Religion/ Spirituality

Kanye West's album was a no-show, but the guy himself is keeping the good word going -- now, he's in Utah preaching ... and possibly raining on some Mormons' parade.

Ye was in Salt Lake City, UT Saturday, where he held his weekly Sunday Service -- which is starting to become a multi-day event now -- and funny enough ... it also happened to be a huge weekend for followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

This weekend served as one of two annual get-togethers Mormons put on called "general conferences," and Kanye set up camp across the street from one at the Gateway center.

Looks like some folks attending the conference -- or who might have otherwise -- flocked to catch a bit of Ye as well. And, by flock ... we actually mean swarm, as seen here.

Demi Lovato is NOT taking a political stance in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but someone thinks she is -- and now she's had to do a mea culpa for her trip to religious sites.

Demi felt enough backlash Wednesday night that she felt compelled to post a detailed apology ... in which she admits accepting a free trip to Israel "in exchange for a few posts."

She added, "No one told me there would be anything wrong with going or that I could possibly be offending anyone." Demi went on to say she was sorry, and make it clear she didn't intend to hurt people.

The mystery here is ... WHO lashed out at her for what appeared to be purely a spiritual journey?

Demi's turned off comments on her Instagram, so there's no way to see what anyone said in response to the pics she posted of herself getting baptized in the Jordan River, touching the Wailing Wall and visiting several other landmarks.

Demi Lovato's road to wellness just became a truly spiritual journey for her, 'cause she made a pilgrimage to God's land ... and got cleansed in the same waters as Christ.

The singer posted some incredible photos Tuesday of a recent trip she took to Israel, one of which shows her getting baptized in the Jordan River -- where JC himself was famously dunked by John the Baptist. It clearly meant a lot to Demi too.

She captioned her set, "I am an American singer. I was raised Christian and have Jewish ancestors. When I was offered an amazing opportunity to visit the places I’d read about in the Bible growing up, I said yes."

Demi went on to say that she was overcome with a sense of spirituality and a connection to God by visiting the Holy Land -- something she says she's been missing in her life.

As for the baptism, Demi writes that she's never felt "more renewed." She went on to say, "This trip has been so important for my well-being, my heart, and my soul. I’m grateful for the memories made and the opportunity to be able to fill the God-sized hole in my heart. Thank you for having me, Israel."

As you know, Demi has been on a hiatus from music since her near-fatal overdose in L.A. She's gone to rehab to get better, and even celebrated a year of sobriety in July.

Kanye West is ever the frustrating perfectionist, 'cause he delayed his album once more -- looking all too happy to do it -- and we know exactly why.

Ye and his entourage were leaving the United Palace Theatre Sunday in NYC, where they were surrounded by paps and fans ... who cheered with joy as the crew all dispersed into waiting SUVs. However, this must've been before the clock struck midnight.

Of course, Kanye did NOT drop his album this weekend as promised, despite a hard date of September 27 first announced by Kim K, and then a pushback of 2 days.

Kim told fans on Friday that Ye's new record, "Jesus is King," would actually arrive Sunday ... but, the weekend came and went -- and we're here twiddling our thumbs again. It's for a good cause though ... because we're told Kanye is still working on it.

People who stay talking about missing the "old Kanye" might wanna listen to this -- 'cause Mr. West was in NYC dropping bars like it was 2004 again ahead of his album drop.

Ye was in Jamaica, Queens Sunday at The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York, where he put on his weekly service with the help of the local congregation there -- and at one point, the MC did what he arguably does best (besides making music) ... spittin' rhymes!

Check it out ... Kanye joyfully rapped with the help of the choir behind him, and it sounds like the man was flowing from off the top. A pure freestyle, in other words.

He had the whole church rockin' with him too as he got everyone to put their hands up, jamming along to the music before eventually stepping back and letting another guy -- who looks like he might've been the pastor for the day -- take center stage again.

BTW, Ye had some talented company with him too. Word on the ground is Akon, Swizz Beatz and Alexander Wang were all in the building. So was Kim, North and Jonathan Cheban.

