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An Open Letter To Fans Of ‘Christian Hip-Hop’ Music
“What’s wrong with that?”
People have often asked the question, “What’s wrong with ______ ?”
You fill in the blank.
What’s really being asked is, “How much like the world can I live and behave, and still go to heaven?”
Recently, I posted on a video called “Hip-Hop For Haiti” and, apparently, I’ve taken what seems an unpopular position, and have now been labeled (by at least one) as a “quite foolish Pharisee.” Water off a ducks back.
Since this is obviously a sensitive issue for so many, and resulted in quite a few comments, I’d like to respond en masse, so to speak. It seems that the majority of you insist the concert/video in question was ‘entertainment’, and not worship.
Honest question. When one sings about Jesus Christ, regardless of ‘style’, regardless of location, is that worship or entertainment? If a professing Christian can sing about Christ, and call it ‘entertainment’ and not worship, something is terribly wrong. Someone said to me recently that “adding Jesus-speak’ to music does not sanctify it.”
I believe that’s true.
From the beginning of Scripture and the creation account, the idea of separation is introduced and taught throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.
So to all you Christian hip-hop fans, can you honestly say – before God – that you can ‘sing’ about the Lord of Glory and not call it worship? It seems to me that if you can sing/rap/recite anything about Jesus Christ, and insist it is only ‘entertainment’ then what does that say about your true view of God and of yourself?
In all sincerity, Jesus Christ did not die on the cross for your entertainment, and if we have a proper view of the value of a soul and what it cost Him to redeem, we should think long and hard about how we present Him to the world.
Also, before I forget, you do not have the right to determine how God is worshiped, you never did. There are too many examples in Scripture that prove that.
Yes, I watched the entire video, twice. You’re comments to the post were helpful in assisting me to understand your own objections. Allow me to give you a few of mine:
- I object that there was prayer, and you called it entertainment, not worship.
- I object to the singing of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”, and you calling it entertainment, not worship.
- I object to public reading of the Scriptures and calling it ‘entertainment’.
- I object that at the beginning of a song, one singer called out “There’s none like You, Jesus we pray that the church in America would stand with the church in Haiti” and many of you who left sarcastic, insulting comments insist that is just entertainment, not worship. If that was only ‘entertainment’, then it was a blasphemous prayer.
- I object to using worldly attractions like thug music –and that is exactly what it is – to proclaim the Gospel. If you convince worldly people to join the visible church, you will have to use worldly means to keep them there….and without regeneration, they will still be lost and go to hell.
- I object to being asked, by implication, to submit to the hip-hop views of Washer, Piper and R.C. Sproul. I will not. Get over it.
Let me ask you, if singing about Jesus is just ‘entertainment’, and that’s your reasoning for enjoying music derived from a controversial history- namely, street violence, sex, drugs and defiance of Law enforcement – then, is it really well with your soul? If you walk around with ‘pants on the ground’ and hat-turned-sideways’ – how will the world see that you’ve been transformed when you are acting just like them…and enjoying it? Of course, that begs the question, have you actually been transformed by the regenerating work of the Spirit of God? Or have you been drawn into the visible church by worldly means? If so, you are yet in danger of eternal condemnation.
Maybe it’s just me, but I smell compromise.
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Thanks, JT. You are totally on point.
One thing I noticed from many of the nay-sayers in the original post was a “show me were the Bible says rap and/or hip-hop is bad…” type of comment. This means ” I can get around the spirit of the law by keeping the letter of the law”. Jesus debunked this argument in Matthew chapter 5 (among other places).
Note to rap lovers: You guys can call me pharisee, judgemental, narrow-minded, and anything else but it changes nothing. How much do you guys love your ‘culture’ ? More than you love Jesus? Make sure you did not enter through the wide gate onto the broad road (Matthew 7).
No one believes the rap or hip-hop culture is benign. You may want me to accept it as such but deep down you know the truth. Can saved people behave like street thugs and indulge their flesh and still be legit to God? I would not want to live on the hopes of this…
Why is this culture so sacred to you? The father of rap and hip-hop culture is not the God of the Bible. Be warned. Come out of Rob Bell ‘s and Brian McLaren’s influence. Get real with yourselves and with God.
truthinator – from your first paragraph you consider those who want a biblical answer as heretical, and those who appeal to the nebulous Spirit of the Law as orthodox. What gives insight to the Spirit of the Law – Scripture. Use the scripture to show the ‘Spirit of the Law’ in order to show that rap is unbiblical or in violation of the ‘Spirit of the Law’.
