https://www.holyhiphop.com/feed/blog Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:30:29 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/paul-gilbert/blog/287/beat-tape https://www.holyhiphop.com/paul-gilbert/blog/287 Fri, 11 Mar 2022 12:49:35 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/flavestyles/blog/286/bible-thumprz https://www.holyhiphop.com/flavestyles/blog/286
anchor.fm/bryan-alston4 
Tune in to my podcast "Bible Thumprz" where we give application to life situations through biblical interpretation!
"It's all good cause it's all God!"
]]> Fri, 12 Feb 2021 15:02:58 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/285/dj-intangibles-top-10-holy-hip-hop https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/285
DJ Intangibles Top 10 Holy Hip Hop From "The Mustardseed Generation Mix Show"   Holyhiphopradio . Com   &   Christianhiphopradio . Com .
1. Piru, Brotha Dre & Dre Beeze
2. Running Man, Barretta the Psalmist
3. Stix, Nobigdyl
4. Human, Edify
5. Big Talk, Anthone Ray
6. Ball Forever, Xay Hill
7. Titan, Dre Beeze & Edify
8. Hearts Cry, Zeno Suave
9. Seasons, Brvndon P & Mission
10. Ride or Die, Reece Lache' & Rey Jose
]]> Fri, 15 May 2020 04:25:27 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/284/dj-intangibles-top-10-holy-hip-hop https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/284
DJ Intangibles Top 10 Holy Hip Hop From "The Mustardseed Generation Mix Show" Holyhiphopradio.Com & Christianhiphopradio.Com.
1. Piru, Brotha Dre & Dre Beeze
2. Running Man, Barretta the Psalmist
3. Stix, Nobigdyl
4. Human, Edify
5. Big Talk, Anthone Ray
6. Ball Forever, Xay Hill
7. Titan, Dre Beeze & Edify
8. Hearts Cry, Zeno Suave
9. Seasons, Brvndon P & Mission
10. Ride or Die, Reece Lache' & Rey Jose
]]> Fri, 15 May 2020 04:24:03 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/283/dj-intangibles-top-10-holy-hip-hop-from-the-mustardseed-generation-mix-show-holyhiphopradiocom-christianhiphopradiocom-105 https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/283 2. Human, Edify (feat. Bold Noize)
3. Celebrate, Rey Jose
4. GFTW, La-Toria
5. Defrost, Allan Love
6. Ride or Die, Reece Lache (feat. Rey Jose)
7. No Cap, Wande
8. Polo, Brotha Dre (feat. Steven Malcolm)
9. YAWEH, Made 4 CHRIST
10. No LOVE, Marc Griffin]]> Thu, 09 Apr 2020 21:09:58 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/282/dj-intangibles-top-10-holy-hip-hop-from-the-mustardseed-generation-mix-show-holyhiphopradiocom-christianhiphopradiocom-105 https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/282 1. Defrost, Allan Love
2. Get Up, Edify (feat. Dre Beeze)
3. Ride or Die, Reece Lache (feat. Rey Jose)
4. No Cap, Wande
5. Loose Change, Joey Vantes & KB
6. Party Remix, DJ Intangibles feat. Da Church & DJ Lokiese
7. Piru, Brotha Dre & Dre Beeze
8. Basic, Beacon Light
9. Way up, Bizzle
10. Yahweh, Made 4 CHRIST ]]> Wed, 18 Dec 2019 21:35:55 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/280/dj-intangibles-top-10-holy-hip-hop-from-the-mustardseed-generation-mix-show-on-1055-fm-the-king https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/280
1. Way Up, Bizzle
2. Devils Throat, BRM
3. Drippin, DJ Intangibles feat. Brotha Dre
4. Eat Da Mic, Calik Stillsik
5. Fuego, Steven Malcolm
6. Blessed Up, Wande
7. LORD Be Pleased, Porsha Love
8. Chosen, Brotha Dre
9. For the LOVE, Angie Rose & OnBeatMusic
10. Own Lane, Calvin Cofield Feat. T-Haddy

]]> Tue, 03 Sep 2019 02:59:01 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/much-luvv-records/blog/279/much-luvv-set-to-drop-visual-for-popular-kb--austin-lanier-assisted-%E2%80%9Cgenerations-remix%E2%80%9D-of-tre9%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cpull-up-on-ya-block%E2%80%9D-song https://www.holyhiphop.com/much-luvv-records/blog/279
Written by: Sketch the Journalist
August 19, 2019
 
HOUSTON, TX – His list of significant contributions to the national Christian hip hop scene is worthy of an in-depth collegiate study. But it’s Tre9’s legacy of local ministry that he’s most concerned with passing down to others. 
Such is the theme of the “Generations Remix” of his “Pull Up On Ya Block” song from the veteran rapper’s recent War Cry album. The track, which was originally just a collaboration between Tre9 and newcomer Rob Bing, now features Austin Lanier and Reach Records’ artist KB. 
The song showcases three emcees. Although they hail from three different generations of hip hop, their mission is the same - to show up anytime and anywhere to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. 
It’s a message that obviously resonates with listeners. Earlier this year the song set a record for the most consecutive weeks (10) as the champion of Houston’s 91.7 FM NGEN Radio’s “Thursday Throwdown” segment hosted by media personality Chris Chicago. 
And now “Pull Up On Ya Block” has a companion music video set to release this Friday August 23rd. The online visual features performances from each rapper, but more importantly, documentary footage of Tre9’s various Hip Hop Hope urban ministry events held at various neighborhoods across Houston. 
“These are people we see on a regular basis. We know their names, their struggles, and their stories and it was very important to me that this video showcase that part of my daily life,” Tre9 said. “Sure, the music side is fun, but I wholeheartedly believe that in the eyes of Christ, our servitude is much more valuable than our celebrity. 
Tre9’s War Cry album is available on all major digital distribution platforms. 
Connect with Tre9 on Facebook , Twitter , and  Instagram .