Here's something we don't see all too often -- Kim Kardashian playing around with her kids out in the open ... all while Papa Bear cranked out an almighty performance in Detroit.

Kanye West had a marathon day in the Motor City Friday, first hosting his usual Sunday Service event in the afternoon at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre ... and later debuting his new album, "Jesus is King," during a nighttime listening party at the Fox Theatre.

While dad handled his biz at the former, his wife had her hands full with their children -- North and Saint -- to the side of the stage as they played like there was no tomorrow. It's unclear if Chicago or baby Psalm was there or not, but they do not show up in these clips.

Anyway ... it doesn't look like the little tykes had much of anything other than their imagination and some nearby rocks and grass to entertain themselves with. And, lo and behold, they made due with that ... having a helluva time. Gotta love kids, right?

Kanye West's Wyoming Sunday Service appeared to go off without a hitch -- and it was definitely the place to be based on the sheer number of heads ... who came as they were.

The highly-publicized event started bright and early Sunday morning, with massive lines forming outside the Buffalo Bill Center of the West ... which is serving as host for Ye's latest gathering. According to eyes on the crowd, the estimated count was well over 700 people who'd come out -- well over the max capacity of BBCW's Powwow Garden.

Just to give you a sense of how many folks flocked in to catch Ye this weekend, check out this photo ... an absolutely packed house. Might as well have been a music fest.

Looks like Kanye and co. made due though, as early footage of the worship sesh showed everyone standing around the 80-man (and woman) choir, with Ye himself in among the group as well. He's the one with the yellow hoodie on down below.

As far as what was sung ... NIRVANA COVERS!!!! (but the Kanye hymn versions, of course). The choir sang their own renditions of "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "Come As You Are" and other Nirvana hits. There were some traditional prayers in the mix here too.

Eyewitnesses tell us Kanye did not perform this time around -- it's hit or miss with that, he's taken the stage at some stops lately, and other times he lays low and directs from the side.

According to what appears to be a setlist that was passed around, Kanye and the choir ended up running through 14 songs which included Ye's own "Ultralight Beam." There was also some nifty Wyoming Sunday Service gear for sale as well.

As we reported ... this week's Service was no secret. The Buffalo Bill Center made it clear that Kanye would be there and seemed to invite as many people as they could fit for free. As far as we can tell ... the homecoming was a complete success.

Kanye West wants his presence in Wyoming to be known far and wide -- it looks like he's hosting a mega Sunday Service this week, inviting all the townsfolk and their mom.

Ye's forthcoming Service is taking place at the Powwow Garden of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming -- where Kanye now owns a massive waterfront property, aptly named Monster Lake Ranch. Per local reports, the sign now reads "West Lake."

We already know he and Kim have made themselves at home -- getting acquainted with the local wildlife, to the chagrin of the Wyoming Game & Fish Dept. Now, it looks like Kanye wants to properly introduce the Wests to the community, 'cause his Sunday Service is being heavily advertised on a massive digital billboard, as well as on social media.

According to the venue's Facebook post about it, he's bringing out his "80-person choral group" for the performance -- so yeah, Kanye and co. are pulling out all the stops.

Preparations are currently underway for the free and public event, and it looks like they're expecting quite a turnout. Photos obtained by TMZ show a bunch of tents being set up Saturday ahead of Ye's Sunday Service, with catering and special event trucks in tow.

The Powwow Garden has a capacity of about 700 people -- 200 seated or 700 standing according to the Center's website -- but it's unclear how many people will actually show up. FYI, there are less than 10,000 people total living in Cody itself.

It's an interesting move on Kanye's part, as many of his Sunday Services of late have been relatively low-key -- not including the Chicago stop, of course. This appears to be the exact opposite of that -- pretty much a come one, come all approach.

Eddie Money really did have 2 tickets to paradise when he eloped 30 years ago with his wife, but the rock star managed to fulfill a lifelong dream to exchange church vows ... before he passed away.

