Christian hip-hop stresses righteous living and praising the Lord, but that hasn’t garnered it many endorsements from the church. Many consider hip-hop and the church incompatible no matter what the subject matter of the lyrics – a consequence, no doubt, of mainstream hip-hop’s reputation for proudly affirming street culture and lewd living. Whether you judge Christian hip-hop by the content of its character or the flavor of its roots, it’s no secret that many younger churchgoers are tuned into this modern musical form as it is a more relatable expression of their hearts in the world outside of Sunday services. That leads to these 3 reasons why church leaders should be paying attention to Christian hip-hop.

1. Ask, Seek, Knock

The bible is replete with verses affirming that those who seek God will find Him. The church – and especially church leaders – have a duty to spread the gospel, but they are also instruments of God’s will. Hip-hop and the church may not be compatible with each other, but that is not the main issue here. Christian hip-hop – its artists and audiences – are seeking God when they praise Him and glory in living how He instructs them to. Even if they are doing wrong by using a secular style of music to do so, it’s the redeemed sinners that the angels rejoice over the most (Matthew 18: 10–14), anyways. Church leaders should do more to understand Christian hip-hop because it is prominently used by those who share the same spirit and thirst for God’s love. Church leaders can do this by paying attention to the messages in Christian hip-hop lyrics and instructing the youth if it is truly affirming the message of the gospels or not.

2. “What God Has Cleansed, No Longer Consider Unholy” (Acts 10:15)

Consider the vision Peter received in Acts. The consensus among the church is that it didn’t erase the rules that God had already established about what is clean and unclean, but that God can make clean anything, and gives salvation to all who obey Him. Acts is also striking in how so many heard and were converted by the gospels told them by the apostles who showed more steadfastness in many cases than the disciples did. If Greeks, Jews, gentiles, and all people who fear and obey God can make important contributions to the ministry, then Christian hip-hop should be seen as a modern-day extension of the revolutionary evangelistic mission and message of salvation that began with the story presented in Acts.

3. Extend The Reach Of The Gospel

Hip-hop and the church don’t have to work together, but it is good when the Word reaches more ears. Church leaders should pay attention to Christian hip-hop to better understand how their young parishioners think and what motivates them. Hip-hop is one of the most popular musical genres among young people, and understanding their mode of expression will help church leaders to extend the gospels to them.

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