Apple Music: https://apple.co/2KMxq2J
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2OVwpdP
Google Play: https://bit.ly/33vRBdJ
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/2Kxm4QZ
]]> Mon, 19 Aug 2019 17:23:39 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/278/dj-intangibles-top-10-holy-hip-hop-from-the-mustardseed-generation-mix-show-on-1055-fm-the-king https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/278 1. For GOD I Live, Reece Lache'
2. Influential, Beacon Light feat. Derek Minor
3. Way Up, Bizzle
4. Drippin, DJ Intangibles feat. Brotha Dre
5. Eat Da Mic, Calikstilsik
6. Fuego, Steven Malcolm
7. LORD Be Pleased, Porsha Love
8. I Gotta Live, Wande
9. Grudge, Brinson
10. Body, D Reed feat. Marqus Anthony & Brotha Dre]]> Fri, 02 Aug 2019 20:11:43 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/277/dj-intangibles-top-20-holy-hip-hop https://www.holyhiphop.com/dj-intangibles/blog/277 2. Fuego, Steven Malcolm
3. Lit Lit, Bizzle
4. Own Lane, Calvin Cofield
5. Blessed Up, Wande
6. Chosen, Brotha Dre
7. Rose Gold, Allan Love x Dee 1
8. Broken Crown, Unkle Gmo feat. B Ryan & Brotha Dre
9. Losses, Flightschool
10. It's Not a Game, Derek Minor
11. Bussa Move, Curtis Lamar & K. Allico
12. Serve HIM, DJ Kideasy feat. Dre Beeze
13. Am I Trending, V. Ross feat. flame
14. Lion or Lamb, 2.0 feat. Monologue
15. Can't Tell Me Nothing, Adrion Butler Feat. GODnation
16. Noah, BRM
17. Errtime, Oliver Saint
18. Get Like That, Edot
19. Petco, 1K Phew
20. Hold Up, Brvndon P]]> Tue, 02 Jul 2019 04:50:04 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/276/chinas-war-on-christians-intensifies https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/276
China’s War On Christians Intensifies

B y: Stan Guthrie
June 6, 2019


A proverb from the Song Dynasty of a millennium ago states , “Thick mountains could not stop the river from flowing into the sea.” Thirty years after the slaughter of pro-democracy protesters at Tiananmen Square , China’s persecuted Christians certainly hope the saying proves true in their case.
Turning its back on a reform policy that by and large recognized Christians as good citizens, the bellicose Communist government , led by President Xi Jinping, lately has been doing everything it can to block the mighty river of Chinese Christianity.
According to China-watchers Nina Shea and Bob Fu , the country’s Christian presence has grown to possibly more than 100 million people (36 million in official, state-recognized churches), compared with a Communist Party membership of just 90 million. The church growth among China’s 1.4 billion people has come on the heels of disillusionment both with the Party and the spiritual vacuum created by the country’s economic and social disruptions.
Fenggang Yang of Purdue says that China might be home to as many as 247 million Christians by 2030. These kinds of numbers have shocked Communist Party officials. Fu’s organization, ChinaAid, recently downloaded some accidentally posted internal Chinese documents that revealed the government’s desire to “contain the overheated growth of Christianity.”
Old regulations concerning churches are now being enforced, including those that ban minors from going to church and Sunday schools and Bible camps from operating. In some churches, Christian symbols are being replaced with pictures of Xi. Hundreds of churches have had their crosses removed and been forced to fly the Chinese flag and sing patriotic songs. Online Bible purchases are now illegal. The Communist Party, which is officially atheistic, has assumed direct control of all churches.
“Some urban underground megachurches were shut down,” Shea and Fu report. “Thousands of congregants were arrested and several prominent Protestant pastors received lengthy prison sentences. Earlier [in May], the regime launched a nationwide campaign to eradicate unregistered churches.”
As is always the case in China, some areas are more problematic than others. “Last year in Henan province,” Shea and Fu say, “10,000 Protestant churches were ordered shut, even though most were registered with the state. During 2018, more than one million Christians were threatened or persecuted and 5,000 arrested.”
Last December, police rounded up Pastor Wang Yi and his wife, Jiang Rong, along with 100 members of his Early Rain congregation in Chengdu. Wang and his wife are charged with “inciting subversion,” which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. The church is gone from the three floors it rented, replaced by a business association and a construction company. The Guardian reports that the 1,500-member Zion church in Beijing was shut down after its pastor refused to install closed-circuit television to monitor members.
Although the Vatican and Chinese officials reached an agreement allowing Xi to appoint some Catholic bishops, two Marian pilgrimage shrines were destroyed, several underground Catholic priests and a bishop were forced into Communist “re-education” sessions, and two dozen Catholic churches in Hebei are being torn down.
These measures and more prompted Open Doors to move China up from No. 43 to No. 27 on its annual World Watch List of countries where it’s most difficult to be a Christian. It’s a massive jump. “The Chinese government,” notes Christopher Summers, “… works hard to make sure nothing in the country is a threat to the absolute authority of the Party—and its chairman, Xi Jinping.”
“The Chinese Communist Party wants to be the God of China and the Chinese people,” says Huang Xiaoning , pastor of the Guangzhou Bible Reformed Church, which has been closed twice in the past year. “But according to the Bible only God is God. The government is scared of the churches.”
According to reporter Lily Kuo in Chengdu, authorities are concerned not only by the growth of Christianity, but by the boldness of some of its leaders to speak out on social issues and civil rights. Every year Early Rain’s Wang, a noted public intellectual, commemorates the Tiananmen Square massacre and serves as an advocate for parents and families harmed by everything from faulty vaccines to substandard construction.
“Early Rain church is one of the few who dare to face what is wrong in society,” one member told Kuo. “Most churches don’t dare talk about this, but we obey strictly obey [sic] the Bible, and we don’t avoid anything.”
Observers say that authorities don’t want to wipe out Christianity, as their predecessors attempted to do during the Cultural Revolution. According to Ying Fuk Tsang, director of the Christian Study Centre on Chinese Religion and Culture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, “President Xi Jinping is trying to establish a new order on religion, suppressing its blistering development. [The government] aims to regulate the ‘religious market’ as a whole.”
Indeed. More than a million Uighur Muslims have been forced into concentration camps, along with some Christian converts as well. The New York Times reports that the Chinese government is employing artificial intelligence facial recognition technology to monitor and target the Uighurs. Tibetan Buddhists, meanwhile, are  prohibited from displaying photos  of the Dalai Lama. Falun Gong adherents by the hundreds have been arrested.
If misery truly loves company, then Christians ought to be thrilled, because they have plenty. Yet while there are many mountains of opposition blocking their way, Chinese believers in Jesus have good reason to believe that God will continue to allow the gospel to flow.
]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2019 10:35:53 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/269/inn-inspirational-news-network-now-on-comcast-xfinity-x1 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/269
INN - Inspirational News Network Now On Comcast XFINITY X1