Eddie and his wife, Laurie, renewed their vows back on February 7 at the California Community Church in the San Fernando Valley. The couple kept it a private ceremony, strictly for immediate family.

Laurie wore a Bob Mackie-designed wedding dress she had intended to wear when they eloped to Mexico in 1989 -- but the dress took 3 months to make. Turned out they didn't need it anyway because they ditched all formal wear for the beach ceremony.

The couple talked about exchanging vows in a church for YEARS but after he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer last fall, they finally formalized plans. The timing was perfect ... because just 3 months later, Eddie would also need to undergo a heart valve procedure.

Sadly, complications associated with his heart valve procedure led to his death last week.

The Money family tells TMZ ... they're thankful to all fans around the world who played Eddie's songs to celebrate his life and music after his passing. The family also set up the Eddie Money Cancer Research Fund at USC's Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Kanye West thinks he's found the next big thing ... because he flew all the way to the middle of nowhere Indiana to show his support for a family band with which he has a special connection.

Kanye surfaced in tiny Batesville, Indiana following his Sunday Service in Atlanta ... attending a free concert and helping raise cash for Infinity's Song and singer Victory Boyd, who are signed to Jay-Z's entertainment agency, Roc Nation.

It was a pretty surreal scene ... Kanye introducing a sibling band for a free show in a tiny venue called Walhill Farm, with about 140 people in the crowd. Not exactly Coachella.

Our sources say Kanye is super close with Victory's father, John Boyd, whom he looks to for spiritual support. Ye did his part to help out Sunday, and we're told there was a freewill offering going around the venue, and Infinity's Song raised around $3,500 for their tour.

Kanye didn't perform, but he had a front row seat for Infinity's Song's performance, and he described Victory and her siblings as "the future of music." High praise from Yeezy.

After the concert, which ended with a rendition of "Amazing Grace," we're told Kanye brought Victory and John on his private jet and flew to Belgium.

Jeff Fenholt -- best known for playing the title character in the original Broadway theater production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" -- has died.

Law enforcement sources tell us Jeff died Tuesday, only 5 days before his 69th birthday. We're told Fenholt had recently been battling some health issues and was found dead at his home. Jeff's death is not being investigated under suspicious circumstances.

Jeff famously played Jesus in Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera, "Jesus Christ Superstar," which opened on Broadway in October 1971 and played at the Mark Hellinger Theatre for a widely successful run of more than 700 performances.

Right after the play debuted, Jeff was featured on the cover of Time Magazine in full costume, complete with a thorn crown on his head.

Jeff was also embroiled in controversy over his involvement with the English heavy metal band, Black Sabbath. Jeff claimed he was a singer in the band for a few months in 1985, and says the band used several of his melodies for their album, "Seventh Star," though he was not credited.

However, original Sabbath member Tony Iommi never confirmed Jeff was in the band ... and the official line from Black Sabbath is that Jeff merely "tried out" for a spot in the group.

Jeff also gained notoriety as a Christian evangelist, and he says he made the conversion after becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol after the end of 'JCS' on Broadway.

Jeff was 68.

Kanye West resurrected in his hometown -- with Chance the Rapper, no less -- and the people of Chicago did NOT miss the opportunity to come out and bear witness.

Ye held his Sunday Service in Chi-Town this week, hosting a massive crowd at the Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island ... and it seemed to be a packed house. The venue has a 30,000-person capacity -- and it seems like they filled that and then some.

It appears this was more of a traditional concert than his usual gatherings -- which has been hittin' the road A LOT lately -- but also nontraditional in some respects too.

For example, it looks like the stage that both Kanye and Chance performed on was closer to ground level than your regular concert venue stage, which made this Sunday Service feel much more intimate and interactive. Folks also seemed to respect the closeness -- there are no reports of anyone rushing Ye, so it seems people kept their distance.

That's not to say that security wasn't on hand -- it absolutely was. Funny enough, at one point, Kanye told a guard to stand down as he made his way through the audience to the stage ... telling the guy to "watch this" ... and then parting the human sea, if you will.

