On September 30 Hip Hop artist Lecrae sat down at the Truth Table to discuss, well, himself, and the topic of race in Christianity/evangelicalism. One woman commented to Lecrae that some see him as having left “white evangelicalism”, and here are some comments he made in response:
Lecrae: “I was raised in a pro-black house…but when I became a believer, whether consciously or unconsciously, I was taught to lay that all aside, for Jesus…that stuff had to go.”
A former professor of mine, Randy Woodley (a Keetoowah Cherokee), tells a similar story in that when he became evangelical he was told to no longer dress and look like he was accustomed to, but to transition into dressing like a Christian (=white man). He had abandon a “pagan” culture in order to follow Jesus (see here for his interview with Rachel Held Evans). Interestingly white secular culture was not judged by the same standard.
Though this paradigm does not characterize all of evangelicalism in America (see here for a scholar-blogger’s response to Lecrae), we still must come to grips with the fact that similar stories are being told in many of our churches, stories in which people are told to put their culture aside and accept a “church” culture which has nothing to do with the New Testament. This does not mean that well-meaning Christians at the forefront of evangelism/conversion are white supremacists or white nationalists, but it does mean that they just might subconsciously view their culture as dominant.
Take the mission field for example: for some, going to an Haitian town or village to share the good news of Jesus is not the main goal; they must also go to teach and spread Western values, and they must civilize, or tame, those of that culture. But such a notion really has nothing to do with the New Testament and everything to do with an Enlightenment lens. We don’t do missions to spread our Western values, we do missions to share the gospel.
Recommended Resource: Scot McKnight on Paul’s vision for the church
October 22, 2017 at 11:27 pm
Good post. Many white Evangelicals have been blind to these ideas since its easy for all of us to be molded unconsciously by our own culture along with its undercurrents (Enlightenment thought which you mentioned).
Also, you used a good example of missions with its need to minister cross-culturally. Many established white Evangelicals get it when it come to foreign missions but seem to think differently about their neighbors at home.
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October 26, 2017 at 5:02 pm
Hey Alex, the American church generally is in trouble today in how she (mis)understands missions. Of course there are a great many churches that seem to better grasp Paul’s vision for the church.
Blessings and thanks for the comment!
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October 22, 2017 at 11:38 pm
I like lecrea. First hip hop songs I liked.
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October 26, 2017 at 5:05 pm
Hey Scott, I like Lecrae’s style as well. I have not come across very much quality Christian rap/hip-hop, so I appreciaate Lecrae’s contribution to the church (both in quality of music and in quality of theology). Thanks for dropping by!
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October 23, 2017 at 1:20 am
Great post. These people that cause separation and rules on what a Christian “looks like” should read up in their word because it teaches to come as you are! Let’s stay biblically true not political. flightministries.com
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October 26, 2017 at 5:05 pm
Agreed! Thanks for dropping by!
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