ATLANTA, GA/Philadelphia, PA – (March 28, 2019 – Global News Update) – Inspirational News Network (INN) – Stories That Inspire, is now available on the powerful and omnipresent Comcasts Xfinity X1 on-demand video/tv platform. INN – Inspirational News Network features news, business, health, finance, entertainment and sports-related content focused on three consistent themes: (1) Inspiration; (2) Motivation; and (3) Success.
INN/Inspirational News Network features (24/7) a broad mix of original and existing programming designed to appeal to the diverse universe of 40 million+ American citizens (13% of the US population), with annual purchasing power of over $2 trillion in products and services, who actively invest in and seek out products, services, news and information that focuses on success, motivation and inspiration Stories That Inspire.
Xfinity X1 customers can watch INN – Inspirational News Network 24/7 by saying Inspirational News Network into their X1 voice remote or by finding it within the networks section of Xfinity on Demand. INN/Inspirational News Network on Xfinitiy X1 on-demand.
About INN (Inspirational News Network): INN (Inspirational News Network) is exclusively distributed by XFinity X1, a division of Comcast. For more information and to see a sample of content offered by INN, available only on Comcast XFINITY 1, please visit:
http://www.InspirationalNewsNetwork.com .
About Comcast: Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nations largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the XFINITY brand. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit http://www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.


]]> Sun, 31 Mar 2019 18:08:55 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/267/holy-hip-hop-chris-mack-makes-music-with-a-message https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/267
Holy Hip Hop: Chris Mack makes music with a message



Date: February 1, 2019 Author: keshiamcentire 0 Comments







By Keshia McEntire, originally published in the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper
When a hip-hop artist hits the stage at a bar in a college town, the audience might be surprised to hear lyrics about faith, purpose and hope within catchy, danceable tunes. Muncie, Indiana based rapper Chris Mack is shattering stereotypes by bringing positive music to the masses.


“I love being able to perform places you wouldn’t expect me to be. I rap about my faith in Christ, and most people would expect me to be rapping at a church, but my goal is to reach people from all perspectives on life for the sake of understanding what they believe and getting to share what I believe through not only music, but conversation,” said Mack, a Ball State grad who says music has been in his blood from day one.
As a child, he would soak up the hip-hop and ’70s soul music that his father played on repeat. When his family purchased their first home on the south side of Indianapolis, he watched his father and grandfather convert its garage into a music studio so that his father could write and record his own tracks. As Mack got older, he took his father’s old beats and made original songs with them. Today, the emcee does shows everywhere, from community centers and churches to parties and bars.


“My sound has got an Atlanta feel to it, so it’s not typical trap or new wave hip-hop. I have a mantra, and it’s that I use music as a means of starting genuine conversations. I get to know people’s passions, values, struggles, fears and what they ultimately believe in,” said Mack. “Some labels I like are Humble Beast Records — they have artists like Propaganda, Jackie Hill-Perry and Beautiful Eulogy. They make great music that challenges people’s perspectives on life, specifically through speaking on social injustices and Christianity. I love Reach Records and Andy Mineo. I love how crafty Andre 3000 is, love the storytelling ability of J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar.”
As a student, Mack was involved in campus ministry through Cru, an interdenominational Christian organization for college and university students, and Impact, a similar organization targeted toward African-American students. In Muncie, he works with youth at the Boys and Girls Club and serves at a church that some of his friends planted in Muncie. By the end 2017, Mack hopes to be making music full time and performing outside of the Midwest. While living in Muncie, he wants to make sure that he continues to serve the local community and cultivate the connections he has made.
“I want people to enjoy the music and think about the meaning of life and what is it all about,” he said. “I want people to be driven to tears, to get excited and to think about who Christ is. I want people to see that I care about them more than I care about the music that I make. I really want to care for people. Music is a way to engage with people, but I’m a servant at heart.”
To listen to Chris Mack’s music, visit realchrismack.bandcamp.com or youtube.com/realchrismack .






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]]> Sun, 17 Mar 2019 15:50:14 -0400 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/265/holy-hip-hop-california-lutheran-university-honors-class https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/265
Holy Hip Hop: Religion Department Finds New Beat

The world of hip-hop with its melodic beats, profane language and sometimes violent imagery, seems far removed from the prayers, songs and practices that often accompany religion. The new honors course “Religion and Hip-Hop” aims to bridge the gap between these two worlds at California Lutheran University (www.CalLuteran.edu).

Designed and taught by Associate Professor of Religion Rahuldeep Gill, he said he is excited to update the class throughout the years to come.

“This class is a juxtaposition of two things that don’t really go together, but if you look closely, they go together in really interesting and informative ways,” Gill said. “Once I learn what students like throughout the semester, I will definitely be remixing this class for as long as they let me teach it.”

With 10 years of teaching experience at California Lutheran University, Gill said he is always looking to push his students to explore new areas of learning.

According to the Cal Lutheran course catalog, this course highlights the relationship between hip-hop and religion in three ways: “the religious streams within hip-hop culture, hip-hop culture as a meaning-making system that parallels the work of religions, and hip-hop culture as giving voice to global religious concerns beyond its original American urban contexts.”

Gill said hip-hop and religion are related through art, clothes and the way people talk- everyone associates with hip-hop. Gill said one of the main things hip-hop and religion have in common is how they both engage people’s bodies.

“Hip-hop is a culture and an experience, and in this course we will look at how hip-hop has been used by religion or religious people to spread the gospel and bring people together,” Gill said.

Gill said that the first hip-hop event was a party in a steamy, sweaty basement in the lower Bronx. The party grew and, eventually, people got more and more attached to it.

Gill has many goals for the students taking this course. He said, one, is for the students to see the course as a way to navigate their own reality.
Sophomore Maramawit Bereda said she took this class because she was curious about how religion and hip-hop could work together.
Through the class, she said she has been able to understand hip-hop a little more like what exactly it is and why it has so much history.
“In this class, being able to see different races come together in a classroom to talk about rap is amazing. I’ve started to see that other people from different races relate to rap, and how it has affected everyone’s lives,” Bereda said.

As a practicing Christian, Bereda said she used to feel slightly guilty when she listened to rap music, but now she feels more courageous and happy to listen, because she has found a lot of things that resonate to her Christianity through the music.
Gill said that hip-hop today is so diverse and no one really knows how large it is.

“Hip- Hop illuminates the hypocrisies in society and illuminates the parts where life doesn’t seem to make sense, and it creates new meaning out of there,” Gill said.

Adina Nack, the new director of the University Honors Program, assisted Gill in starting this class.

“A course like Religion and Hip-hop exemplifies the goals of the University Honors Program, in that students are being challenged to engage across traditional academic disciplines in order to explore complex topics that resonate with contemporary spiritual, social and political issues,” Nack said.