If anyone is playing the part of Bell or McLaren here, it is the one who says as you have in your post… that we need to appeal to the Spirit of the Law as opposed to what the bible explicitly says.
Jay,
This is almost funny. You keep saying, “show me the verse that says rap is wrong”. Didn’t you read my post? You are trying to tip toe around the spirit of what the Bible teaches because there is no verse that mentions rap… I percieveth that thou art a pharisee…? 😉
at what point did we begin to be chastised for desiring a biblical argument on a reformed blog?
truthinator – how can you know the Spirit of the Law? Make a case based on how Christ went from letter to Spirit in Matt 5 in order to discredit hip hop, or from other places. I am not asking for a command, but the Spirit of the Law can and must be discerned biblically, and some asking for a biblical argument is not a Pharisee… I perceive thou art antinomian. Moreover appealing to scripture is not necessarily appealing to Law as not all scripture is ‘Law’ truthinator. Appeal to the Gospel, appeal to something… do you not hold to the Solas?
moreover, I have in no place asked for ‘the bible verse’ I have asked for a biblical argument. Totally different.
Truthinator,
Go back to my comment. I didn’t ask for a verse that said rap is wrong. I said:
“A saved hip-hopper should not continue in rap culture (as displayed in this video) because the Bible ________ ?
What is the Biblical foundation of your exhortation? Are you able to articulate it right now? (If not, you still might be right. But you’re stating your judgment confidently, so I assume you do know what your biblical foundation is.)”
The point wasn’t “give me a direct verse”. It was a wide-open question. What is the biblical principle you’re applying?
“Don’t indulge the flesh” is a partial answer. It’s not done till you say how activity in this video indulges the flesh.
I’m not disagreeing with you. I’m not saying you’re wrong. I’m asking you to be direct–don’t leave it vague, and don’t depend on “Come on, you know in your heart of hearts that I’m right.” Say what you mean, and we can discern the truth together.
nice job addressing that the act was indeed worship and not entertainment. point well made. even the preaching of the Gospel is worship. to call a sermon a song or worship service as mere entertainment is wrong.
the video you object to however, did not claim to be mere entertainment. so while you have adequately rebuked the views of some commentors who have asserted it as mere entertainment, you still have not addressed the video itself with the scriptures.
your blog is typically very good, and you seem to have a great handle on God’s word. I imagine you have biblical argument against hip hop… one stronger than:
‘From the beginning of Scripture and the creation account, the idea of separation is introduced and taught throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.’
that argument can be used, and has been used to condemn all sorts of things, including the translation of scriptures to the english language.
what is the biblical argument specifically against hip hop?
Joel,
Great article! I have been recently convicted about my own ‘love’ of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM), and the point you make about entertainment is spot on. Let’s not forget that CCM artists and Christian Hip-Hop artists make money off of their records and videos — records and videos that are purportedly extolling and honoring God — does that make sense?
Let me be clear, I do not necessarily have a problem with Christians who make popular music and execute their vocation in a God-honoring, salt & light kind of way. But that’s different from creating a ‘Christian’ version of every conceivable form of music out there; as if that some how makes it OK. The medium necessarily shapes the message.
By the last paragraph of my previous comment, I am trying to say that I don’t believe that secular is bad. Secular is secular; it is inherently neither good nor bad — just secular. What I object to, and I believe is the point you make, is the mingling of the sacred (worship, prayer, preaching, the Word) with the secular. When you mix the sacred with the secular, you inevitably dilute the sacred.
I totally agree with you! These Christian rappers are totally misunderstood by other believers. They are sharing the Gospel of Jesus with the world! It’s about time somebody shared their true feelings based on scripture rather than humanistic reasoning.
Someone, a long long time ago, felt the same way about the piano.
Just sayin’.
