Justin Bieber was baptized recently, not in the middle of a river or lake surrounded by dozens of people but rather in a bathroom in New York City.
TMZ reports the singer had looked at different churches where the ceremony could be performed but decided privacy was best guaranteed in such close quarters. The actual ceremony was performed in a bathtub of the singer's friend with Pastor Carl Lentz presiding.
Lentz worked with Bieber in May doing "intense Bible study" which included studying different passages of the Bible as well as attending services. The baptism comes following two videos which surfaced recently with Bieber making racist remarks.
On June 4, Bieber posted an Instagram showing biblical passages. "Man's tendency is to hide from his sin, seeking refuge in the darkness," a portion of the page reads. "There he indulges in self-pity, denial, self-righteousness, blaming, and hatred."
Lentz is associated with Hillsong NYC which according to its mission statement on Facebook is to "reach and influence the world by building a large Christ-centered, Bible-based church, changing mindsets and empowering people to lead and impact in every sphere of life." Late last week, Lentz also tweeted the following after the latest controversy surrounding Bieber and the racist remarks made in the videos:
The relationship between Bieber and Lentz isn't just a few weeks old and the baptism had been planned for a few months. A Christian Broadcasting Network article from last March stated Bieber visited Hillsong NYC in 2013. Bieber tweeted about attending a service:
Lentz also told the publication Bieber was "trying to figure this out" while saying Bieber was a good kid. "People are like 'Is he even a Christian?'" he said. "I always tell people...grace and acceptance does not mean approval. I can accept you as a human being and not approve of your actions. That's how we've been loved."
The relationship also saw Bieber and Lentz attend a Miami Heat game and Lentz attending a Bieber concert back in 2012 where he tweeted this:
As for Bieber, he posted an Instagram on June 6 showing him celebrating his father's birthday with family and friends.