She said her goal as the new director is to increase the variety of course offerings for honors electives so that students have unique opportunities to explore exciting academic questions and learn new skills.

“I foresee a course, such as Religion and Hip-Hop, inspiring students to think beyond their academic major and career goals as they focus on learning from professors who motivate them to examine new sources of knowledge, which can enrich their overall undergraduate experience,” Nack said.

Source: Luisa Virgen
]]> Sat, 23 Feb 2019 07:53:07 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/264/holy-hip-hop-california-lutheran-university-honors-class https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/264
Holy Hip Hop: Religion Department Finds New Beat

The world of hip-hop with its melodic beats, profane language and sometimes violent imagery, seems far removed from the prayers, songs and practices that often accompany religion. The new honors course “Religion and Hip-Hop” aims to bridge the gap between these two worlds at California Lutheran University (www.CalLuteran.edu).

Designed and taught by Associate Professor of Religion Rahuldeep Gill, he said he is excited to update the class throughout the years to come.

“This class is a juxtaposition of two things that don’t really go together, but if you look closely, they go together in really interesting and informative ways,” Gill said. “Once I learn what students like throughout the semester, I will definitely be remixing this class for as long as they let me teach it.”

With 10 years of teaching experience at California Lutheran University, Gill said he is always looking to push his students to explore new areas of learning.

According to the Cal Lutheran course catalog, this course highlights the relationship between hip-hop and religion in three ways: “the religious streams within hip-hop culture, hip-hop culture as a meaning-making system that parallels the work of religions, and hip-hop culture as giving voice to global religious concerns beyond its original American urban contexts.”

Gill said hip-hop and religion are related through art, clothes and the way people talk- everyone associates with hip-hop. Gill said one of the main things hip-hop and religion have in common is how they both engage people’s bodies.

“Hip-hop is a culture and an experience, and in this course we will look at how hip-hop has been used by religion or religious people to spread the gospel and bring people together,” Gill said.

Gill said that the first hip-hop event was a party in a steamy, sweaty basement in the lower Bronx. The party grew and, eventually, people got more and more attached to it.

Gill has many goals for the students taking this course. He said, one, is for the students to see the course as a way to navigate their own reality.

“It would be great if they looked at Kendrick Lamar’s “DAMN.” as a religious text, but really what I want them to do is navigate their own sense or purpose in the world and see that hip-hop is one way to do that and find ways that they can do that organically,” Gill said.
Sophomore Maramawit Bereda said she took this class because she was curious about how religion and hip-hop could work together. Through the class, she said she has been able to understand hip-hop a little more like what exactly it is and why it has so much history.
“In this class, being able to see different races come together in a classroom to talk about rap is amazing. I’ve started to see that other people from different races relate to rap, and how it has affected everyone’s lives,” Bereda said.

As a practicing Christian, Bereda said she used to feel slightly guilty when she listened to rap music, but now she feels more courageous and happy to listen, because she has found a lot of things that resonate to her Christianity through the music.
Gill said that hip-hop today is so diverse and no one really knows how large it is.

“Hip- Hop illuminates the hypocrisies in society and illuminates the parts where life doesn’t seem to make sense, and it creates new meaning out of there,” Gill said.

Adina Nack, the new director of the University Honors Program, assisted Gill in starting this class.

“A course like Religion and Hip-hop exemplifies the goals of the University Honors Program, in that students are being challenged to engage across traditional academic disciplines in order to explore complex topics that resonate with contemporary spiritual, social and political issues,” Nack said.

She said her goal as the new director is to increase the variety of course offerings for honors electives so that students have unique opportunities to explore exciting academic questions and learn new skills.

“I foresee a course, such as Religion and Hip-Hop, inspiring students to think beyond their academic major and career goals as they focus on learning from professors who motivate them to examine new sources of knowledge, which can enrich their overall undergraduate experience,” Nack said.

