Posted by Min. Paul Scott If you go to any Black church on any given Sunday, you But what about those of us who want I never understood how people can praise the Lord on What if the pastor would stand up every Sunday morning Now it is not unusual for the church to get a little Some preachers have attempted to reach out to the Hip The Black church is in need of a Revolution. To be a
on 9/9/2001, 7:35 am
How to reach the (Hip Hop) Masses: Revolutionizing the
Black Church
Min. Paul Scott
Depending on who you talk to regarding the present
suffering of Afrikan people, the Black church is
either the cure or the cause and many Black folks on
either side of the issue will cut you over the topic.
But even the most Bible thumpinist, pocket book
totinist, mother of the church begins to loose a
little faith when her grand baby, who was raised in
the
church all his life, turns to drugs or becomes a gang
banger. Many Black people are asking, after all these
years in church listening to the preacha' talk about
Heaven why are Black folks still living in Hell?
Surely this is not the destiny that God has planned
for Afrikan people.
can bet your last money that the topic of the sermon
will not deviate too much from the familiar script
that you have heard a hundred times (other wise known
as the same, ole same ole). The pastor will get a
chorus of uh huhs as he chastises the congregation
for being back biters and sneakin around.
(Well!)The mothers of the church will give a loud
Amen! as he
tells the teenagers to cut off that rap music and pull
their pants up. (Go 'head and tell it!) Tears will
start rollin as he tells the congregation that
although they are used and abused buked and scorned
that there is a bright
side over Jordn. (Y'all don't hear me!) The reason
that these subjects are preached so frequently is
because they do not offend white folks and do not
challenge the white power structure.
Freedom instead of fighting with our brothers and
sisters over foolishness. What about those of us that
are more concerned about pursuing Liberation than
pursuing someone elses spouse. Is there a
Word from Heaven for us?
the inside of a church while drug dealers and
prostitutes are on the steps on the outside. Dont
they need a word from God, too? Historically, at its
best the Black church has been a source of strength
for our people but at its worst it has been used as an
agency of social control by the white power structure.
If a white man wanted to influence the actions of the
Black community, instead of dealing with the masses,
he would merely gain the confidence of the preacher
and the congregation would follow as sheep led to a
slaughter.
and preach against the white supremacist system with
the same energy (and volume) that he preaches about
what Black folks are doing wrong. What if he
challenged the congregation to go out and fight for
Freedom after each service. How long would it be
before that neighborhood sees a change? ( or that city
for that matter)
blacker during white sanctioned events like Black
history month. One Sunday out of the year, Deacon Frye
may wear a kufi and Rev. Jones may wear his kente
cloth robe and talk about how we need the ole time
religion that freed us from slavry and pression. But
why cant we have that every Sunday in a Black church
full of Black people?
The Black church must teach our history in and out of
season and not just our post 1865 history but the
TRUE history of the African people of the scriptures.
What effect would it have on the Junior Usher board if
they were constantly told that the people of the
scriptures were African people as they matured into
Black men and women. I doubt if they would join the
ranks of the brothers and sisters who started off
singing in the youth choir but took a wrong turn and
wound up in jail.
Hop generation by imitating the fashions and slang of
hip hop artists but if they are still have pictures of
a white Jesus in their churches it is symbol without
substance. They should return their FUBU jackets
and put their black pin striped double breasted suits
back on. There are gospel artists who have done a good
job mixing hip hop and gospel. Regardless of how funky
your beat is, if your subject matter is still based on
Eurocentric slave theology you are just singing loud
and saying nothing. The young people today have been
exposed to so many concepts via the media, the
internet, etc that you can not tell them just anything
that sounds good and expect them to accept it. Can you
tell the young brothers selling drugs on the corner
that they are going to Hell for killing our people
while at the same time saying that the white men who
murdered our ancestors are sitting up in Heaven?
follower of Yeshua (Jesus) the Black, Revolutionary
Messiah one must be in a constant struggle against the
forces of oppression. If you are not involved in the
struggle for Liberation, as the scriptures teach, you
are like the salt that has lost its savor. We cannot
loose our voices for fear that someone will accuse us
of preaching hate. As a wise brother
Once told me TRUTH is only hate for those who hate
the TRUTH.
Min. Paul Scott is the founder of the New Righteous
Movement based in Durham NC which teaches Afrikan
Liberation Theology.
He can be reached at operationmedia@yahoo.com
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