Justin Bieber hasn't been to church in 3 months as pastor Judah Smith hints at drama in rambling sermon
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
JUSTIN Bieber hasn't been to his long-time church for at least three months amid drama with his pastor and accusations of a cult-like atmosphere at the institution, insiders have claimed.
The pop star, 31, had previously been pictured attending Churchome, a nondenominational church in Beverly Hills, with his wife, Hailey Bieber, but he's been missing in action since March.
Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter
Sign up
7
Justin Bieber is seen in Los Angeles in April amid concerns over his behavior
Credit: Getty
7
Justin Bieber's pastor Judah Smith pictured at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills on June 25, 2025
Credit: The U.S. Sun
7
Pastor Judah Smith, left, with Bieber during an evening celebrating the release of his album Purpose at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2015
Credit: Getty
He is said to be close to Smith, 46, who has been his spiritual advisor for years.
However, their relationship has reportedly caused a rift between Bieber and his best friend, Ryan Good.
Sources previously told TMZ that Bieber hasn't spoken to Good, who was the best man at his wedding, for a year amid the fallout.
Good, who co-founded the star's fashion brand Drew House in 2018, left the church due to its supposed "cult-like culture" and has been worried about Bieber, according to the outlet.
He has not returned calls for comment on the situation.
The tension is also said to have escalated when the star added Smith to the Drew House board, despite Good's reported concerns and the pastor's lack of business experience.
Bieber has now distanced himself from the brand, telling fans not to buy clothing from Drew House.
The U.S. Sun can reveal the singer has not been seen at Churchome's monthly in-person services for three months, while Smith hinted at the troubles in a rambling sermon this week.
He has left fans worried with his bizarre behavior and comments about Hailey, including when she featured on the cover of Vogue, admitting in an Instagram post he told he she'd never be on the front of the fashion bible during an argument.
Bieber was also filmed having a public meltdown ranting to paparazzi while at the beach with his family.
Solemn Hailey Bieber seen WITHOUT her wedding ring on separate outings in NYC amid Justin divorce rumors
His rep has also denied allegations of drug abuse, while followers on social media have been concerned with his weed smoking after becoming a new dad to his son, Jack Blues.
EMOTIONAL SERMON
On Wednesday evening, around 250 people shuffled into the iconic Saban Theater for the so-called Christhome Experience, and Smith apologized as he was late to the stage.
While Bieber was nowhere to be seen, Smith name-dropped his close friend, former E! News host Jason Kennedy, who was sitting in the audience, and admitted pals had been worried about him.
"Recently, I've had a lot of people ask me if I'm okay," Smith admitted. "Which, [at] face value, that is a wonderful thing to do, right? A text, 'Hey, you good?' 'Hey, you okay?'
"The problem is when they add up, I start to wonder … maybe this has happened to you, wait, am I okay?
"So Jason and I went to Miami this past weekend. It was a great time. And I ran into so many old friends I hadn't seen in a while.
"And I was kind of taken aback because one person said, 'Hey, are you good? You okay?' And I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, no, I'm good.' I'm kind of like, what have you heard?
"Then another person, 'Hey man, are you good? Are you okay?' Should I not be? Yeah, I'm still married to Chelsea. We're having sex pretty regularly. My kids are 20, 18, 16, I don't, uh, yeah.
'And then another person, 'Hey, you good? You've been on my mind.' Um, thank you. You ever had that? Someone's like, 'You've been on my mind.' You're like, 'I haven't thought about them in years.' You don't say that, of course. You're like, yeah, me too. I mean, it's good to see you.
He went on: "Now part of that is like, wow, what a thrill, what an honor, what a privilege. Now, some of you right now, already, I've missed you with this message because you're like, 'I wish to God somebody would ask me if I'm okay', but have you ever been asked so many times if you're okay, that you started to wonder if you're okay?
"And I'll admit in Miami recently seeing old friends, I started to say, 'no, I'm great'. And then I could hear through my own tone that my response was me also telling them, but also telling me that I'm great."
He proceeded to reference Bible scripture and stumbled through the sermon as many of his jokes failed to land with the churchgoers.
After an hour, Smith's speech took an emotional turn as he began tearing up and said, "It's [life] always been about people, but we made it about popularity and we made it about appearances."
7
Judah Smith got emotional and began crying during his intense speech at the church
Credit: The U.S. Sun
7
Justin and Hailey Bieber have been married for more than five years and recently welcomed their first child
Credit: Getty
Smith was unavailable for comment on his relationship with Bieber after the service, and Churchome did not respond to comment calls.
Bieber's rep also failed to respond when asked for clarification about whether he is still a member of the church.
CULT ACCUSATIONS
During a previous sermon, Smith recounted how paparazzi had asked him to confirm or deny if Churchome is a cult after he stepped out of his car.
"If we're a cult, we are the worst cult in the history of all cults," he joked.
"We meet once a month, guys. I stopped doing this every Wednesday. We've got to get better at this."
Bieber and his wife are still following Smith on Instagram despite not showing up to services.
Smith officiated their 2019 wedding and baptized the couple together in 2020.