The ways and lusts of the world are not inanimate objects. The piano is. I’m just sayin. 🙂
internet is a culture primarily propped up funded, and created by the pornography industry. moreover blogs are more often used to promote unbiblical and outright wicked content than anything of biblical merit… does that invalidate the medium for promotion of truth? Why create a blog? Isn’t that the world’s way of communicating ‘their’ lies. Are you not being a little bit worldly? of course not… but that is the same argument being made against hip hop.
moreover your avatar on twitter has long hair… hmmm… strange looks similar to some wicked 80s hair band singer… carnal carnal carnal. (note sarcasm) I imagine you could make a stronger case against the long hair than you could against a sideways hat.
Your argument seems inconsistent to me, I am more than open to biblical correction.
Are not some of the hymns we sing bar songs?
Also:
http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/index.php?amount=0&blogid=1&query=Encouraging+Young+Brothers+in+Christ
Just to read…
It’s kind of like the candy cigarette argument. They don’t hurt kids; they’re fun and they taste good. But then come cigarettes and what not.
You pour on all the powdered sugar you want, but inside, it’s still a … well, you know what I mean.
I like what Tim said very much. Much of what is done in the name of ‘worship’ today is rather worldly. God should be the benefactor of our worship not our ego. Is does not matter what we like or dislike. Slapping God’s name upon something does not make it acceptible.
Question: What would happen to today’s worship people in churches across America if a screen was placed across the platforms so that they could not be seen and applauded by the crowds. Would they still be involved in ‘worship’ ?
In Hosea 6:6 the Lord says, ” For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
(My statement and question applies to contemporary, rap, old-style hymns, …)
yeah and if people start looking at Pyromanics po-motivator posters which are just fun and harmless, they may eventually get hooked on real motivational posters which would be horrible. Or if people look at King of the Hill avatars they may eventually watch the show which could lead them to sitting around being lazy and drinking beer all the time. Please tell me you have a better argument than candy cigarettes.
all the arguments i have heard so far are laced with legalism. i imagine the idea is to show rap / hip hop as being antinomian, but it is out of bounds to make a legalistic argument against antinomianism. In an attempt to stay out of the ditch on one side of the road, you fall into the one on the other side.
To those it applies:
To suggest that someone is Emergent and under Bell & McLaren’s teachings is a caricature. However, I agree with you. If anyone on here is taking positions or directions from McLaren or Bell, please do not. Read your bibles and present your arguments from scripture.
To suggest that any of us would think that a lifestyle of “street violence, sex, drugs and defiance of Law enforcement” is acceptable in the eyes of God, is also a caricature. However, I agree with you. If any of you are involved in acts like this or find it acceptable repent.
Now the challenge:
Does 1 Cor 10:31 tell us that our lives in entirety should be living worship. All that we do, is to be done to the Glory of God. That being said our entertainment should be worshipful, no? Doesn’t that completely diffuse the “entertainment” vs. “worship” debate?
If the prayer was entertaining does that make it blasphemy? Scripture tells us to “delight yourself in the Lord” (Ps 37:4). It may be slicing hairs, but wouldn’t reading puritan prayers be a similar thing. We are blessed and entertained by reading and hearing men of God calling out to God in prayer. (see above comment on the diffusion of the debate)
That being said, What makes me seem the most uncomfortable is the idea that “pants on the ground” & “hat turned sideways” is not God honoring, and I provide you with 3 reasons why I just don’t get it:
1. Nothing we wear aside from the Blood of Christ can be “God honoring,” our righteousness is as filthy rags, and to say otherwise may present ourselves to God as “white-washed tombs.”
2. The bible doesn’t provide (in spirit or letter) any guide as to which direction to wear a hat or how large to buy pants.
3. To say that this “thug” clothing is representative of a sinful culture, is laughable, because what style of clothing isn’t? A suit and tie could remind people of greedy business men cheating, lying, and stealing their way to riches. A cowboy hat and tight jeans could remind us of rebellious drunkards that frequented whore houses at night while robbing trains during the day. The list could go on and on.
So I challenge you: rather than just replying with 1) a snide comment about my age, 2) a vague comment about being peculiar people separate from the world without any tactical examples of what we should do, or 3) posting a link to blog-rules about long posts; Give us a biblical presentation of what is exactly wrong with this genre, and make real life examples as to how we could clean up our acts.
