Hip Hop in the Church

[Rev. Kenneth R. Jenkins]

I now understand more and more about this so-call world of "Hip-Hop". I understand now why "Hip-Hop"has really no place in our churches and yet it's slowly creeping in our church doors. After hearing all of this, I will stand behind fellow clergy members by NOT allowing "Hip-Hop" into our churches.

Pastors,Ministers and Church Leaders, would you allow "Hip-Hop" in your churches? Is this a way in keeping our youth in church? I am interested in all feedback concerning this issue.

[Jonathan Anthony]

So then what you are saying that words have no meaning it is all in the beat? That is foolish. If words do not matter why then would the Word of God tell us that "Life and Death are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21) Why then would God Himself say to us in Proverbs " My son hear my words, attend to the words of my mouth" He did not say "thou art snared with the beat, thou are taken with the beat of the music" Its thou are snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth (Proverbs 6:2) Its not the beat, that is foolish religious rhetoric for preachers who have itching ears about some things.

My dad pastored for over forty years, I watched him pray, research, agonize over messages, I watched him actually do the work necessary to preach. What I see here, what I hear here, is so much different. I see men of God, being lazy. I see men of God regurgitating things that they have heard from a problematic source. I see men of God who while they have itching ears, have not done the nesessary research to qualify themselves on this subject.

[Rev. Spencer L. Miller]

You are definitely correct my brother!

[James Pierce]

I want to know how is holy hip hop demonic? I am sure that many that are responding here listen to r&b, world music, and other genres.

[Rev. Spencer L. Miller]

I just left a church service and witnessed a large number of senior citizens who have been fighting for the Lord a long time, let's just say that hip hop music does indeed become a major part of the worship service. What do we do concerning our seasoned saints? You can not possibly think or expect that they would be willing to come on board the hip hop train to hell. Or do you think they are no longer of any great importance due to their advanced ages? This question is to all the hip hoppers of the church.

[James Pierce]

Rev Spencer,

Hip hop train to hell? What sin are gospel rappers, and them that love it, are committing? What violation of the Torah are they breaking??

[Rev. Spencer L. Miller]

It is not Spencer, that is my first name, it's Miller, you sound sincere with this question and so I will once again try to help. Hip hop music because of its origin and what it originally represented in its earliest stages, we should not embrace it as Christians. There can be no Holy Hip-hop or Christian Hip-hop because the culture cannot lend itself to the direction of the Holy Spirit. Hop-hop is a way of worshiping ourselves instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hezekiah Walker who was just appointed a bishop has invited several well known secular hip hop artist to perform in the church he pastors and this is a prime example of letting the flesh become equally yoke with the church. It has come to the point that many hip hoppers are now free-stying with the Word, there is a new book and website, jesusandjigga.com by Edgar J. Dolce the book is entitled, "Jesus & Jigga (Jay-Z) : Hip Hop meets Scripture--we are going much too far with this, let hip hop stay in its original setting (the world); and keep it out of the house of God.

[James Pierce]

Rev Miller,

Again, what violation of the Torah has one committed if they listen to Gospel rap, or do Gospel rap themselves?

[Jonathan Anthony]

Brother Pierce I have been asking Brother Spencer Miller that same question for the past 48 hours. He must be a graduate of the Fred Astaire dance studio, because he has done nothing but dance around it.

[Rev. Spencer L. Miller]

I've never belittled you, and if I did I sincerely apologize Brother Anthony.

[Jonathan Anthony]

No worries. If I have belittled you it was meant only to awaken the man of God I know resides in you..... Why oh why would you merely take the word of one or possibly two people, who
1. will not agree to a debate about the issue (what is there to hide)
2. Will not answer simple questions like "where are you from, who is your pastor" (once again what is there to hide)
3. Refuses to do what Paul did in Acts 17. In dealing with the citizens of Athens he used the words of their own poets, their own philosophers to preach to them.
Am I saying that one should use rap lyrics to preach, no of course not, but when dealing with a culture not your own, you use what is there, One does not go into China attempting win souls and not learn first the culture of the area, the language of the area, do they speak mandarin, or one of the other 49 languages. Spencer I can tell that you are sincere, but to condemn an entire culture, where there is no scriptural precedent for it. The Roman culture of the first century was far worse than anything that we have seen in our lifetime, and yet Paul was sent, Timothy, eventually almost all of the apostles were sent out to the roman world. And yet at no time did God turn his back on them. That being the case, why is it ok to turn our back on a culture that is far less reprobate, far less misogynistic? If we are called to go out to reach them, why is it that there is this battle to say we should not touch them. What would be the outcome had Jesus never touched the sick? How often has He touched us, even when we messed up? How often did He touch you when you messed up? Spencer truth of the matter is this. The enemy wants nothing more than for us to ignore them. Wants nothing more than for us to relegate them to going to hell. Wants nothing more than for us to wring our hands and say "oh well". As a man of God I cannot accept that, I will not accept that, I know better. Had it not been for someone reaching out to me, and speaking my language I would not know God. I would not be where I am today. I would not be moving into position, poised to get my Phd in pastoral studies.

[Rev. Spencer L. Miller]

I've answered your question and if you don't accept my answer there is nothing I can do about that.

[Jonathan Anthony]

Uh no you did not. You stated "why should I answer your question, on your terms" The only terms I asked was to deal with it specifically with regard to it. without injecting the prejudice you have obviously toward the secular. I do not see you condeming the Clark Sisters, oh but wait that is gospel jazz, and Martha Munizzi, I am sure you have sung the song "Make Your Praise Glorious" I am sure that in your musical abilities you were able to see that the song is gospel salsa music right? Truth is, you did not answer the question. If you want to stop dancing please do so and answer the question placed before you.