The Emerging Church: Hip Hop as a Hook
By Terri Simmons, 02.17.05
Picture this: A room full of more than 200 teenagers and young adults from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The lights dim on stage as flashing multi-colored aluminous sparks emerge. Surrounding the stage are four TV monitors. The emcee steps to the microphone. He prays. Minutes later, the deejay and ministry leader collaborate to lead praise and worship to God. Those teenagers and young adults join them in worship to a new melody of Hip-Hop music.
Modern Hip-Hop music is popular and the content often evokes a negative affiliation with gangs, profanity, lyrical wars and disrespect toward women. Hip-Hop lyrics today are more about the artist’s lavish lifestyle, the need to be rich or about sharing a testimony of surviving multiple gunshots while selling drugs in rundown inner-city neighborhoods. Lyrics often include innuendoes of retaliation or vendetta, hate and often paint a picture that money, sex, cars and jewelry bring true happiness.
This context is serious because music is a heavy influence in the lives of anyone who listens. It affects youth in enormous ways because they desire the same lifestyle or mentality portrayed in the music they hear. For them, Hip-Hop gives an adrenaline rush or a sense of motivation. For instance, trendy Hip-Hop artist 50 Cent recently released a popular single called, “What Up Gangsta.” In part, the lyrics flow like this:
“You getting money? ...I'm not the type to get knocked for D.W.I./ I'm the type that'll kill your connect when the coke price rise/ Gangstas, they bump my s**t then they know me….”
Although this music genre has a very specific reputation, churches and hundreds of young Christians are using Hip-Hop for the greater glory of God. The Hip-Hop mainstream now includes music that glorifies Jesus Christ. Consider these lyrics:
“Believe it or not ya’ll there’s blessedness in brokenness/ sometimes I feel like Jacob baby with a broken hip/ and a changed name I don’t mind writing with a broken wrist/ long as I’m broken he can use me to promote the gift/ free of charge extended to all who put their faith in Christ...”
—Da’ T.R.U.T.H., Gospel Hip-Hop Artist
Simply, Hip-Hop is now used to evangelize.
Why are youth attracted to a genre that portrays baggy jeans, ball caps and bling? Because we’re in an era where teens are all about moving and shaking. They are heavily into the arts. They desire a growing musical phenomenon, which includes floor-rattling bass and pulsating vocals. It’s about “keeping it real”—a phenomenon that has been adopted as a mindset and way of life. The younger generation is looking for an open, diverse and comfortable medium where they can share values and love God by just being themselves.
Hip-Hop is a necessary link to congregations seeking to reach youth. This genre is energetic, uplifting and spiritual. Youth can relate to it. Why? Because Hip-Hop is spoken in a language they understand. It’s a new culture of Christian ministry.
Finally, churches are leaving their comfort zones and established traditional walls to explore a culture that is interested in pleasing God in their own language. As a result, a growing number of churches and ministries are adopting rhythm and boldness—transitioning into what is now called an “emerging church.”
Emerging churches are ministries that serve God completely “out of the box.” These churches are non-traditional and non-denominational. They look for ways to worship God without comfortable patterns and familiar rituals. Emerging churches are a “new thing.” In the Bible, Isaiah 43:19 states, “Behold, I will do a new thin; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Emerging churches are not common, but they are creative witnesses for the present and future church to look and sound differently.
The idea of emerging churches also goes beyond music; it explores new concepts and ideas that will expand the overall look of the church. A few emerging ideas include implementing technology, inviting new music into worship services, introducing a more casual and dress-down atmosphere and encouraging youth participation.
Crossover Community Church, located in Tampa, Fla., is one of many new emerging churches using the rhythm and blues of Hip-Hop to attract inner-city youth. Many visitors have reported that their church services are mingled with disc jockeys, turntables and break dancers. Christian Hip-Hop artists lead praise and worship, and testimony services are led by former drug dealers and strippers. Specifically, Crossover Community Church is trying to reach a crowd not interested in pews and stained-glass windows.
Its interests lie in getting newcomers plugged into small group Bible studies, drama teams, open microphone and poetry. Although this fresh new style of ministry is growing increasingly popular, it is more than just about melodious, upbeat Christian music. While the beat of the music can attract a crowd, it’s more than just Hip-Hop.
Hip-Hop is the hook. But, how is this ministry?
The word of God is infused into Christian Hip-Hop lyrics, and youth are attracted to it. The music edifies Jesus Christ and portrays the message of a fulfilled life through Him. The ambiance of Christian Hip-Hop consists of the same bass, skilled lyrics and combination of creative beats as other Hip-Hop music, but the message is different.
Everyone’s logic and spiritual growth is different. With emerging churches, Hip-Hop is geared toward unsaved youth, reaching them in their element and in their culture. Christian Hip-Hop music can serve as a pathway to spiritual awareness, and lead to a more personal and in-depth committed relationship with God.