I truly have not ruled out your positions, but I am struggling to see it from your perspectives in a biblical light.
I currently do not wear loose jeans or hats turned sideways, I wear regular jeans and button-up shirts, and when I do wear a hat it is at a 1:00 position on my head. I realize that outfit is representative of a mainstream america that is complacent, sluggards and gluttons that cheat on their wives hang out in bars and watch dirty things on television. What do you suggest I wear to best honor God?
I’ve been reading this blog for a few months now and this is the first time I’ve completely disagreed with you Joel.
Granted, there is good and bad Christian hip-hop. I’ve listened to the likes of LeCrae, Timothy Brindle, Shai Linne and Stephen the Levite. Let me tell you – above all – these guys GET GRACE. They have backgrounds that are sinfilled, yes – but they’re not ashamed to speak to the redemption found in Christ. They are bringing theology into the wasteland of inner city churches- becoming all things to all people for the sake of the Gospel. I really would suggest spending some more time listening to the words of good, reformed Christian Hip Hop. I too hated it at first – but I really had to know where these guys were coming from to understand their message.
Matt,
Brother, you are completely missing the point brother. This is not about Lecrae, Shai Linne or any of your favorite artist. Focus! This post is not a criticism of them. If you must, read it again. Many have said the concert was entertainment, not worship. That’s the issue. I’ve nothing personal against Lecrae or any of the singers in that video, ok? So get past the presumptions and tell me about the issue of the post itself. Thanks. Also, see here for a good reminder.
I would like to draw the line between endorsing cultural evils (as we see when local Roman Catholic Churches embrace voo-doo, in the Caribbean Basin, for example) and accepting the changing cultural expressions (styles of architecture, clothing, music).
It’s true that blood-bought saints of the Living God can – and will – disagree on the issue of what form of music is acceptable. Some reformers declaim any lyrics that are not lifted from Scripture. Spurgeon rebuked a church for installing an organ (“the last time I was here you worshiped our Lord with your voices. I see now that you have hired a machine to do it for you!”).
How are the people of God to get along in this arena? With love for one another and exhortation to examine everything we hold to – most importantly our personal opinions. Col 2:20-23 would seem to rebuke all of us.
If anyone is interested in a serious, reformed, hip-hop artist – even if your interest is to disprove him – I encourage you to visit http://www.lyricaltheology.blogspot.com/ and listen to some of Shai Linne’s work.
I agree that rap and hip-hop culture has evil components that attract the attention of worldlings – that we should avoid. And I do not subscribe to the view that Paul became a rapper to reach rappers.
We should all seek to honor the Lord in all we do. I know I’ve much left to do, should the Lord tarry.
I would just comment that we need to be careful not to lump all Christian rap into the same boat based on a dislike for how worshipful or “un-worshipful” the DesiringGod video was. That is a whole different issue. I, for one, find that there is more of the gospel in LeCrae’s rap music than is behind most pulpits today. I commend these young men who proclaim the gospel unashamedly and they should be encouraged to continue to do so. Can rap music be blasphemous – absolutely! But I have equally heard choral music fit for the greatest of churches to be equally blasphemous. It’s blasphemous because of the content, not the delivery. As one who is classically trained I am not fond of rap music but I will say that I can listen to and enjoy much of LeCrae’s music both for it’s sound and more so for the profound lyrics that is often like listening to great reformed writing set to music.
I just caution folks from lumping all Christian rap as a bad thing. It’s not. Artists like LeCrae are a blessing to an often unreached group of people and I for one am behind him.
I can get behind Lecrae too. My point is those who call this concert ‘entertainment’ and completely deny it was an act of worship. No one has slammed the artists. If anything, I am slamming the hypocrisy of those who refuse to admit that a worship service took place. That is the point that everyone is missing, all because they are too busy defending what they enjoy.
just a quick shot out to Joel for facilitating this conversation and not backing out of it. as well as keeping up with tweets and comment moderation. he may have the strongest case of us all, but expect him to make that case while still keeping up with tweets and moderation is probably unreasonable at this point.