Very on-brand, right?

Anyway, ya gotta imagine Kanye fans are eternally grateful for this road trip -- up until recently, Ye had been hosting Sunday Service in secret areas in and around L.A. and to attend, it seems like you needed a special invite.

Kanye West's Sunday Service is on the road again ... this time he took the choir to good ol' Watts, and none other than Brad Pitt showed up to feel the good vibes.

Brad was among the large group of worshipers who surrounded Kanye and his choir Sunday in the parking lot of a church. We're told it was a spur-of-the-moment deal, and Brad's presence was a surprise to almost everyone who showed up.

Maybe it shouldn't be going forward, 'cause our sources tell us this is his second time coming.

You can see Brad rockin' his signature charcoal-colored cap. We're told the actor was mostly unbothered by fans as he blended in with the crowd. Yes, Brad Pitt can blend in in Watts.

Other VIPs for this week's Sunday Service included L.A. Reid, Adrienne Bailon, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall and radio personality Big Boy.

Meanwhile, Kanye was doing his usual thing ... jamming out with the choir and the band on hand in the middle of the group. It looks like there was singing, dancing and, of course, a sermon was given at one point ... the whole church experience, which Ye's been taking around the country lately.

Looks like Kanye's recent Sunday Service road trip is becoming the norm. Remember, he was just in Dayton, OH last week with Kim and his kids ... where he helped Dave Chappelle put on a free concert and service for the grief-stricken community.

Kanye West can sum up his feelings about bringing his Sunday Services to traditional churches in just 2 words -- far less than Justin Bieber used, but we think they're saying the same thing.

We got Ye Saturday night as he and his wifey, Kim Kardashian, were leaving Cafe Habana in Malibu ... and asked him if he felt any more pressure when performing in churches with his Sunday Service choir.

As you know, Kanye's had 2 special services in the last month -- leaving his usual outdoor location in Calabasas to perform for a North Hollywood congregation ... and the other in Dayton, OH for survivors of the mass shooting there.

Kanye's answer was short, sweet and a clear sign of his faith. As for feeling pressure ... he was getting plenty last night from one of his outspoken fans in the 'Bu.

We'd put that same question, about pressure, to Justin last week -- on the heels of him singing for the first time in front of the congregation at Churchome in Bev Hills. Biebs told us it was more nerve-racking than his stadium concerts.

The takeaway, though, is both of 'em are feeling the Spirit.

Justin and Hailey Bieber want their formal wedding celebration to be a religious affair because they feel bringing God into their marriage will make their union stronger ... this according to Stephen Baldwin.

Stephen was on his way to the New York State Fair -- where he's launching a new initiative for veterans called Ready Vets Go -- when he filled us in on the motives behind his daughter and the Biebs' formal wedding party.

Justin's father-in-law says the happy couple understands weddings and marriages are supposed to be a holy commitment, and they feel a religious ceremony will go a long way towards finding peace and happiness together.

Stephen says he's proud of Justin for taking some time away from music to be a family man ... and he feels JB has made leaps and bounds in the past year as far as making sure he's spending time with Hailey and having a blast.

Justin and Hailey enjoyed a fancy lunch together Thursday at E Baldi ... so ya can't argue with Stephen, they're definitely having fun!

As we first reported ... Justin and Hailey are going to say their "I dos" again in a place they've fallen for ... South Carolina ... and they recently sent out their save the dates. Hailey's dad tells us they're still deciding between a couple venues.

Miguel heard Justin Bieber's powerful message and he couldn't agree more ... telling us some of his best work comes in his most vulnerable moments.

We got Miguel leaving Delilah Thursday night and our guy asked about Justin telling his church there's power in weakness when you fight through adversity ... and the R&B great told us he's a big believer in what JB's preaching.

It's pretty interesting ... Miguel tells us the best songs he's written were actually spawned from periods of weakness.

As we first reported ... Justin took the mic and sang in front of his congregation at Churchome in Beverly Hills Wednesday night, telling us his breakout moment was part of a much bigger message he's trying to spread.