Even though Canadian pop star Justin Bieber's bathtub baptism has been told time and time again by Pastor Carl Lentz from Hillsong, many people are still curious about what transpired and are eager to know more about Bieber's personal life.
Lentz understands people's curiosity very well, so he shared snippets of his friendship with Bieber in his new self-help book, "Own the Moment." The book is yet to be released on October 31, but Radar Online has already provided a sneak peek.
"People always ask, 'What's it like talking about life and Jesus with Justin Bieber?'" Lentz wrote in the book. "I always say the same thing: 'Matter of fact, he's just like you. And just like me.'"
"We can't connect on a money level: He has more," he continued. "We can't connect on a fame level: He's known all over the world, while sometimes I'm not sure if my children even remember I'm their dad."
However, Lentz said there are a few things that he, Bieber, and fellow Pastor Judah Smith have in common - "what it's like to be lonely. What it's like to want to grow in areas that are hard to talk about. What it's like to be disappointed. What it's like to make mistakes that affect people we love."
Lentz acknowledged that Bieber has "made his fair share of mistakes that have been legit," but there were also some news that was completely false. At one point, the media reported that Bieber "destroyed [a] NYC club with reckless party," when in truth, the "Sorry" crooner was only "playing Uno with [his] kids."
As to Bieber's famous baptism story, Lentz said it took place one cold January night in New York City with Smith. They were having a really deep conversation about faith and surrender, and Bieber felt a calling to devote his life to God.
"Justin told us, as he always does, about the ups and downs of his calling and said, 'I want to get baptized.' We were both like, 'Awesome. Great choice. We will hook that up. July sounds good, right?' Justin said, 'No, I mean like right now. I want to start fresh tonight,'" said Lentz.
Since it was 2am, many areas were closed. So Lentz came up with the idea of having the baptism done in Tyson Chandler's bathtub at four in the morning.
Aside from Bieber, Hillsong Church also serves as a spiritual home for other celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Kourtney Kardashian, Chris Pratt, and Vanessa Hudgens. As far as Lentz is concerned, there is nothing wrong with their well-known members. "People say we cater to celebrities," Lentz told GQ. "And I say, yes, we do. Celebrities deserve a relationship with God. Celebrities deserve a place to pray."