You used the phrase ‘shot out’ on purpose didn’t you? 🙂 j/k. Singing about Jesus is worship, it’s not entertainment. That’s the point I wish everyone would get.
“Singing about Jesus is worship, it’s not entertainment.”
Amen and amen! Too often, songs of all styles brag about the creature. We need to exalt Christ and keep man low. For Christ alone is worthy of all worship – the creature is without hope and desperately wicked apart from the Lamb of God.
lol I meant shout. nice job Joel… way to remain civil. I think we see, at least I see your point. The question to your original post would be is what was displayed in that video, or any concert, intended as worship or entertainment. If the intention is entertainment it is humanistic using of God… If the intention is worship with exaltation of God as the goal it is biblical.
Your premise is that the original video reeked of the entertainment syndrome thus it was inappropriate. Not that I agree per se with your assessment but I understand and respect the argument now.
Didn’t he mean, drive-by shot out…?
Hey hey hey!! Be nice lol 🙂
For the record, being a longtime fan of Christian Hip-Hop Music, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend ALL music that goes under the label, just in the same way one would not recommend all buildings that have the name church on them. However, Hip Hop is a genre of music that is also a language filled with many literary devices and modes of expression. If one is not familiar with the language or the culture, it would see like total foolishness. Often, we show bias towards cultures different from our own when we do not understand it. There’s isn’t anywhere in Scripture that forbids Christian Hip Hop however, I believe that whatever is done in the name of Christianity needs to conform to the standards of Christianity. I can tell you of a truth, that some of these Christian Rappers are A LOT more doctrinally sound than Hillsong and other popular Christian bands. I believe that if we are to make judgments they must be based on a clear and fixed standard. However let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater; though others may be different than us, lets respect each other’s differences.
Now I think I get the point of this discussion after reading through the replies from the Admin. However, I believe that there were misunderstandings that let myself and others to believe that you were bashing Christian Hip Hop as a whole. In light of this, I do believe that we need to draw a line between worship and entertainment.
I was not bashing Christian hip-hop as a whole. This is no ‘broad stroke’. Singing about Jesus is worship, do not call it entertainment, unless you have a low view of what He’s done, and treat Him like an accessory to your life.
Wow…”thug music”…just, wow. I’d imagine that the first disciples, formerly Jews, would have looked at the Gentiles that Paul and Peter boldly ministered to and would have called their cultural differences “thuggish” if the word had been around. We need to attack the content of the message (if it is wrong), not the medium, because the medium in this case (and in many others that seem to stoke the fires of evangelical theologians) is not the real issue of godliness. Saying that one objects to “thug music” as sinful is akin to those first century Jews saying they object to eating pork as sinful, something Paul made a point to decry.
Joel,
You posted some objections like this:
Suppose we take “entertainment” off the table. Suppose we evaluate this assertion from your original post, instead: “It caters to the flesh, and it is not worship.”
Where does that statement come from? Is it what you said in the post above?
Is it the history & origins of rap that make you say it caters to the flesh, then? If not that (or if not just that), then what else?
Bottom line Juggy, again, if you sing/rap/recite anything using the name of Jesus, and it is not in worship, then you are using His name in vain. How can I make myself more clear than that?
– Joel
Agreed. That’s a good principle.
What made you assert that the activity in the video was not done in worship? What made you assert that it was done in the flesh, not in worship?
I keep hearing a few of us debating about what is in-line with worship and what is, in our opinions, appropriate to do in God’s name and I keep hearing the majority say. “prove to me where my rap is bad, show me where the Bible says that I cannot rap and be a Christian, and I want to keep my rap regardless…”
It sounds alot like “what I like cannot be bad” type of selfishness. You guys cannot even consider that street-thug glorification style of living is not an appropriate form of medium for ministry and you have nothing to back it up but emotion and “show me a verse” comments…
Thanks again, JT, for having the guts that many pastors in America gave away years ago for fear of losing the tares from their congregations…
Truthinator,
I have asked you to be specific about what you think is wrong in this situation, and why. That is all. You characterize that as a “show me a verse” question.
