Hot take: Christian rappers are producing music that’s waaay more creative, theologically sophisticated, and authentically covering the full range of human experience than mainstream Christian worship. Just an opinion, folks 🤷🏼‍♂️

@PrestonSprinkle A conversation near to my heart :). As others said, there may be a false equivalence here. Christian rap isn't designed to serve communities liturgically. It's mostly self-expression, though I could be wrong on that. I'm curious on this too, as my son is a Christian rapper :)

@evanwickham I’m definitely out of my league in talking about music, etc. So please excuse my ignorance. But—shouldn’t any music “designed to serve communities liturgically” be more theologically sophisticated, creative, etc? And why does mainstream worship have to be the same music genre?

@evanwickham What’s the actual argument for NOT having theologically profound rap as part of the worship service? Genuine question. (I hope it’s not because mostly white church goers wouldn’t go for it.) Is there an objective, philosophical/theological reason why this wouldn’t honor Christ?

@PrestonSprinkle Objectively, when songs are "simpler" more people participate. See 70s Vineyard songs for reference. They were similarly produced and artful as many popular artists of the day, i.e. Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, etc

@PrestonSprinkle @evanwickham I think it's harder to follow along. I don't have that problem in the car, but I was once a professional musician.

@PrestonSprinkle @evanwickham Practically, it’d likely be because of a cap on participation. Though it may seem paradoxical, passive observance during worship times is typically aimed to be minimal in most evangelical worship services. “The Special” = 💀

@PrestonSprinkle @evanwickham One last point on musicology: some genres are "uplifting", others are "earthy". I would say that, be it choral singing, some pop-rock arrangements and even electronic music or others, music appropriate in a worship service should lead us "upwards", from a musicality standpoint.

@PrestonSprinkle @evanwickham But compare that to the crowds belting out "LIGHT WILL GUIIIIIDE YOU HOME" at Coldplay concerts, and it's easy to see which genre fits congregational singing better. Similarly, very few rap choruses make it into chants at soccer games in England, despite many fans being into rap.

@PrestonSprinkle @evanwickham From a musicology standpoint, some genre fit better with congregational singing. Think of what gets people singing out/shouting out in unison at a concert. You might get a bit of unison if a rap chorus is particularly punchy and spaced out lyrically.

@PrestonSprinkle @evanwickham Forms communicate just as loudly as content how highly we view God. So I guess if you’re not in awe of God, any music or medium will do. (Rap probably isn’t any more bankrupt than mainstream “worship” music, if that’s what we’re comparing it to.)

@PrestonSprinkle @evanwickham More earthy genres (rap, hardcore metal...) are better for speaking to men, and can carry more punch in getting a strong message across to touch the hearts of men, in more of a prophetic than a priestly mood. They have their place, but maybe not in corporate, Godward worship.

@PrestonSprinkle @evanwickham As a youth worship leader that also happens to rap, I've been pushing for this at my local church. Here's my rendition of Walk on Water by @elevation_wrshp