He has also provided the pair with counseling sessions and featured in the 2020 YouTube documentary series Justin Bieber: Next Chapter.
The U.S. Sun spoke to churchgoers leaving the service on Wednesday, with one admitting it's had its issues but insisted it's not a cult.
He said, "I've been coming to this church for five years. I've grown so much lot spiritually.
"Things aren't always perfect but I know pastor Judah comes from a good place. He has a good heart, he's the real deal.
"Haters are gonna hate but I think he has the right intentions.
"At the end of the day, pastors are also human, they do make mistakes, but it's up to us to help pray for them and uplift them.
"I haven't had negative experiences with Judah but I used to be in the prayer group and that didn't work out. I'll leave it at that. But that didn't discourage me [from coming].
"Every church has its issues, there's mental illness with the people that go there. No church is perfect."
On Bieber being missing from services, he said, "He's a big celebrity, he's got a busy schedule. And not to mention the health issues he's going through, everyone here is supportive.
"He's participated here, given words here, so we all love him," he added, saying they would always welcome him.
BIEBER'S CHURCH TROUBLES
It's not the first time Bieber's association with spiritual advisors has caused issues in his personal life.
He previously had to distance himself from Hillsong and disgraced pastor Carl Lentz, who was fired in November 2020 due to "leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures."
It was later revealed that these "moral failures" included affairs that rocked his marriage.
Hillsong also found itself the subject of a damning documentary that detailed historical accusations of sexual abuse dating back to the 1970s by late church leader Frank Houston.
The churchgoer who spoke to The U.S. Sun revealed he also previously attended Hillsong services but said the two organizations were "two different worlds," adding, "Carl Lentz is a completely different character."
A third churchgoer insisted, "There's no pressuring [people] or anything. I've seen Bieber here, they help him get in and out without being [mobbed], but we haven't seen him recently."
JUSTIN'S TURMOIL
Meanwhile, the star has left fans worried in recent months with his public rants and emotional Instagram posts amid alleged turmoil in his marriage with Hailey.
He also announced in April that he no longer supports Drew House and instead is focused on his clothing brand, Skylrk, although the launch has been delayed.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, he wrote, "I, Justin Bieber, am no longer involved in this brand," over a screenshot of the fashion house's Instagram account.
"Drew House doesn't represent me or my family or life. If your [sic] rocking with me the human Justin Bieber don't waste ur money on Drew House."
Justin also posted cryptic messages and private leaked texts with an unknown friend on Instagram this month.
In one worrying post, the Sorry singer shared a blurry black-and-white selfie where he looked solemn.
He wrote, "Tired of transactional relationships. If I have to do something to be loved that's not love."
7
More than 250 packed into the theater to watch Judah Smith deliver his monthly sermon at Churchome in Beverly Hills
Credit: The U.S. Sun
7
Justin Bieber talking to photographers outside Nobu restaurant in Malibu on June 12
Credit: X17Online.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Pulp takes swipe at Charli XCX during surprise Glastonbury performance – as they return to headline after 30 years
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PULP have finally made their triumphant to Glastonbury's Pyramid stage after 30 years - after being revealed as mystery band 'Patchwork'. The Britpop icons, fronted by Jarvis Cocker, had ramped up speculation for their set by not appearing on the line-up – instead choosing to go by a mystery name for a secret set. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Pulp were finally confirmed as mystery band Patchwork Credit: AFP 5 The band took a jab at Charli XCX by declaring 2025 a 'Pulp Summer' Credit: BBC However, it had long been speculated it was actually Pulp, with piece of their equipment appearing backstage seeming to give the game away. At 6.15pm, the Pyramid stage filled with nearly 100 people dressed in black and white ponchos as the band was finally revealed. Taking a swipe at Charli XCX, who is headlining the Other Stage later tonight, a screen behind the band flashed the words "Are you ready for.... Pulp Summer." The message was a direct reference to the 'Brat Summer' Charli celebrated last year thanks to her smash-hit album. When the message appeared, the crowd parted, revealing the band led by Cocker, who broke out into Sorted for E's and Whizz and Disco 2000 from their iconic album, Different Class. "We're Pulp. Sorry for the people that were expecting Patchwork," Cocker joked after the tracks. "Did you know we were going to play?" he asked, and when the crowd loudly declared "yes" he responded, "How? Psychic? Good." Throughout the set, Pulp joked that it had been '30 Years and Four Days' since they first took to the stage at Glastonbury 1995. At the time, the band were thrust on to the main stage at the last minute when The Stone Roses pulled out of their slot. The performance was just a month after they shot to the top of the charts with their seminal track Common People, cementing them as one of the biggest Britpop bands going. In 2011, the group appeared again, this time on the Park Stage as a surprise set, two years after they had reformed. Glastonbury opening ceremony branded a flop by disappointed revellers as fireworks display 'dogged by sound issues' The band originally split in 2002, with Jarvis saying shortly after that "noone was arsed" about their music anymore. They split again in 2013, before reforming in 2022. Their new album, More, was released on June 5th – just three weeks before the band appeared at Glastonbury and 24 years since their last full release. 5 The band first appeared on the Pyramid Stage 30 years ago almost to the day Credit: Getty 5 Charli XCX is taking to the Pyramid stage today Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Emma Raducanu giggles as she addresses Carlos Alcaraz relationship ahead of Wimbledon