I ask because I would like to consider your answer. You choose to interpret that as “You guys cannot even consider…”
You can choose to answer or not; you can choose as my elder to edify & instruct or not. But that kind of dismissive rhetorical game is not an edifying tactic.
Truthinator,
Will you do me the courtesy of responding?
I want to apologize to you. I jumped to a conclusion about what you were referring to in your post yesterday, and I was wrong. Now that I’ve read your clarification, I have realized my mistake.
I still don’t necessarily agree with your stance on the concert, or with DesiringGod.org posting the video, but I’m willing to admit that I was wrong with my original statement calling you a Pharisee. I apologize brother, my post will be adjusted accordingly along with explanation.
I appreciate that. Thanks. 🙂
When most people misunderstand what you have written, you have failed to serve your audience. It seems as if that is the case here.
“In humility, consider others better than yourselves.” I think this applies to writing as well.
Humility is the first lesson to learn as a writer. You must be a servant to your audience. A good writer assumes that, if the audience misses the point, it is his fault and not the audience’s.
I believe the point you are trying to make may be valid and interesting. However, I think you may need to rewrite your post.
Sincerely,
An English Teacher.
Dear English Teacher,
I never liked you guys, and I get published without your red ink now. Besides, my last post was so clear regarding my point that only those who had biased presuppositions ‘missed’ what I was saying. Nice quote however. 🙂 – Joel
English teacher,
There is a difference between not understanding and not wanting to hear… I think the latter is a better definition of what is happening here.
The thing about considering others as better than yourself is a good point but it also works in reverse. Respectfully, I think you missed the point like so many others. JT could not have been more clear.
Ther is a shoot, ready, aim approach to the emotional tantrums thrown by the rap defenders. Oh, pardon the pun, when I said ‘shoot’, it was totally accidental. I was not trying to be funny this time.
You offer good advice but, if you look at JT’s work in totality, you will see he has been clear and on point.
P.S. please do not correct by writing. You English teachers are very picky… 😉 and usually correct… 😉 😉
JT,
I just want to say thank you for your post. I have to admit that I don’t agree with you nor many of your nay-sayers to the point that I can lock arms and face down the other side. I can say, though, and this is why I’m thankful for your post, that your post has exposed weaknesses on both sides and in all of our flesh. I don’t have the time to articulate all of my own positions in this comment because they would need more of a post-sized space to do justice to the matter at hand. However, I will say that I do listen to Christian hip-hop, but not for worship nor for entertainment. Can there be another purpose? Indeed, I believe there can. If you ever have the time, let’s have a chat.
I appreciate your blog, your boldness and your tweets. Keep them coming, keep preaching the gospel, stand firm but stay humble.
Your brother in Christ,
Justin Durst, Jr.
Rap is not the same as worship!! It’s teaching/preaching. It goes more along praise if it’s written to the Lord.
However, most of what is produced by Christian rap artists now is directed towards the audience, which is not wrong.
I know I am a day late with my comment but I couldn’t get on line yesterday. I am so glad JT has been willing to hang in there with this topic. I watched part of the video again, thinking I may have been wrong but it still appears to me to be entertainment and not worship. Any Christian music who uses God’s name for their own purposes for their own means is wrong. At the beginning of this video, by all appearances with the screaming and lights when the crowd sees Lacrae, doesn’t look any different than any other secular concert.
When Lucas gave a witness about the guy who died and left a widow and he spoke of hope and joy from the Lord, no one screamed and waved their hands. But if Lacrae shows up then you hear the screaming. This looks, sounds and is carnal. It is not worship it is idolatry. It appears that the people are there to bring glory, support and love to Lacrae not Jesus Christ.
By the way to the English teacher: Most people have not misunderstood what has been written and JT has not failed to serve his “audience”. His “audience” reads and understands exactly what they want to hear. And I am grateful that he is more concerned with serving Christ than serving us his “audience” as you call us. It seems to me that JT is not concerned with entertaining his “audience” as he is with putting truth and thoughts in front of us that we as Christians should seriously ponder prayerfully.
God bless you JT and thank you!
No one has agreed to my 30 day challenge to read only the Bible and ask God for direction about how to live… The silence is deafening…
Come on, rap lovers. Who is man enough? It seems you are only interested in beating a drum in defense of your fleshly desires.
