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Sometimes you talk to Christian Emcees and they say that they use Hip-Hop as a tool to reach the youth of their city. I have a problem with this comment or idea. Hip-Hop is a culture, NOT an tool. I think it basically comes down to respect for the culture. HIP-HOP is not just music, but the culture consist of 4 elements. which non of the elements is speech or style of clothing (just to break some ideas of those who stereotype). Nobody says, "We use gospel music as a tool to get people in the church." That's crap. We use praise and worship music to give God glory among other things. Gospel music inspires, motivates, and comforts. So does country music. R'n'b brings relationships together or helps vent a broken heart. Which also applys to country music. The point I'm trying to make is that how can people only talk about one form of music like it's meaningless and compare it to a tool. Hip-Hop speakes to the youth of this generation not because of the way it audibly sounds, but because the way it makes them feel. And us as emcee's ,whether we're christian or not, just have to make sure that we speak of the good things of life and not the negative. When people like to listen to hip-hop, their ears are wide open to whatever the rapper has to say. Sometimes people agree and disagree with what is being said, but the young people work differently. They like what they hear, they like the beat, and then they just swallow whatever the emcee tells them. After they hear so much of one thing they start becoming like what they hear about. This is what the phrase "you are what you eat" came from. So a note to Christian rappers and emcees, don't push commercialize the name of Jesus, because if you do, you are only gonna reach to those who need a substitute for ludacris or lil jon. Instead, make songs like Jesus preached. I'm talking about parables. So that way it ministers to the body of Christ at the same time, the youth that are out there on the street can relate to it and not feel like someone is just shoving religion in their face.

NO MORE Choir!!!

ok here's the deal. the personality of reformation is coming to pass. i have been going thru some major changes in my life every since Jan. 1 2006. I have come to the point of "fed up" with the idea of Praise and Worship being considered an "opening act" and something to be done as people walk in. it's very amazing to me how men and women of God can't take the act of "praise and worship" just as seriously as receiving the message. We constintly hear about how pastors of churches hate alot of movement in and out of the sanctuary during preachings. But let us set the praise and worship in the front to get the people excited for the message. i know this is not what God had planned and i know this is not how we will admit to our mindset of this topic, but at the same time, it always proves to be true thru our actions and our everyday expressions. We try to be so careful about what we say to new believers on the topic of faithfulness to God but yet we don't show or practice what we preach or teach. this is not an attack on the church or it's leaders or it's member. but i feel in my spirit that there has to be some renewal in spirit about what "praise and worship" is. How's this for starters. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MUSIC. As a former "worship leader" i always felt like i have to go on stage with a personality different from my own because i know what the people and my leaders excpect out of praise and worship services. And i'm constintly hearing about i should be lead by the spirit. If i was to do that, then i would tell the musicians to stop playing and tell the congregation to to worship him and praise God the way David did. David didn't Praised and Worshiped God not with music. I believe that God picked David out of the line up of other "worshipers" because David not only knew how to praise God, But he demonstrated it. He lived out worship. He just didn't praise God with instruments. people say that cause, as human beings, we have a tendacy to glorify the "show bread" we don't see that the way David praised God was with everything he had. With everything he knew how to do. This is the example the God is trying to show us. We have to come to the point that we realize that we when we show up late to work, school, or church that God sees that as worship. when we lie, cheat, steal, our conversations, our appearance, the way react to bad news. this is all worship onto God and when we act by emotions instead of by the spirit, we have to think about and evaluate the kind of worship we are offering up to God. We have to come to the point to where we don't just stand or kneel and lift up hands and call that (and that alone) worship. The quality of worship is determined outside of church, slow songs, or even closets. don't get me wrong, music is a powerful thing and a powerful force in both the natural and spiritual. This is not an attack on praise and worship music. But we have to know is that Music is an expression of our spirit and soul. Praise and Worship songs are created by the spirit of a musical worshiper. is not meant to be the act and only act of everybody elses praise and worship.