The pair have been the talk of the internet since their US Open announcement earlier this month COURT IN A STORM Emma Raducanu giggles as she addresses Carlos Alcaraz relationship ahead of Wimbledon Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EMMA RADUCANU has put any rumours of a relationship with Carlos Alcaraz to bed. Raducanu and Alcaraz, both 22, have been subject to swirling rumours about a potential romance after they announced they would be teaming up as doubles partners for the US Open later this summer. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Emma Raducanu has cleared up rumours about her relationship with Carlos Alcaraz Credit: PA 3 Raducanu and Alcaraz have announced they will be teaming up as doubles partners for the US Open later this summer Credit: Getty The pair will team up at the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre in August as they both look to add a doubles success to their US Open singles titles. Rumours on social media have suggested that the duo's relationship goes further than the court this week, but Raducanu has been quick to shut down the chatter. When asked about it in her pre-Wimbledon press conference, the British star said while giggling: "We're just good friends". Raducanu is jumping at the idea of teaming up with the World No2, who is hot off the heels of winning the French Open earlier this month. READ MORE IN TENNIS SET FOR LOVE Boulter hopes £2m love nest she shares with Oz ace will boost Wimbledon hopes Recalling when Alcaraz asked her to join forces, Raducanu said: "I mean, of course, I had to ask my team if they wanted me to play. "But for me, when he asked me, I was going to say yes, I just had to kind of go through the formality of asking my coach, so I didn't just make the decision." On how they became friends, Raducanu added: "I've known him for years. "And actually in Wimbledon 2021 it was like kind of the first time I started getting to know him, and I had a good run there and then also again in the US Open in 2021. 3 Rumours have begun to swirl about the dynamic between Alcaraz and Raducanu Credit: Getty "And I remember he was always playing the day before me and I was playing like the second day of the round. "And I would see him win and then I would have motivation to win and get myself into that position too." Further lifting the lid on her connection with Alcaraz, Raducanu went on: "We have a good relationship still. He's obviously overtaken me a lot, but it's nice that we have that from a while ago. "I think for all of us, we really kind of value those connections that we had from when we were young because when you become a bit more known or a bit more successful, you just find yourself reverting back to people you knew from a young age because you're like, that's a real genuine connection. "Because it becomes very busy and you have a lot more friends but the ones that you've known for a long time mean a lot more to you." Both Raducanu and Alcaraz will have their full focus on Wimbledon for now, with first-round action getting underway at the All England Club on Monday. Raducanu will open her account with a clash against fellow Brit, Mingge Xu. While Alcaraz will launch his defence of his 2024 title against Italian Fabio Fognini.
Edinburgh Live
an hour ago
- Edinburgh Live
Dick and Angel Strawbridge inundated with messages as they share 'poignant moment'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Former Escape to the Chateau stars, Dick and Angel Strawbridge, have been showered with support following a heartfelt update they shared on social media. The beloved duo, known for captivating audiences on Channel 4's popular series until its conclusion in 2022, are no strangers to updating fans about their charming life in France. Tying the knot at their exquisite French chateau in 2015, the couple welcomed two children: Arthur, now aged 12, and Dorothy, who is 11. Recently, via Instagram, they marked an important family event as Arthur wrapped up his inaugural year at college — comparable to secondary school in the UK — boasting some notable achievements, as noted by the Express. In a post featuring a snapshot of Arthur donning a shirt awash with signatures – potentially marking his final day – Dick and Angel expressed: "Congratulations to our big boy Arthur! His first year at college is officially over and he has had a ball.." They further gushed: "It's a bit of a gushy parent this young man received some pretty big achievements this coming 3rd in his school for a National French Mathematics he was competing against all ages up to 15!", reports Devon Live. Continuing their earnest narrative: "Love him to bits and just could not be prouder... Dorothy still has a week left at it's all go with spectaculars and end of school parties." Concluding their update, they extended well wishes to all: "Have a fabulous Thursday!". Arthur has been showered with supportive messages from fans celebrating his impressive achievement. "Many congratulations Arthur, enjoy your holidays," a fan expressed, while another shared: "Wow that's fantastic Arthur, well done to you. Yes proud parent moments indeed." A third contributed: "Congratulations and well done Arthur," along with another who said: "Well done Arthur, that's fantastic." Dick Strawbridge, who is 65 years old, hinted at a potential return of Escape to the Chateau earlier this year during a conversation. He explained the conclusion of the beloved show as coinciding with key events in his children's lives, noting Arthur's preparation for senior school and Dorothy approaching her own transition. Speaking to a publication, he said, "The thing is, Escape to the Chateau is a year-long project for every season, and Arthur starts senior school, Dorothy is in her last year before she moves, and that change in the children was the rationale." He further noted: "Because we had back in 2022 huge conversations saying, before they get all the pressures that young people have in their lives on them, it was time for us to walk away from the escape. That's why we did it."
