Some people believe music such as rap and hip hop should not be played inside a church. However, there is a pastor at an Atlanta church that plays music by Future and Drake during services. He performs the songs while putting a Jesus spin on it and sat down with Complex to discuss his choice of music to play at church.
Check out the interview below:
Drake and Future‘s music isn’t made for church. Whether it’s Drizzy singing about losing an ex or Future’s overwhelming drug-influenced crooning, it just doesn’t seem like the right mix in a place of worship. However, for the Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church in Atlanta, it’s the perfect soundtrack to reach a new generation.
Over the past few weeks, videos of their Sunday services went viral—mostly via Facebook. Instead of run of the mill choir performances, the church songs like“Hotline Bling” and “Big Rings,” among others, into gospel anthems. And they’restreamed online every Sunday, so you’ll never have to miss out.
We reached out to speak to Will Gravely, a pastor at the Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church, who oversees the college ministry, as well. Gravely told us the church has incorporated popular music into their services for over a decade now, and have covered everyone from Poison to Beyoncé and Rihanna.
How did you start incorporating popular music into your services?
Our pastor received a book a long time ago—the Purpose Driven Church—and what it taught was that Jesus’ ministry in the gospel was to reach people who thought they weren’t righteous already. His biggest critics when he was on the Earth were religious people, but his ministry was towards those who were far from God. The purpose of the local church is to bring people who are far from God closer to him. At that point we became what’s known as “Seeker Sensitive,” and we use Sunday, especially because we’re in the Bible Belt, to offer an invitation to people who feel far from God or who don’t really do church. We make the environment welcoming.
Is the church progressive across the board?
We have very conservative stances when it comes to scripture, but we see ministry, and the expression of that in the culture, as it can go in multiple directions.