Source: Luisa Virgen
]]> Sat, 23 Feb 2019 07:52:34 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/much-luvv-records/blog/262/tre9-helps-guide-daughters-first-step-into-music-career https://www.holyhiphop.com/much-luvv-records/blog/262
Written by: Sketch the Journalist
January 29, 2019
HOUSTON, TX  – Christian rapper Bobby "Tre9" Herring has never shied away from the "mentor" role. For over twenty years he's had the opportunity to help build, guide, or spiritually re-direct the music careers of a variety of artists including Von Won, Bushwick Bill, Pyrexx, and Austin Lanier.
Now that task hits home – literally. You see, Tre9's latest protégé is none other than his daughter – Teonna Lee. And on February 14 the duo will release a joint EP titled  First Step .
"I met Teonna when she was just 13 years old and I started dating [and eventually married] her mother," Tre9 recalls. "Stepping into a family relationship at that point of her life certainly presented some challenges, but eventually we found ways to bond—like through our mutual love of music.'
"So it's with great pride that I now get to introduce her art to the rest of the world."
The project provides Teonna a platform to sing soulful riffs on classic cuts from Amy Winehouse, The Zombies, George Harrison, and Christopher Cross. Each song also features contributions from Tre9 who continues to be an unabashed hip hop missionary on the mic.
"How many artists can say their first step into the music business is with their step-dad?" Teonna pondered. "I'm so excited about this project and hope the listeners enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it."
The  First Step  EP will be released to all digital music providers via Much Luvv Records.
Follow Tre9 through  Facebook ,  Twitter , and  Instagram . And find Teonna Lee at  Facebook ,  Twitter , and  Instagram .
]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2019 09:40:07 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/261/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-minister-of-the-gospel https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/261
What does it mean to be a Minister of the Gospel?
By Kristen Padilla (www.KristenRPadilla.com)
August 2, 2018
Last weekend I had the privilege of returning to my alma mater, Ouachita Baptist University, to speak at its second annual Called 2 Ministry retreat for high school students. I was very impressed by the execution and content of this retreat, and could only imagine what an impact something like this would have had on my life when I was in high school discerning a call. (Youth ministers, pastors, parents: send your called to ministry kids to it next year!) I was asked to give the devotional Friday morning and to speak to the female students that afternoon, and the entire experience was a huge blessing.  
One of the unexpected experiences after publishing my book has been an onset of feeling completely unworthy to write on this topic and to be a minister of the gospel at all. Almost every day I have battled the devil reminding me of all the reasons I shouldn't be in ministry. I have felt like Martin Luther, who often wrote about his struggles with Satan, who reminded him of his sins. Then, of course, there's the famous story of Luther throwing his inkwell at the devil. Whether or not that story is true, I wouldn't mind throwing my own inkwell at the devil if only I knew it would cripple him! 
Leading up to my trip to Ouachita, I especially was reminded of all the stupid things I did in college, all the things I wish were put under the rug and forever forgotten. The devil was once again reminding me of my past sins and failures, but Luther offers a good word, a truth that we find in Scripture and one that I cling to every day. Here's what Luther says:
“When the devil throws our sins up to us and declares we deserve death and hell, we ought to speak thus: ‘I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? Does this mean that I shall be sentenced to eternal damnation? By no means. For I know One who suffered and made a satisfaction in my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Where he is, there I shall be also.'"
The truth is that apart from the work of God's grace in my life, the devil is correct. I do not deserve to a be a minister of the gospel based on my own merit, just like I don't deserve to be a child of God based on my own merit. The same is true for you, too. But in Christ, the devil's tactics fail and his words ring hollow. By grace we have been saved, by grace we have been called, and by grace we serve Jesus Christ because he is good and he loves us. This is good news!
So in preparing for my trip to Ouachita, the Lord led me to Ephesians 3:7-10. Here Paul, I believe, addresses a key question for us: What does it mean to be a minister of the gospel? The devotional I gave was based on this text and formed around this question. 
Listen here .
What does it mean to be a minister of the gospel? In summary, here is what I believe the Holy Spirit is saying through Paul. To be a minister of the gospel means:
1. Being called by the Living Triune God. (Our calls begin and originate with God and not ourselves.)
2. Being a servant of the Living God. 
3. Being a recipient of the grace of God through the working of his power. 
The grace of God is not some magical substance out there, but it is God himself empowering us to do his work though we don’t even deserve to be a servant for him. 
If you are reading this and you, too, feel like you don't deserve to be a minister of or for God, then you're in good company. However, there is power in God's grace and God is gracious  to use sinners like you and me. We are walking, living testimonies to others about what God is able to do. With our lives we can proclaim that we are forgiven sinners. To be a minister of this gospel is to be one sinner telling another sinner how to find their Savior. 
So let us go forth in peace and confidence in the grace and love of Jesus Christ to serve him with our lives today and every day. 
]]> Sun, 20 Jan 2019 22:38:50 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/260/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-minister-of-the-gospel https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/260
What does it mean to be a Minister of the Gospel?
By Kristen Padilla (www.KristenRPadilla.com)
August 2, 2018
Last weekend I had the privilege of returning to my alma mater, Ouachita Baptist University, to speak at its second annual Called 2 Ministry retreat for high school students. I was very impressed by the execution and content of this retreat, and could only imagine what an impact something like this would have had on my life when I was in high school discerning a call. (Youth ministers, pastors, parents: send your called to ministry kids to it next year!) I was asked to give the devotional Friday morning and to speak to the female students that afternoon, and the entire experience was a huge blessing.  
One of the unexpected experiences after publishing my book has been an onset of feeling completely unworthy to write on this topic and to be a minister of the gospel at all. Almost every day I have battled the devil reminding me of all the reasons I shouldn't be in ministry. I have felt like Martin Luther, who often wrote about his struggles with Satan, who reminded him of his sins. Then, of course, there's the famous story of Luther throwing his inkwell at the devil. Whether or not that story is true, I wouldn't mind throwing my own inkwell at the devil if only I knew it would cripple him! 
Leading up to my trip to Ouachita, I especially was reminded of all the stupid things I did in college, all the things I wish were put under the rug and forever forgotten. The devil was once again reminding me of my past sins and failures, but Luther offers a good word, a truth that we find in Scripture and one that I cling to every day. Here's what Luther says:
“When the devil throws our sins up to us and declares we deserve death and hell, we ought to speak thus: ‘I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? Does this mean that I shall be sentenced to eternal damnation? By no means. For I know One who suffered and made a satisfaction in my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Where he is, there I shall be also.'"
The truth is that apart from the work of God's grace in my life, the devil is correct. I do not deserve to a be a minister of the gospel based on my own merit, just like I don't deserve to be a child of God based on my own merit. The same is true for you, too. But in Christ, the devil's tactics fail and his words ring hollow. By grace we have been saved, by grace we have been called, and by grace we serve Jesus Christ because he is good and he loves us. This is good news!
So in preparing for my trip to Ouachita, the Lord led me to Ephesians 3:7-10. Here Paul, I believe, addresses a key question for us: What does it mean to be a minister of the gospel? The devotional I gave was based on this text and formed around this question. 
Listen here .
What does it mean to be a minister of the gospel? In summary, here is what I believe the Holy Spirit is saying through Paul. To be a minister of the gospel means:
1. Being called by the Living Triune God. (Our calls begin and originate with God and not ourselves.)
2. Being a servant of the Living God. 
3. Being a recipient of the grace of God through the working of his power. 
The grace of God is not some magical substance out there, but it is God himself empowering us to do his work though we don’t even deserve to be a servant for him. 
If you are reading this and you, too, feel like you don't deserve to be a minister of or for God, then you're in good company. However, there is power in God's grace and God is gracious  to use sinners like you and me. We are walking, living testimonies to others about what God is able to do. With our lives we can proclaim that we are forgiven sinners. To be a minister of this gospel is to be one sinner telling another sinner how to find their Savior. 
So let us go forth in peace and confidence in the grace and love of Jesus Christ to serve him with our lives today and every day. 
]]> Sun, 20 Jan 2019 22:38:20 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/259/holy-hip-hop-hhh-emcee-mr-del-releases-black https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/259

Memphis, TN/Atlanta, GA - January 11, 2019.  Legendary HHH emcee Mr. Del releases new album to kick-off the New Year entitled: Black. This album is gaining rave reviews worldwide, with hits such as Pray It Up, Black, Bold and Beautiful, Miss You and more. To listen to Mr. Del: Black, click here: https://amen-gospel.lnk.to/eCzEQWE
For More information, visit: www.MrDel.com
]]> Sat, 19 Jan 2019 18:24:30 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/258/mr-del-releases-new-holy-hip-hop-hhh-album-entitled-black https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/258


Mr. Del Releases New Holy Hip Hop (HHH) Album entitled: Black
Memphis, TN/Atlanta, GA - January 11, 2019.  Legendary HHH emcee Mr. Del releases new album to kick-off the New Year entitled: Black. This album is gaining rave reviews worldwide, with hits such as Pray It Up, Black, Bold and Beautiful, Miss You and more. To listen to Mr. Del: Black, click here: https://amen-gospel.lnk.to/eCzEQWE
For More information, visit: www.MrDel.com


]]> Sat, 19 Jan 2019 18:21:23 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/257/china-accelerates-crack-down-on-christians https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/257
China cracks down on Christians -- a new era of religious persecution has arrived











By Nina Shea , Bob Fu | Fox News
































Zion Church in Beijing is the largest in China’s burgeoning Protestant underground. In September, the 11-year-old house church was sealed shut by the government.
Its crime? Zion’s pastor, Dr. Ezra Mingri Jin, a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, had rejected an intolerable Chinese Communist Party (CCP) directive to mount face-recognition cameras on his pulpit, turned on the congregation. For his refusal, the pastor and virtually all of Zion’s 1,500 members have been detained, searched and questioned by public security – some more than once.


