I am concerned that using “rap and hip-hop” music, as a tool to bring young people to Christ could be nothing more than fool’s gold. We assume they are attracted to Christ, His ways, and His word because they come to church, meetings, and “parties” where hip-hop and rap music that names the name of Christ is being played. However, we must examine this and ask the question, “Are they coming because they love the Lord, or because of the music and the environment?”

The true test to see if this “method” is valid is this…If you stop playing the music and got rid of all the dancing instantaneously, would they still come and want to hear the gospel preached and live a life that is pleasing and fruitful in the sight of God? In other words, what happens when the music stops? I believe that most will vanish and show they never really loved the Lord but that it was the music, dancing, and the hip-hop environment they truly loved. The reason for this is that they didn’t want the Master, but rather what was on the Master’s table. Or, they didn’t love Christ but the by-products of Christ. Simply put, if we tell them that Christianity is all about rapping and dancing than that is all they will want out of it. And when that is not there, neither is their walk with God. It leaves just as the music leaves.

For some reason we have become so “educated” that we have become foolish. We have allowed today’s psychologist and “experts” in today’s culture tell us that the Bible in and of itself is boring and irrelevant to teens. And that unless it is package with some form of entertainment (rap/hip-hop) it can’t penetrate and change people’s lives. We have bought into the lie that God’s holy word needs help from us in order for it to have power and be effective to change lives for eternity. Christianity, and furthermore, the Bible, doesn’t need “decorations” to make it attractive and appealing like a Christmas tree needs ornaments and lights. How dare we think we can “help God out” by adding outside entertainment to the message of the cross. All of these so-called attractions are nothing more than distractions. Distractions that lead to a watered-down gospel that then leads to a false gospel which finally leads to a false salvation. How can we help save young people when the message we are preaching may not be a saving message?

For us to feel that we must conform Christianity, specifically the gospel, to the culture is a slap in the face to God’s dynamic word that has transformed lives for centuries. God’s word is just as powerful today as it was many years ago. We act as if the Bible cannot penetrate into the hearts of teens in the 21rst century. That, of course, is dead wrong! Hebrews 4:12 states that the word of God is living, active, and is able to get down into the joints and bones of people. It digs deep into their hearts and minds. Notice the passage says that the word of God is living and active and penetrates. It does NOT say the word of God plus something else to help it out.

In 1 Corinthians 2 Paul talks about his method of preaching. In that chapter he says that his preaching was not with “persuasive words or human wisdom”. Why Paul? Because he did not want people to come to Christ due to his clever, fancy talk but because they had truly put their faith in Christ. In other words, he only wanted to message of the cross to be the focus, nothing else. Earlier in 1 Corinthians 1:17 he says that Christ sent him to preach the gospel, not with fancy words. Why Paul? Because if his preaching was filled with fancy talking and rhetoric it would have made the cross of Christ of no effect. In other words, the cross would not have meaning to anyone if they missed the message altogether due to distractions. Paul, who was highly educated, never wanted his words to take the focus off the message.

One must also wonder why we would want to mix something as precious and holy (set apart) as the Bible with the hip-hop/rap culture. A culture that promotes a lifestyle of drugs, pimping, rebellion, sex, fast living, murder, and is demeaning to women. A culture that lauds Tupac, Notorius BIG, Fifty-Cent, Snoop Dog, and others. How can the Bible really remain the Bible if it is now mixed and blended with that culture? Where is the distinction? When we try to mix the Bible with the hip-hop culture what happens is that the culture will rule and the Bible and its precepts will take a back seat. We must make a separation.

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