If a man can cry passionately at Beyoncé’s concert, don’t allow anyone to make you feel bad for crying in church. Don’t apologize for loving Jesus — Pastor Iren tells Christians Apostle Emmanuel Iren has challenged Christians who feel pressured to defend their devotion to God, questioning why some people consider passionate expressions of faith embarrassing while celebrating similar levels of loyalty in secular settings. Speaking during a sermon, the cleric recalled seeing a video of a grown man crying while American singer Beyoncé performed, wondering why such an emotional reaction was accepted while Christians who sing and praise God are sometimes mocked. “As a man, why are you crying when Beyonce is singing? As a man, you are a joker. But if they find you in church singing and praising the Lord, they call you a fool for it,” he said. Using football as an example, he pointed out that some fans purchase season tickets in advance to attend multiple matches, yet may question Christians who give financially to support their churches. He also compared religious devotion to football fandom, asking why a pastor’s framed photograph in someone’s home might appear unusual to some people, while displaying an image of Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo, popularly known as CR7, would hardly attract the same reaction. According to the preacher, human beings are naturally inclined to worship, and those who do not worship God may end up devoting themselves to other things. “Every human being is created to worship, and the ones who don’t worship God are worshipping something,” he said, adding that people who ridicule Christians for following God may also have things they hold in high regard. However, Iren stressed that Christians should examine their practices in the light of the Bible and avoid extremes before dismissing criticism. He urged believers not to feel ashamed of their faith or generosity towards the gospel, declaring: “Don’t apologise for loving Jesus. Don’t apologise for being generous to the course of the gospel. Don’t apologise.”