Tough love from T.
I object to you posting Jovan Mackenzy’s “Hersey” only to turn around and attack people who use the talent of rapping to glorify and honor God. It is truly to see your blind rage because of personal dislike. There is nothing ungodly about rhyming words or wearing a hat sideways. What is ungodly is the violence, sex, worship of money, etc that is in secular rap. To say that God cannot redeem people and use thier talent for His glory is ridiculous. Truthanator’s comments have been very cruel, talking about people jumping around and acting like animals. For someone whose wife is part black and who has a good majority of friends who are black, this is very insulting and cruel. If anyone seems ungodley here, it’s him. To use a street thug mentality in rap you would have to rap like that person, not in style, but in content. That is not the content and lyrics of these rappers.
Now I will agree that 95% of Christian Rap is wordly and is not God glorifying, just like gospel music and CCM. But dont throw the baby out with bath water. There are some peoeple who are making God glorifying anf honoring music. To me that this song is not worship, Timothy Brindle “The Excellency of Christ.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0SNEFXZyFg
Dustin, your objection is noted, but the artists, as individuals were not ‘attacked’. As individuals, they were not even mentioned were they? This is not an issue of lyrics or style, it’s about who is defining what worship of God is, or whether it’s ok to use Jesus-Speak and insist it is mere entertainment, and not worship. To do so, I believe, is wrong, as I’ve made very clear in the follow-up post.
I believe the video should not be called ‘entertainment’ only, and not worship. Anyone who knows the history of rap/hip-hop, knows it comes from a controversial, ungodly background, but that does not mean Jovan, Lecrae or any other artist is by default. CCm, etc, are likewise faulty in areas. Like you said, “don’t throw the baby…” 🙂 Point is this: Worship is defined by God, in Scripture. We, as believers, do not get to choose how God is worshiped. To insist otherwise, is to deny the examples and teachings found in Scripture on this very issue. Don’t miss the point brother. Thanks for stopping by. – JT
if someone do something is bad and if he doesn´t is bad too, I don´t really know what is the point here, if some christian make music with Godly lyrics it´s bad, because he is “entertaining” with God. and if he doesn´t use Godly lyrics its bad too, because he is so wordly, my question is, what do you want them to do?, work for free… and asking for charity.
God is the creator of all, even music, whole of it can be use to glorify his name.
Psa 9:14 That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.
Psa 33:2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
Psa 35:18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
Psa 47:7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
I personally not a fan of hip-hop music, but I don´t see any biblical base to attack the people that use the style with understanding to glorify God.
Rom 14:20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
both food and music, are not them created by the same God?
why do we call it impure?
for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
so please , we dont need to destroy owr brothers.
Joel, two things Paul Washer has noted from scripture about music. One it glorified and honored God, two it was didac, dont know if i spelled that right, it taught people about God. If we are doing that in any genre of music then is that not worship?
And Joel please show me rap’s unglody background aside from people who took the music and used it for evil. The music itself is not evil, its the content that comes from the rappers hearts that is an expression of what is inside. I think we would have a wonderful dialog about this on this website. Feel free to contact me or Jovan or both of us and continue this conversation and possibly a dialog on this website. Love you man and I enjoy this website, God bless you.
Hey Joel,
Without reinventing the wheel and reposting everything I’ve already written, someone on the Puritan Board posted your topic for discussion. As a musician, music teacher and theologian, I’m going to disagree with you. My reasons are stated here:
http://www.puritanboard.com/f51/open-letter-fans-christian-hip-hop-music-59199/
(it’s good to read the whole thread, even though I’m all the way at post #28).
I’ll be expanding this into a full blogpost over at Theologically Correct dot Com over the weekend.
Take care and God Bless.
What ? 24 hours and no approval yet ?
Christian rap isn’t about, “street violence, sex, drugs and defiance of Law enforcement”. It is 100% about the love, and grace of Jesus Christ. Its a proclaimation of the Gospel. Walking around with a hat turned sideways is not a sin, Pastor. If someone walked into your church with a hat turned sideways, would you turn them away? Lecrae has a song about this called Church Clothes. It doesnt matter what someone wears. People need to look deeper than appearance.