"Made to Worship" (Phil Stacey)

TITLE: Made to Worship: Empty Idols and the Fullness of God
AUTHOR: Phil Stacey
PUBLISHER: Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2021, (272 pages).

He was set apart for a singing career. Yet, the very things that made him famous are also the very reason for breaking him down. Growing up in a family of singers, Phil Stacey has a gifted voice and a love for music. As a son of a pastor, Church is like his second home. He and his family thrived musically everywhere they went. For Phil, his music was what attracted people to him. It was the reality show, American Idol, that launched him to fame. This book is his memoir of faith, of his humble beginnings, his journey to American Idol, and the subsequent darkness that befell him in the midst of glittering images of fame. Writing about his fall from grace, he shares also about his return via the path of faith. He ends with a powerful note to proclaim that all his music, all of his experience, and all of his life are essentially made for worship. 

Phil adopts an open and honest approach with regard to his own testimony of faith. Readers get to appreciate the background and his journey to fame. He takes time to describe his family and how his parents' choices in life had affected him. He confesses his limited academic ability. He maintains that underneath the glitter of fame, he is very much an ordinary person from an ordinary family. He was once expelled when he was in Grade 8! The constant relocations also affected his friendships and how different congregations take to his music. Phil comments: "Life is a series of choices. Each choice we make has the power to alter our lives forever." That was exactly what he had experienced firsthand. She shares about one experience when he was in China observing how the Chinese Christians prayed and their prayers shook the building. It created a lasting impact on his life, that he desired to worship God even more fully and passionately. He shares about how he prayed for his future wife, something that we all should learn to do before marriage. Phil even joined the navy! This Navy commitment would soon force him to choose between his singing career or a sailing career. The chapter that should interest a lot of American Idol viewers would be the one about his life on Idol. Spanning six to seven chapters, readers get an inside look at the emotional turbulence and tense moments of Phil's life. Learning to deal with criticism was a challenge, but none more than the temptations that come outside of the television studios where opportunists use alcohol and drugs to try to draw famous people into their fold. Phil describes a list of Who's Who in his interactions, which ought to keep many readers riveted. From American Idol, he gets to rub shoulders with Ellen DeGeneres and go on singing tours. Underneath the fame was a spiritual life neglected. Phil admits that his spiritual decline begins with his lack of Bible reading, something which should warn us all. Along with this comes the temptation of adultery with a female fan called "Jane." These and many other revelations make this book quite an astounding read into the dizzy world of fame and the reality show game.

My Thoughts

Let me offer three thoughts about the book. First, it is an honest revelation of what the author had experienced both in and out of fame. Many of us who had never experienced the limelight often had dreams of being famous without truly recognizing the accompanying dark times that often plagued the popular stars. Reading Phil's story not only confirms the kinds of temptations that even the most pious worshiper could face, but it also reminds us that our faith gets tested the deeper we venture into the waters of fame and fortune. The dark days faced by Phil are not things we should easily dabble with. If one enters in, go with open eyes, but with the spiritual armor of God. Read this book to prepare yourself for the journey ahead. 

Second, the idols in our lives are much more subtle nowadays. Fame is one such idol that lures us in with all kinds of superficial rationale. In fact, reality shows are often more superficial than our wildest imaginations. As Phil basks in the limelight of fame and fortune, he discovers that these are just things of the world that are not just empty promises, they empty one's soul, something that nearly destroyed him emotionally and spiritually. In fact, showbiz, no matter where one goes, will be filled with temptations, not just American Idol, but also the Country Music scene. 

Finally, learn from the way Phil describes his calling by going all the way back to his early upbringing. We all like to talk about our calling. Instead of understanding calling merely on the basis of a decision-making point, why not stretch it forward and backward? Stretch it backward by going back to our own histories and early life. Think about our parents' background. Recall the milestones in our lives that brought us to where we are today. Pray and seek God through the Word. Like Phil, we all have a common destiny, which is not simply to know our calling but to know that at the end of the day, we are all made to worship.

This book is recommended reading for all and should be required reading for any Church-going young person thinking of entering the world of fame and fortune.

Phil Stacey is a musician, country singer, a recording artist, successful performer, husband, and father. He is most famous for his participation in Season 6 of American Idol back in 2007. He is passionate about sharing Christ through his music ministry. 

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.