A thoughtful analysis of the question may be found here. I think Dr. Murray's strongest point is the concept that if rap is being used as a preaching medium, it perhaps violates Paul's methodology expressed in 1 Corinthians:
The Church is always at risk of slipping slowly and imperceptibly away from the "foolishness of preaching" to the seemingly reasonable and persuasive "wisdom of this world." In ancient culture, worldly wisdom said to Gospel preachers, "Use philosophy!" or "Use miracles!" but Paul stuck by the seemingly foolish method of a single, unaccompanied human voice authoritatively declaring the Truth. He did not use the common Greek Socratic method or the accepted Jewish Rabbinic model. He used God's method and model of preaching - culturally unacceptable then as now.
Through the years, the Church has been continually tempted to use various cultural fads and trends to reach the lost - Christian punk rock, Christian glam rock, Christian death metal - usually with little lasting fruit. The temptations take different forms in different cultures, but God has designed and designated preaching to be the universal means of gathering in His elect, no matter what culture or age we live in.
However, I do think we need to distinguish between several issues at stake, and I would like to emphasize a few different points other than the association question, which were covered well in his article. Plus, I think our conclusions about the appropriateness of rap has implications for other musical forms (techno, rock, country, etc).
To begin, 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 is talking about preaching as a medium for reaching the unbelieving. Should music be used for evangelism? Paul appears to say no. Verbal proclamation of the gospel is the method God has chosen. We need to use God's chosen method in our evangelism, even though it may seem wiser to do something else. We can easily justify doing something besides preaching/verbally witnessing in evangelism because our alternate method is familiar/easier (comfort zone), effective (pragmatics), or more widespread ('everyone' does it). But even if we are sincerely trying to accomplish something good, sincerity is not the final test; conformity to biblical principle is. Our music does say something about us, but it is not to be the method of our evangelism.
What about in our worship services? We need to start with biblical principles, such as these, and then consider carefully our own context. Biblically accurate lyrics, music which fits those words and is appropriate to the church setting, and a structure that is ideally accessible for the normal person in our congregations to sing are a good starting point.
In contrast, taking words that reflect great gospel truths, such as the satisfaction of God's wrath, or our purpose in life, and then pairing those words with techno, rap, or similar styles that tend to distract from/drown out the words seems to violate several of these principles. This is in addition to the tendency of such forms drawing more attention to the performer or the emotional high than to the message. To clarify, I'm not saying that reverting to lyrics tied to classical or revival music is inherently better. But we need to be principle-driven in what we sing as a congregation, and evaluate what we sing by at least these three principles.
To begin, 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 is talking about preaching as a medium for reaching the unbelieving. Should music be used for evangelism? Paul appears to say no. Verbal proclamation of the gospel is the method God has chosen. We need to use God's chosen method in our evangelism, even though it may seem wiser to do something else. We can easily justify doing something besides preaching/verbally witnessing in evangelism because our alternate method is familiar/easier (comfort zone), effective (pragmatics), or more widespread ('everyone' does it). But even if we are sincerely trying to accomplish something good, sincerity is not the final test; conformity to biblical principle is. Our music does say something about us, but it is not to be the method of our evangelism.
In contrast, taking words that reflect great gospel truths, such as the satisfaction of God's wrath, or our purpose in life, and then pairing those words with techno, rap, or similar styles that tend to distract from/drown out the words seems to violate several of these principles. This is in addition to the tendency of such forms drawing more attention to the performer or the emotional high than to the message. To clarify, I'm not saying that reverting to lyrics tied to classical or revival music is inherently better. But we need to be principle-driven in what we sing as a congregation, and evaluate what we sing by at least these three principles.
I have to admit, I'm still thinking through these issues. For example, there may be some room for differences between "what we use in worship" vs. "what we listen to at home". There's a time and a place for Lord of the Rings soundtracks, at least for me, but Sunday morning during church isn't one of them. There's a time and a place for motivational music, such as at a soccer game. Still, it's hard for me to see how several popular musical forms (rap, techno, etc) fit with Hebrews 12:28-29, in connection with John 4:23-24. We cannot forget that our God demands reverence just because our culture, Christian and otherwise, has exalted personal emotional fulfillment over and above quiet contemplation. Also, life in our sin-scarred world is characterized by joyous sadness, which such music often does not reflect.
So we've considered music in evangelism, and music in congregational worship. What about at home? Is there a place for rap, techno, and similar forms in the category of personal motivation to holiness outside of congregational worship?
Before answering, we should perhaps ask ourselves how the early church was able to get by without all the props we seem to find essential to our sanctification. What did they have, beyond the Bible itself? (This is not a secret rant against seminary education or Bible dictionaries). My point is, the method for our daily growth in being like Christ is not found in allegedly Christian music, books, or apparel. The method for our sanctification is daily and consistent obedience to the principles laid out in the Bible; for example, 1 Thessalonians 4:3. Other things may encourage, to the extent they remind us of biblical truth, but they cannot transform.
The short answer is that we don't need to listen to Christian music in order to live a Christian life; admittedly, listening to secular music probably won't help us, either. We should perhaps consider as well whether a form is addictive (1 Corinthians 6:12), especially before jumping to the "But I like it" reason for using it. Can you be edified by rap? Perhaps. But at a minimum, make sure you're not trying to make your music take the place of studying the Bible itself or time in prayer before God. And make sure it's not controlling your life; this is something you probably need someone else to evaluate, because we are often blind to our own faults.
To conclude, can rap be Christianized? For evangelism, no, because Paul said we should use preaching instead. For congregational worship, no, because it doesn't fit with certain biblical principles. For personal use, I'm not sure, but at a minimum, I can say it is not needed, as well as potentially addictive for some people. I don't plan to use rap in my church someday, as preaching or congregationally in worship, and I question its value for personal edification.
Before answering, we should perhaps ask ourselves how the early church was able to get by without all the props we seem to find essential to our sanctification. What did they have, beyond the Bible itself? (This is not a secret rant against seminary education or Bible dictionaries). My point is, the method for our daily growth in being like Christ is not found in allegedly Christian music, books, or apparel. The method for our sanctification is daily and consistent obedience to the principles laid out in the Bible; for example, 1 Thessalonians 4:3. Other things may encourage, to the extent they remind us of biblical truth, but they cannot transform.
The short answer is that we don't need to listen to Christian music in order to live a Christian life; admittedly, listening to secular music probably won't help us, either. We should perhaps consider as well whether a form is addictive (1 Corinthians 6:12), especially before jumping to the "But I like it" reason for using it. Can you be edified by rap? Perhaps. But at a minimum, make sure you're not trying to make your music take the place of studying the Bible itself or time in prayer before God. And make sure it's not controlling your life; this is something you probably need someone else to evaluate, because we are often blind to our own faults.
To conclude, can rap be Christianized? For evangelism, no, because Paul said we should use preaching instead. For congregational worship, no, because it doesn't fit with certain biblical principles. For personal use, I'm not sure, but at a minimum, I can say it is not needed, as well as potentially addictive for some people. I don't plan to use rap in my church someday, as preaching or congregationally in worship, and I question its value for personal edification.
HT: Tim Challies
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