THAT'S A RAP!

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This past Sunday we had a rapper at Crosspoint.  His name is Ray and he was awesome.  He sang with our Worship Team, and then, a couple of times, he just busted loose.  He was great.  OK, I have to preface that...I do not claim any expertise in gauging the art of rapping.  I own a total of 0 rap albums (unless you count that thing that LL Cool J does with Brad Paisley on Accidental Racist).  I just thought he was good.  In fact, I wanted to keep him.  We couldn't hire him, so I offered to adopt him.  The offer's still good.

I read the Communication Cards from last Sunday.  Lot's of really good stuff...LOTS...except for a few.  So, why do I even mention the few?  Because they were insightful and puzzling at the same time.
Here was a puzzling one:  "I'm sure he was very good at what he does, I just don't like rap".  I'm not sure what to do with that.  If someone writes, "I'm sure all the donuts are good, I just don't like donuts", then do we get rid of the donuts?  Or just make a mental note that there's a member who doesn't like donuts?  Maybe offer a Vegetable Tray?

OK, that's not my point.  So, what is my point?  I found the responses puzzling, but more than that, I found them extremely encouraging.  Here's what I read:  "Your musical choices weren't all about me".  BINGO!  We did it!  That's what we've been shooting for.  We finally are getting there.

Here's what hopefully is driving this church:
1.  Our strategy is not to win the won, but win the lost
2.  Therefore, if you're a Christ-follower, you're really not our target
3.  Which means, to the Christ-followers in the audience, "It's not about us"
4.  If we are to reach other races and cultures, we must speak their language
5.  The universal language is music

Please memorize the 5 things listed above.  It will help everything we do make sense...even rap!

Peace Out!

Comments

  1. Helen CastilloAugust 9, 2013 at 4:44 PM

    I love Pastor Tom! This "donuts" comment breaks it down precisely.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownAugust 12, 2013 at 9:10 AM

    Actually, I very strongly disagree with you Pastor Tom! Never thought I'd say that, but hey, there's a first time for everything, eh?

    I am all for reaching out to lost people in other cultures, but that doesn't mean that you just imitate them to do so. Now, I was at church yesterday and I didn't experience a rapper, so I'm assuming it was first service only? No matter, the point still stands. I will use the experience that I DID have the last time we had a gentleman rap during worship.

    I'm not sure if it was the same person, but I found it extremely distasteful! Not because of the rap. I accept that rap is a legitimate musical genre and a strategic style of songwriting, but the body language and genuine disrespect of the "ghetto" culture was practically being blown out over the entire crowd through his performance! That "ghetto" culture is definitely NOT something that I want to be bombarded with when I worship my God.

    It is very difficult to express through words (if I could get up and dance it for you, then I would!) but it shouldn't be difficult to understand where I am going with this. Bring us a rapper that loves God, that can actually be UNDERSTOOD thought the microphone (I couldn't catch a single word of he was saying except “Jesus”), and tell him to cut out those "ghetto" body moves that only come from a culture that is not seen as respectful, responsible, or righteous.

    On a quick last note, the donuts metaphor doesn't work either. Church is not a Shipley's!

    People go to Shipley’s because they can customize and personally pick out from a large assortment of goodies what they specifically want. If they don't want donuts, then they don't buy donuts; but the large majority of the Shipley's population keeps that chain alive by purchasing their donuts. When I am at church and a rapper that exudes the behavior traits I described above comes on stage, am I just supposed to get up and leave until the next song? I didn't CHOOSE that type of worship, yet I am still being exposed to it and am expected to allow it (or even enjoy it!) it during my worship time.

    My Point --Attract lost people to the church and introduce them to God, but don't drive away the people whom you have already brought to the church and set on the right path! Aren't we SUPPOSED to be different in the first place?

    [Disclaimer:]
    1.) Again, this post is regarding my previous experience with a rapper that was brought on stage perhaps a month or so ago. I did not witness the rapper hereto referred in Pastor Tom's post.
    2.) Also, I am speaking in a general manner towards the culture known as "ghetto", not to a specific race. While mostly stereotyped under the African American race, this culture can be picked up and used as a life choice for any person under the sun of any background and any race.
    3.) I know the history behind the term “ghetto” and I’m not referring to a person characterized by that background either. Only the style of verbiage they use, the body language to show, the clothing trends like pants down at the knees and overuse of profane ‘bling’, the rapid flailing of arms while dancing with various finger combinations that mean who know what!?, etc.
    4.) Looking for an example of those dance moves I was talking about? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9wJuvGqPsM
    5.) Lastly, could this be a filter? Could this be a personal paradigm that has been planted and cultivated within me over time? Absolutely. That is very possible; but ask yourself if it is a common filter to have…yes, it certainly is. Hence, the large number of negative responses that you seem to have received from this last performance.

    ReplyDelete

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