As most of you who visit this site may well know. I love Holy Hip Hop (HHH or 3H). Some of my brothers and sisters in the faith believes that this genre of music is unacceptable to God. The funny thing is that I read the bible and it really doesn’t say anything about it so unless someone got an email or recent fax from heaven, I might have to pull out the….. blam!!!! Legalism Card! LOL!!! Anyway the first song that plays when you come to the site is by Flame featuring Tedahshi (both solid brothers in the Lord, rapping is just a venue to proclaim the gospel, both are solid and loving husbands) and is an album called “Our World Fallen” well this project actually has two phases one to proclaim the depravity of the world and two to proclaim the redemption of it through the Blood of the Lamb! You know everytime I think of the Gospel and what was actually accomplished on the cross tears form in the corner of my eyes. Anway mark your calenders for March 4th as Marcus AKA Flame releases his fourth album “Our World Redeemed” you can sample some of the tracks here (4 to be exact).
If you know much about Flame his music is usually theologically heavy, urban engaging, and doctrinally sound and relevant. He speaks to a generation that has been forsaken by my grandmother’s and mother’s generation. Our pants are too low, our hair too long and our music to pulsating. Flame attempts to bridge the Gap between the lost and the Cross by using hip hop as the venue. I am very excited about this album and will provide a review no later than March 10th. I will critique the beats, lyrics and doctrinal soundness of the album. Please support the brother by picking up the album anywhere Christian music is sold and you can encourage him by contacting him here at his personal website.
yesss! we have been excitedly waiting for this one as well, thanks for sharing this
btw…you would be right in pullin out the Legalism card LOL!
peace & God Bless
I am not a big fan of hip hop any more (I think it has something to do with bumping my head while breakdancing :-)).
When people say that God doesnt approve of certain music strictly judging by the beat or feel of the music, I want to ask, What Would Jesus Listen too?(WWJL2).
There was a time people thought the same way about Amazing Grace, but now. YOU BESS NOT SAY NOTIN BOUT MY SONG (insert head roll).
Every new stlye of music that praises the Lord, has some growing pains.
Some of them tend to sample older music with Christian wording. I cant listen to those because I start thinking about the original and singing the wrong words. (Kirk)
I think as long as we worship God and not get carried away with the music, any sound has its place.
My confession: I am a former breakdancer, I am black with a bald head, AND I LIKE CLASSICAL MUSIC!!! (and Iam not talking Eric.B and Rahim classical either)
Whew, I feel so much better.
Brother Lionel,
I was curious as to what you thought about this:
http://ccggrockford.org/?cat=9
Specifically, if you follow the link, there’s an audio sermon on the issue of culture entitled “Common Misconceptions About Music - John Makujina ” & A Christian Theology of Music……plus one on the issue of A Christian Theology of Culture | Kevin Bauder
Remember that man I was talking about who had the issue of Drums? Well, he gave me the link awhile back so I could hear the sermons and I thought I’d pass it to you to critique. Apparently, there were some valid points on music that those for worshipping according to one’s cultural background don’t understand…..& I wanted to be certain that if I disagreed with anything I got some third party perspective.
Also, if you’re up for it, there was an argument he brought up that has had me buggn’n for awhile and I wanted feedback on. I haven’t engaged him for a good while……but In regards to Psalm 150 and others dealing with praising God with Cymbals, he had some points that I’ve been mulling over for awhile. In his Words:
Why would the term, “sanctuary” (quodesh), in Psalm 150 refer to the highest of heavens instead of to the temple in Jerusalem? The reason that it would refer to the heavens is because of the other term, “mighty expanse” (raqiya`), of which it is paired. Psalm 150:1 tells the reader that God is to be praised in the highest of places - in the highest heavens and in the expanse of heaven. Does this mean that man has to go to heaven before he can worship God? Of course not, the angels of God worship Him in the heavens. (See Revelation 4:8-11) Why would Psalm 150 speak of worship in the heavens? It would do so if it wanted to convey the idea that God is so great and glorious that He is praised, not only in the lowly reaches of the earth by its inhabitants (Psalm 150:6), but in all of His kingdom, including the highest of places of heaven.
Psalm 150 is not giving instructions about how to worship nor about a certain place in which to worship (John 4:21). The Psalm is not suggesting that people need to go to heaven to worship God - angels already worship Him there. It does not say that instruments need to be be taken from the earth to heaven - angels have their own instruments for praising God (Revelations 5:8, 14:2-3; 15:2-4). Instead, the Psalm is a proclamation that God is worthy of praise in all of His creation and by all of His creatures, because of His greatness and His actions (Psalm 150:2). The psalm is saying, “All of you, praise the LORD.”
The term, sanctuary, is used similarly in Psalm 102, which is another Psalm in which the term, sanctuary, refers to the heavens, and the context is giving praise to God.
“For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth” Psalm 102:19
Notice that the subject of Psalm 102:19, like Psalm 150:1, is praise of God - from the heights of heaven and down to the earth. (See Psalm 102:15-18, 20-22.) Psalm 120:19 specifically speaks of looking down from the sanctuary to the earth. Then, the verse defines the meaning of sanctuary (quodesh) as used in the verse as “heaven.”
It is the context of Psalm 150:1 and 120:19 that indicates that the two verses use sanctuary as a reference to the heavens. Remember the three rules of hermeneutics: context, context, context.
Psalm 150 does not . . . {support the position that any and all kinds of instruments are appropriate for communal worship}. It does not imply that just any kind of instrument or that all kinds of instruments are appropriate to be used in communal worship.
Only certain instruments were allowed in the temple. Here are some passages that speak about that: 1 Chronicles 15:16, 28; 16:4-6; 39-42; 25:1, 6-7; 2 Chronicles 5:12-13; 7:6; 29:24-28; Numbers 10:2; 29:1.
Hey Brother G,
With all do respect brother, I don’t think this is an arguement worth having. If a person feels drums is unacceptable when the bible says no such thing, then I have to say this individual is being divisive and legalistic. Christ nor His apostles put no such restrictions on believers.
If you want to talk to him, then talk to him about worship being the act of vertical humitlity. That the content is what makes the difference not “styles”. Worship is a matter of the heart that exalts God’s work in Christ and as long as that is the focus of the people gathered together than I believe it to be biblical. We talked about not enganging in such dialogues bro, I believe Paul would categorize this as foolish (not you but the arguement itself)
I hear ya, Brah. To be clear, Trust me, I haven’t engaged him nor do I plan to as the way he went about things was divisive……..but the arguments themselves I wanted to break down for myself regarding the word usage so that in the future similar things arise, as some of the points did seem valid/logical and I can’t dismiss them easily. Am I going to lose sleep over it? Of course not……but the analytical side of me likes to think. That’s all…but I hear ya.