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.

[Tarik Al-Hadi Hodge]

you're not saying anything; Pastor Day is speakin for you now...

[Bishop Derrick Day]

I'm not speaking for anyone, simply making a point. Brothers Anthony and Jones are more than capable of speaking for themselves.

[Jonathan Anthony]

Perhaps it is because I have a life outside this board.... I do not have to spend my entire time here debating you. I do have a wife, I do have a home to run.

[Cedrick L.Netter]

Anything that glorifies God I think it's the traditions of men and that "old way of thinking " If it's not Organ music that it'snot Holy theres different Genres of Christian music Counrty,Metal, Gospel Contemp,I could go on and on so Yes I would and we do !! what we try to stay away from is that DRY DEAD ORGAN MUSIC WADE IN THE WATER!!

[newview]

To me HipHop aint nothing but a new form of urban/black/inner city music.

So why put it on ANY kind of pedestal and try to make it some kind of martyr of the ages?
The problem is the value that leaders in the church are now placing on ENTERTAINMENT to draw people young and old to Christ.
Its absolutely freaky.

[Jonathan Anthony]

Hip hop is not new, its been around almost since slavery.... Wow my people destroyed for a lack of knowledge.

[newview]

Brother Anthony - please please please tell me what is this HIP HOP that has been around since slavery?
And are you serious ---> your people will be destroyed if they dont know what HIP HOP is?

Lord help us.

[S. Bernard Mitchell]

Brother Newview allow me to share with you. Yes hip-hop is registered as a religious doctrine. Yes there is hip-hop music out there that teaches against the lifestyle of a true believer in the gospel of Jesus the Christ. What is not state or clarified is the fact that we, as ministers who are active in this music ministry, have not pledged our lifes to hip hop the religion. We made a covenant with our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. We worship Him, not hip hop; we praise Him, not hip-hop, we love Jesus, not hip-hop. Yes the sounds are similar, yes the deliveries are similar yet no it is not the same. The vehicle is used for is the same purpose, to spread a message through music. Is it meant for the pulpit, that is only for that Shepard God has place in that temple to know. Is the method effective, by what we see during ministry, yes!!! Do we only use this to minister, no! You have those who entertain, but not all are entertainers. Are we out there with the delivery, sure! Why not! How can you serve a marvelous God as we do and be calm about who Jesus is to us? Jeremiah said it's like fire shut up in my bones. Now if you were on fire like that would you be still and quiet. I don't think so. We are radical praisers who love to go hard for Jesus. Of course it seems crazy, so did Joshua when he and the people of God marched around Jerico quietly and then went up in praise. God does not work in the ordinary. He is extraordinary! That's so wonderful about Him. He is unpredictable! I love that about our God! Some people can sing well, some can play instruments beautifully. We talk on a whole different level on these tracks. We praise God like we know! We offer our joyful noise as we know how to. And Jesus accepts our offerings! Why because has no respector of person. We are His own. And we love Him so much that we choose to take what we did to run from Jesus and His kingdom and use it to help draw others to Him. We are giving our best to Him. We don't care about the title of hip-hop, we care about doing what we can for the kingdom of God. We don't care about impressing preachers with the breaking down of texts, we care about winning our homies and bringing them in to establish relationships with Jesus. They listen to the words in the music. They hear the message in the music. The "world" wants to know Jesus and they love the way we are introducing Jesus to them. It is only an introduction! What will keep them are the preachers & teachers pouring living water into them and showing them how to be changed by the renewing of their minds.

A sister quoted a scripture to me on this thread, Amos 3:3. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?". She said she couldn't accept my request of friendship because I am a gospel rap minister. Well when you research that text, if we serve the same God, if we worship the same God, if we were baptised in the name of Jesus, we do agree. We are walking this walk of faith together. Jesus is my Savior, there is no straddling of the fence. We give our offerings and sacrifices to Jesus. We make residence in the secret place of the most high. We do be agreed dispite your opinion of this music being questioned.

We walk together because the body of Christ is one living organism not an organization.

Doesn't matter what type of music you use to glorify Jesus, as long as He gets all the glory! When the flesh is pleased then we have issues.

[Bishop Derrick Day]

Amen, Brother!

[Jonathan Anthony]

no newview, they are destroyed because they are ignorant of their history
Slave songs, songs about the north star, even some negro spirituals all rhymed, were set to music, and in some cases were accompanied by a specific beat.....

[Rev. Spencer L. Miller]

You are stretching a little there Brother Anthony. Are you saying there were Snoop Dog's and P Diddy's among the cotton fields of Mississippi and such?

[Jonathan Anthony]

Rev. Miller, Rhyming is nothing new, preachers rhymed from the pulpit for years before hip hop became popular. As ministers I think it behooves us to know a lot more than just King James, you said you majored in greek, did you not learn that you have to examine scripture in light of culture as well as history?