Rich Villodas on the Danger of Celebrity-ism, His Experience With Succession, and Engaging Your Interior World

Episode 71

Nov 8

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Rich Villodas and Jason dive deep in this week’s episode to explore the interior world of leaders, the wrestle of celebrity, and to hear the story of Rich coming to faith and becoming a pastor.

Pastor of New Life Fellowship since 2011, Rich also became a part of the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Team started by Pete Scarrzeo, his former pastor at New Life. He shares with Jason about the way God has grown him in his interior life, through reflection and unpacking the message beneath the surface-feelings we often experience. Rooted in family systems theory, EHS has helped New Life and thousands of pastors and churches grow in emotional health and spiritual maturity.

Rich also talks about coming to faith alongside dozens of family members in his community at 17. Shortly after, he began meeting with his Grandpa almost daily to ask him questions about the Bible and Jesus. His Grandpa had a profound impact on his life and initiated a deep love for the scriptures. This ultimately led to him pursuing theological training and becoming a pastor.

Jason asks Rich about a recent talk he gave at a Q Ideas conference where he outlined the difference between celebrity and celebrity-ism. He sees celebrity as a state often imposed by others or manifested out of simple notoriety; Jesus was a celebrity in many ways! Celebrity-ism, however, is a state of the soul and is rooted in entitlement. Rich warns us as Christian leaders to be wary of systems and cultures that can create celebrity-ism in us and the need for close accountability and accessibility to our people – no matter the size of church.

This was a refreshing and encouraging conversion that we hope you enjoy!

Rich Villodas

Rich Villodas is the Brooklyn-born lead pastor of New Life Fellowship, a large, multiracial church with more than seventy-five countries represented in Elmhurst, Queens. He is also a key speaker for Emotionally Healthy Discipleship—a movement that has touched hundreds of thousands of people. Rich graduated with a BA in pastoral ministry and theology from Nyack College. He went on to complete his Master of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary. His award-winning book, The Deeply Formed Life, was released in September 2020. He and his wife, Rosie, have two beautiful children and reside in Queens, New York.