy clothes, and they even talk about things like sex (terms and conditions apply).
Their attitudes are ebullient, except for when theyre not.
Image by Annamaria Ward
And, most importantly, they love Jesus.
While the four-part docuseries focuses on the fallout of Josh, more was divulged.
Eventually, he was found guilty of possessing a large cache of child porn.
Image via TLC
An FBI agent revealed it was one of the worst cases seen in his career.
During his sermons, Lentz would wear shirts with low necks, skinny jeans, and designer clothing.
Hillsong was deemed the celebrity church because of how many celebrities it attracted to its services.
Image via TLC
Hillsongs brand was cool.
People of color reported that they didnt see people like them in leadership positions despite being a diverse congregation.
Gay attendees felt welcomed at first but would later realize the churchs anti-gay stance the longer they went there.
Image via TLC
The Christian influencer has thrived in the age of Instagram and TikTok.
‘Likes’ and Jesus Described in ‘Shiny Happy People’
Jen Sutphinruns a YouTube Channel calledFundie Fridays.
It focuses on issues and politics within fundamentalist Christianity.
She was interviewed for the docuseries.
Naturally, theyre anti-LGBT.
Like other Christian influencers, theyve pivoted to talking about sex, but from a godly perspective.
In the docuseries, theyre asked if husbands have authority over their wives.
In their latest YouTube video, they claimed that they were misled by the focus of the docuseries.
They currently have 159K followers, and many videos are reactions to their content.
As a fitness influencer, Dawn sold personalized nutrition and fitness guides ranging from $80-$260.
But her clients complained that her nutrition and fitness plans were not individualized.
Clients said that she would either respond with generic responses or not communicate with them at all.
After the lawsuit fiasco, she reemerged on social media as a Christian influencer.
The retreatonlycosts $600 (transportation not included).
But Christian influencers have come in different mediums besides social media.
However, the show met controversy whenPhil Robertsoncompared being gay to bestiality.
Willie was an early and vocal supporter ofDonald Trump.
Willies daughter,Sadie Robertson Huff, has also fashioned herself as a Christian influencer.
While many mainly sling ‘skinny tea,’ others have made Jesus a part of their brand.
What sets Christian influencers apart from more conventional forms of proselytizing is how much they center themselves.
As gaudy as televangelists can be, its always clear what their objective is.
While the faces and filters may have changed, the game is still the same.