And the worst may be yet to come. Their police records will now be used in China’s new Orwellian social credit score system to deny them access to government trains, planes, schools, pensions and other benefits.
All of China’s more than 100 million Protestants and Catholics are bracing to have their faith severely tested in a harsh, all-enveloping crackdown.
The government’s repression against the churches is being done in the name of President Xi Jinping’s “sinicization” campaign, ostensibly to strengthen Chinese culture. However, it increasingly appears aimed at removing the Bible and its teachings from Chinese Christianity.
Earlier this year, President Xi issued draconian new regulations for religious affairs and charged the officially atheist CCP with enforcing them. Sophisticated technology, combined with iron fist policing, are now being used to suppress China’s booming Protestant and Catholic Church.
A staggering 100,000 or more Christians are estimated to have been arrested this year, compared to 3,700 in 2017, according to ChinaAid – a Christian human rights organization which promotes religious freedom and rule of law in China. Most of these, as with Zion Church’s, involved short term detentions.
Particularly targeted are “underground” churches that are not registered with the Chinese government, principally because these Christians do not want the oversight and control that comes with registration. As we write, word comes that some 100 Christians with the underground Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu have been rounded up and detained. Some claim “rape and abuse” by police.
Pastor Ezra is part of the Protestant underground, estimated by a leading China expert at Perdue University to serve all but 30 million of China’s 93 to 115 million Protestants . He and over 400 other Protestant underground pastors have signed onto a courageous declaration, on file at ChinaAid. In it, they affirm their resolve to meet this unfolding persecution with faithfulness and peaceful resistance, stating, in part: “For when churches refuse to obey evil laws, it does not stem from any political agenda; it does not stem from resentment or hostility; it stems only from the demands of the gospel and from a love for Chinese society.”


As Christians worldwide celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago, these new Christians and all others persecuted for their faith in China must not be forgotten.


Despite the Vatican’s agreement with Beijing on the appointment of bishops in September of this year, about a dozen Catholic priests have been jailed since its signing. In November, Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin of Wenzhou underwent two weeks of state indoctrination and interrogation – his fifth detention in two years.
And some Chinese Christians spend years in prison. Catholic Bishop James Su Zhimin of Boading has languished in prison for 20 years after leading a Mass without government permission. The government refuses to provide any information on him.
An American resident is among China’s religious prisoners. Pastor John Sanqiang Cao of North Carolina was sentenced last March to seven years for “organizing illegal border crossings” after opening schools and delivering humanitarian aid in Burma. He reportedly shares a cell and one bed with a dozen inmates, and has lost 50 pounds.
Minors are now banned from entering any church. Online sales of Bibles are blocked. The Catholic Catechism is censored. Churches report that their crosses and other Christian symbols are being torn down and sometimes replaced with pictures of none other than President Xi himself.
Since February, thousands of churches have been forced shut. It’s particularly chilling that many of the 10,000 Protestant churches closed in one province were actually government-approved ones. In addition, this September, the government-approved Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Henan saw its priest detained and defrocked by the state-sponsored Patriotic Catholic Association, reportedly for organizing parish fellowship groups for the youth and elderly.
As these examples show, the repression is not limited to the underground churches. These incidents flag that President Xi intends to curtail all of China’s various Christian communities or possibly even eliminate them.
We have only to look at the suffering of western China’s Uighur Muslims – a million of whom have been confined to indoctrination camps – to be certain that President Xi is ruthlessly ushering in a new era of intense religious persecution.
An eloquent vow from the pastors’ declaration should be both a warning and an inspiration for us: “Christian churches in China are eager and determined to walk the path of the cross of Christ and are more than willing to imitate the older generation of saints who suffered and were martyred for their faith.”
As Christians worldwide celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago, these new Christians and all others persecuted for their faith in China must not be forgotten.
We should call on our political and religious leaders to urgently speak up for them and to strenuously press President Xi to respect religious freedom.
Bob Fu is a Chinese-American pastor and the founder of ChinaAid, an international non-profit Christian human rights organization committed to promoting religious freedom and rule of law in China. He served as a house church leader in Beijing until being imprisoned for two months for “illegal evangelism” in 1996. Bob fled to the United States as a religious refugee in 1997.




Nina Shea is a senior fellow and directs the Center for Religious Freedom of the Hudson Institute. She served as commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom for 13 years. She is a co-author of "Persecuted: The Global Assault on Christians," HarperCollins Publishing, 2013.







