The Michael biopic opens in theaters today. Millions will watch Jaafar Jackson moonwalk across the screen, recreating one of the most iconic careers in music history. But there's a chapter of Michael Jackson's life that most audiences don't fully know - and it's one the faith community should.
Before the sequined gloves. Before Thriller. Before the world knew his name - Michael Jackson was knocking on doors, spreading the Word of God.
Raised in the Faith
Katherine Jackson was baptized as a Jehovah's Witness in 1963 when Michael was just five years old - converted by a door-to-door worker, the very method she would later use herself to share her beliefs.
Even as his superstardom reached historic heights, Michael continued attending meetings and going door-to-door - in disguises. His sister La Toya confirmed: "Five days a week the two of us and Mother studied the Bible at home and attended the Kingdom Hall. Every morning Michael and I witnessed, knocking on doors around Los Angeles, spreading the word of Jehovah."
Think about that. The most famous entertainer in the world - disguising himself to knock on strangers' doors and talk about God. That is not the Michael Jackson the world remembers.
When Faith and Fame Collided
The tension between his faith and his career ultimately became impossible to hold together. When Thriller was released, church elders warned Jackson he could be expelled - meaning his own mother might not be allowed to speak to him. In a panic and sobbing, Jackson phoned his manager saying, "No one must ever see it."
The conflict ran even deeper. Michael once told his sister La Toya through tears: "I can't talk to you ever again... The elders had a big meeting, and they told me never to speak to you because you haven't been coming to the Kingdom Hall."
In 1987, he formally disassociated himself from the congregation. A letter from Jehovah's Witnesses headquarters stated that "the organization no longer considers Michael Jackson to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses." His mother Katherine was devastated - and by the organization's rules, was not even permitted to discuss the matter with him.
A Family Still Shaped by Faith
To this day, Katherine Jackson remains one of the faith's most devoted members. Jaafar Jackson - who plays his uncle in today's biopic - was born after his father Jermaine converted to Islam in 1989, and grew up in a family where questions of faith ran through every generation.
The new film is being celebrated for Jaafar's uncanny portrayal of Michael's moves and voice. But the deeper question the film raises - whether it intends to or not - is what happens when a person's God-given gifts are demanded by the world, and the world asks them to choose.
Michael Jackson chose fame. It gave him everything - and cost him everything.
What the Church Can Learn
The story of Michael Jackson is not just a pop culture story. It is a story about a child who grew up knowing the Word of God, who was loved by a praying mother, and who ultimately found himself unable to reconcile his calling with the life the world demanded of him.
It is a story the Church has seen before. And it is a story worth praying over.
As Matthew 16:26 asks - "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"
Michael Jackson gained the whole world. Today's biopic shows you how. This article asks the harder question - what did it cost?
