Justin Bieber skips church for 3 months as Pastor Judah Smith hints at drama: 'Made it about popularity'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Justin Bieber has been absent from his longtime church, Churchome, for over three months, with insiders citing ongoing drama between the pop star and his pastor, Judah Smith.

The 31-year-old singer, once a regular attendee, has reportedly not been seen at the church’s monthly Beverly Hills gatherings since March.

Pastor Judah Smith addresses concerns amid Justin Bieber’s ongoing absence from Churchome

The situation appears to have been sparked by a fallout involving Judah Smith, 46, and Bieber’s best friend and Drew House co-founder, Ryan Good, who even officiated Bieber's wedding to Hailey Bieber. 

Smith’s recent emotional sermon has added further fuel to the speculation surrounding Bieber’s growing distance from the church. 

The Sun reported, "The singer has not been seen at Churchome's monthly in-person services for three months."

According to the publication, Smith addressed the rising concerns during a recent sermon at the Saban Theater, revealing that many people had been asking if he was doing okay.

“Recently, I've had a lot of people ask me if I'm okay,” Smith said. “The problem is, when they add up, I start to wonder, maybe this has happened to you — ‘Wait, am I okay?’” He recalled an interaction in Miami where repeated inquiries about his well-being left him feeling unsettled.

“One person said, ‘Hey, are you good? You okay?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, no, I'm good.’ But I’m kind of thinking, what have you heard?”

He added jokingly, “Yeah, I’m still married to Chelsea. We're having s*x pretty regularly. My kids are 20, 18, 16. I don’t—uh, yeah.”

Later, Smith broke down in tears during the sermon, saying, “It’s always been about people, but we made it about popularity, and we made it about appearances.”

Ryan Good parts ways with Justin Bieber and Churchome, citing ‘cult-like’ concerns

Sources previously told TMZ that Justin Bieber has not spoken to Ryan Good for over a year due to issues involving the church and their shared fashion brand.

Good reportedly left Churchome after expressing concerns about its “cult-like culture.” Tensions escalated further when Judah Smith was added to Drew House’s board, despite lacking experience in the fashion industry.

Bieber has since distanced himself from the label. In a now-deleted Instagram post, he wrote: “I, Justin Bieber, am no longer involved in this brand, Drew House doesn’t represent me or my family or life. If you're rocking with me, the human Justin Bieber, don’t waste your money on Drew House.”

Representatives for the singer, Churchome, and Smith, who also baptized Justin and Hailey in 2020, did not respond to the publication’s requests for comment.

Concerns over Justin Bieber’s cryptic posts and emotional rants

Social media users have expressed concern over Bieber’s recent behavior. He has shared cryptic Instagram captions, including one that read: “Tired of transactional relationships. If I have to do something to be loved, that's not love.”

In another post, Bieber shared a blurry selfie in which he appeared distant. He has also been filmed publicly ranting at paparazzi and discussing past arguments with Hailey Bieber, including one instance where he said she’d “never be on the front” of Vogue.

Fans have since speculated about his mental state and lifestyle choices, especially following his transition into fatherhood.

Churchome attendees stand by Pastor Judah Smith and express support for Justin Bieber

Churchgoers interviewed by The Sun shared mixed opinions about Churchome and Smith. “I’ve been coming to this church for five years. 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,” said one attendee.

Another added, “Haters are gonna hate, but I think he has the right intentions.”

“At the end of the day, pastors are also human. They make mistakes, but it’s up to us to pray for them and uplift them,” said a third church member.

One attendee shared, “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 it didn’t discourage me from coming.”

Another commented, “Every church has its issues. There’s mental illness among the people who go here. No church is perfect.”

Speaking about Bieber’s absence, one churchgoer 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’s always welcome.”

Some also referenced the fallout with Hillsong and disgraced pastor Carl Lentz, describing that as “a completely different world.”

One member concluded, “There’s no pressuring or anything, we just haven’t seen him recently.”

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