]]> Wed, 12 Dec 2018 09:47:32 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/255/support-gospelcitycom https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/255
Dear GospelCity.com Family:
For the past 20 years, GospelCity.com has served as beacon of light in the community, with its #1 Goal, to spread the Gospel worldwide.  The services that GospelCity.com has provided via its new platform enable Artists, Ministries, Labels and Members to reach the masses at $0.00 24/7. No other platform has done this, asking nothing for return for so long and to date: GospelCity.com has never received a donation or even an offer of donation from any of its members but nevertheless GospelCity.com has stayed consistently online for the community serving millions of visitors as the #1 and largest indie Gospel music portal on the planet with over 4000 members.
I am writing today to ask each of you to consider donating to GospelCity.com any amount that you feel like donation $1.00 or more is fine, as any amount is better than $0.00. These funds will be used for operating expenses (which run in thousands of dollars), and any excess funds will go to marketing and promotions for 2019 and beyond. 
To donate, please click the following link on GospelCity.com homepage (Donate); or click/copy/paste the link below in your web-browser and again no donation is too small and all donations will be greatly appreciated.
Donate Paypal Link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=MKNJKT4V8DT8S&source=url
or go Gospelcity.com homepage and click Donate button on homepage.
All donors will gain 'Featured' Artists Status on the home-page of the site as well as e-blasts and be designated as 'Platinum' in a Press Release and Article posted on site (featuring Artist, Member, Label, Ministry) and your profile will continue to have unlimited access, ability to sell your music online, blogs, video, etc., etc. These same features on any other site would run anywhere from $50 to $100 per year, but presently on GospelCity.com, the fee is $0.00.
Thank you for your consideration. 
Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas,
Richard Cox, General Manager
GospelCity.com
]]> Sun, 02 Dec 2018 13:01:59 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/254/support-gospelcitycom https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/254
Dear GospelCity.com Family:
For the past 20 years, GospelCity.com has served as beacon of light in the community, with its #1 Goal, to spread the Gospel worldwide.  The services that GospelCity.com has provided via its new platform enable Artists, Ministries, Labels and Members to reach the masses at $0.00 24/7. No other platform has done this, asking nothing for return for so long and to date: GospelCity.com has never received a donation or even an offer of donation from any of its members but nevertheless GospelCity.com has stayed consistently online for the community serving millions of visitors as the #1 and largest indie Gospel music portal on the planet with over 4000 members.
I am writing today to ask each of you to consider donating to GospelCity.com any amount that you feel like (donation $1.00 or more is fine), as any amount is better than $0.00. These funds will be used for operating expenses (which run in thousands of dollars), and any excess funds will go to marketing and promotions for 2019 and beyond. 
To donate, please click the following link on GospelCity.com homepage (Donate); or click/copy/paste the link below in your web-browser and again no donation is too small and all donations will be greatly appreciated.
Donate Paypal Link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=MKNJKT4V8DT8S&source=url
or go Gospelcity.com homepage and click Donate button on homepage.
All donors will gain 'Featured' Artists Status on the home-page of the site as well as e-blasts and be designated as 'Platinum' in a Press Release and Article posted on site (featuring Artist, Member, Label, Ministry) and your profile will continue to have unlimited access, ability to sell your music online, blogs, video, etc., etc. These same features on any other site would run anywhere from $50 to $100 per year, but presently on GospelCity.com, the fee is $0.00.
Thank you for your consideration. 
Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas,
Richard Cox, General Manager
GospelCity.com
]]> Sun, 02 Dec 2018 13:01:27 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/253/breaking-news-in-china-holy-hip-hop-crusaders-spark-debate-on-praise-and-worship https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/253


Holy Hip Hop Crusade Sparks Debates on “Praise and Worship”: Does Rapping Worship God?

By Yi Yang





















Modern worship and praise





Recently, a famous Chinese worship and praise team sang holy hip-hop in an evangelistic music meeting to reach millennials who were lovers of music. 

Holy hip-hop, which has its roots in the United States in the 1980s, combines gospel messages with beats. The five Christian hip-hoppers wanted to introduce to the attendants that hip-hop is one means of expressions for the new generation despite having no bearing on Christianity.

However, this "fashionable" attempt sparked disputes among Chinese Christians. It also received huge criticism from other Christians and even drew analysis by preachers from the perspective of ecclesiology, theology and worship study.

As a response to the feedback, the sponsor of the rap concert released a statement on August 6, apologizing for bad impacts and anxiety it has caused. "This was our first attempt. We will keep reforming through summaries and improvement." The statement also said that the band was devoted to creating original hymns but they were burdened by church sacred music ministry and attempted to combine traditional sacred music and modern music for evangelism. 
"We believe any musical form is just a form, a tool of expression. The expression itself matters."

The Gospel Times, a Chinese online Christian news website, interviewed preachers, sacred music teachers, and pastors to share their views about the subject. 
Preachers: Evangelistic meetings don't cater to hip-hoppers.
A preacher from Wenzhou argued that the ecclesiology revealed from the rap concert was "shocking". "The emergence of a rap evangelistic meeting was due to the ignorance that 'a church is an organism' and the extreme being an organization.
He claimed that the purpose of an evangelistic crusade was to preach the gospel, not to cater to hip-hoppers (sinners), as Jesus didn't perform miracles to cater for Jews and Paul didn't use philosophy to pander to the Greeks. Evangelistic meetings should be diversified, but not entertaining and secularized. If such meeting was aimed at leading churches to preach through dances and young people to treat hip-hop culture in a right way, that is not sharing Jesus' word at all. 

In addition, he explained that this was not something about traditions or modernism, but it is related to the expression and boundaries of theology, as well as about the object of worship and the purpose. As a result, he stated that proper worship and praise was in accordance with theology and the traditions of the Catholic Church. 

Post-80s Preacher: Should worshipping God follow the fashion?

Another preacher born in the 1980s said that the holy hip-hop concert was a good idea, but it blindly introduced secular music into the church, which would evitably make the worship part lose its essence and even possibly torture gospel message. Praise and worship couldn't be conducted at will because God is holy, he added. 

Two sacred music seminary teachers: sticking to traditions and reflecting on the true meaning of worship 

A pastor from a seminary in Eastern China said that he sticks to traditions and refused conservatism and inflexibility. "I always uphold that sacred music should be God-oriented. Sacred music in the worship is not self-amusement, but a sacrifice of praise offered to God."

Rev. Wu, who teaches liturgy in Hong Kong, shared that church congregations ought to be more conservative than the secular world. The professor said that hip-hop originated from a poor residential area where African Americans resided in the Bronx in New York City. They were basically means for self-expression for the young people, protesting mainstream cultures - civilized and well-bred music. But Blues and jazz music also originated from African Americans and they had deeper cultural roots. They included spiritual songs sung by blacks in southern America, who cried out to God. 

Rev. Wu said that rap could attract young people to chant biblical truths with their favorable rhythm, but it is very hard to achieve that. "But I think that it is worth a try."

Pastor from NE China: Praise can be presented in various kinds. 

Rev. Piao commented that preaching through hip-hop was a good attempt, adding that Paul agreed to use various kinds of ways to worship and praise in the New Testament. 

However, it was inappropriate in Sunday services that required reverence, rituals, and order to use other forms of worship. 
"Form is not a problem as long as they have right starting points and motivation. We should encourage innovation and keep core foundations. We just need to first make attempts in suitable soil and gradually advance."

Hong Kong pastor: Modernization doesn't equal secularization.

The controversial move that the "Jesus Fashion" worship team brought "mainstream" cultures into the church was supported by pastors and believers in mainland China but were criticized by many netizens.

Some of them said, "Don't introduce worldly fashion trends into the consecrated church."
"I'm sick of those noisy worship and praise songs. I feel nothing godly. "

Pastor S from Shenzhen saw it from another perspective. "These celebrities entered into the church and experienced life changes, which traditional churches were unable to do. Their performances on the stage were not to exalt themselves, but the name of Jesus Christ. Moreover, they held free concerts in Shenzhen not to make profits for themselves, but to preach the gospel of Christ."

His point was that the focus should be whether worshipers could lead people toward God through their singing, not idolatry. 
"A true worshiper doesn't criticize other people for their different worship methods because one can understand God's will at the moment he enters into God's presence. The more we worship God, the more we will have God's image and likeness to live out the beautiful and humble life of God. This is the purpose of worship." He said. 

A young preacher claimed, "Since the era is changing, how should evangelistic meetings change?" He said that the church was losing appeal to young people, so it was anxious and trying to draw the attention of the millennials with different forms of evangelistic rallies. 
He analyzed that apart from forms, such meetings should spend more energies thinking about how to make sermons concentrated and splendid to grip people. But this is a challenge for many preachers.


]]> Mon, 26 Nov 2018 19:58:54 -0500 https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/252/breaking-news-in-china-holy-hip-hop-crusaders-spark-debate-on-praise-and-worship https://www.holyhiphop.com/admin/blog/252


Holy Hip Hop Crusade Sparks Debates on “Praise and Worship”: Does Rapping Worship God?

By Yi Yang





















Modern worship and praise





Recently, a famous Chinese worship and praise team sang holy hip-hop in an evangelistic music meeting to reach millennials who were lovers of music. 

Holy hip-hop, which has its roots in the United States in the 1980s, combines gospel messages with beats. The five Christian hip-hoppers wanted to introduce to the attendants that hip-hop is one means of expressions for the new generation despite having no bearing on Christianity.

However, this "fashionable" attempt sparked disputes among Chinese Christians. It also received huge criticism from other Christians and even drew analysis by preachers from the perspective of ecclesiology, theology and worship study.

As a response to the feedback, the sponsor of the rap concert released a statement on August 6, apologizing for bad impacts and anxiety it has caused. "This was our first attempt. We will keep reforming through summaries and improvement." The statement also said that the band was devoted to creating original hymns but they were burdened by church sacred music ministry and attempted to combine traditional sacred music and modern music for evangelism. 
"We believe any musical form is just a form, a tool of expression. The expression itself matters."

The Gospel Times, a Chinese online Christian news website, interviewed preachers, sacred music teachers, and pastors to share their views about the subject. 
Preachers: Evangelistic meetings don't cater to hip-hoppers.
A preacher from Wenzhou argued that the ecclesiology revealed from the rap concert was "shocking". "The emergence of a rap evangelistic meeting was due to the ignorance that 'a church is an organism' and the extreme being an organization.
He claimed that the purpose of an evangelistic crusade was to preach the gospel, not to cater to hip-hoppers (sinners), as Jesus didn't perform miracles to cater for Jews and Paul didn't use philosophy to pander to the Greeks. Evangelistic meetings should be diversified, but not entertaining and secularized. If such meeting was aimed at leading churches to preach through dances and young people to treat hip-hop culture in a right way, that is not sharing Jesus' word at all. 

In addition, he explained that this was not something about traditions or modernism, but it is related to the expression and boundaries of theology, as well as about the object of worship and the purpose. As a result, he stated that proper worship and praise was in accordance with theology and the traditions of the Catholic Church. 

Post-80s Preacher: Should worshipping God follow the fashion?

Another preacher born in the 1980s said that the holy hip-hop concert was a good idea, but it blindly introduced secular music into the church, which would evitably make the worship part lose its essence and even possibly torture gospel message. Praise and worship couldn't be conducted at will because God is holy, he added. 

Two sacred music seminary teachers: sticking to traditions and reflecting on the true meaning of worship 

A pastor from a seminary in Eastern China said that he sticks to traditions and refused conservatism and inflexibility. "I always uphold that sacred music should be God-oriented. Sacred music in the worship is not self-amusement, but a sacrifice of praise offered to God."

Rev. Wu, who teaches liturgy in Hong Kong, shared that church congregations ought to be more conservative than the secular world. The professor said that hip-hop originated from a poor residential area where African Americans resided in the Bronx in New York City. They were basically means for self-expression for the young people, protesting mainstream cultures - civilized and well-bred music. But Blues and jazz music also originated from African Americans and they had deeper cultural roots. They included spiritual songs sung by blacks in southern America, who cried out to God. 

Rev. Wu said that rap could attract young people to chant biblical truths with their favorable rhythm, but it is very hard to achieve that. "But I think that it is worth a try."

Pastor from NE China: Praise can be presented in various kinds. 

Rev. Piao commented that preaching through hip-hop was a good attempt, adding that Paul agreed to use various kinds of ways to worship and praise in the New Testament. 

However, it was inappropriate in Sunday services that required reverence, rituals, and order to use other forms of worship. 
"Form is not a problem as long as they have right starting points and motivation. We should encourage innovation and keep core foundations. We just need to first make attempts in suitable soil and gradually advance."

Hong Kong pastor: Modernization doesn't equal secularization.

The controversial move that the "Jesus Fashion" worship team brought "mainstream" cultures into the church was supported by pastors and believers in mainland China but were criticized by many netizens.

Some of them said, "Don't introduce worldly fashion trends into the consecrated church."
"I'm sick of those noisy worship and praise songs. I feel nothing godly. "

Pastor S from Shenzhen saw it from another perspective. "These celebrities entered into the church and experienced life changes, which traditional churches were unable to do. Their performances on the stage were not to exalt themselves, but the name of Jesus Christ. Moreover, they held free concerts in Shenzhen not to make profits for themselves, but to preach the gospel of Christ."

His point was that the focus should be whether worshipers could lead people toward God through their singing, not idolatry. 
"A true worshiper doesn't criticize other people for their different worship methods because one can understand God's will at the moment he enters into God's presence. The more we worship God, the more we will have God's image and likeness to live out the beautiful and humble life of God. This is the purpose of worship." He said. 

A young preacher claimed, "Since the era is changing, how should evangelistic meetings change?" He said that the church was losing appeal to young people, so it was anxious and trying to draw the attention of the millennials with different forms of evangelistic rallies. 
He analyzed that apart from forms, such meetings should spend more energies thinking about how to make sermons concentrated and splendid to grip people. But this is a challenge for many preachers.


]]> Mon, 26 Nov 2018 19:57:53 -0500