Every now and again I bring news of a few of the albums that have crossed by desk (or my copy of iTunes) in the past few weeks. Today I bring news of three notable albums.
Evangel
Rapper Evangel has just released a new album titled Expository Journey. At the web site for Lamp Mode Recordings, the label that released the album, you’ll find this: “Many of you know him as a founding member of Christcentric. Others may know him from guest appearances on The Solus Christus Project, Killing Sin , Phanatik’s The Incredible Walk or Voice’s The Crucible. He is undeniably a favorite emcee of everyone at Lamp Mode, which is why we’re so excited to be releasing his first solo album - Expository Journey.” Being largely rap-ignorant, I have little ability to evaluate the record accept to compare it with albums by Voice. Like Voice, the album is heavily theological—there is no beating around the bush here. I’ll borrow a few paragraphs from a review at Reformation Theology.
From the outset, it’s clear that Evangel displays some of the things I’ve come to expect from Lampmode and Christcentric — a clear and unapologetic testimony to the truths of the Reformation, emphasizing man’s total depravity and inability, monergistic regeneration, penal substitution, and the necessary effect of the gospel, which must however be passionately pursued, of personal holiness.Evangel’s chief distinguishing characteristic, appropriately enough, seems to be his emphasis on personal evangelism. This is not primarily a worship album, and many of the songs are addressed to sinners, or written with the unconverted in mind. He seems not to have gotten over his own conversion, which one suspects from the nature of several tracks was fairly recent. Dialogues between evangelists and sinners, believers and their unbelieving friends, doctrinally mature believers and man-centered evangelicals, and so on, make up a pretty significant chunk of the material.
Expository Journey also contains a few tracks on other specific topics, such as, for instance, “A Good Thing,” which is basically a scripture-saturated unpacking of the beauty of marriage, and its divine ordination. The approach of taking so popular a musical motif as the love between a man and woman, and doing the very unpopular and unusual thing of laying out God’s own opinion on the topic, is quite refreshing.
Basically, Evangel is in fact an evangelist. His music is primarily sermonic, an appeal to the unsaved and to fellow believers alike to be more firmly rooted in the deep doctrinal truths of the Reformation. I have no hesitancy in encouraging anyone interested to get over to Christcentric and order a copy of this album, or any of the other albums available there.
You can check out some of the songs at his MySpace page.
Voice
While we’re on the subject of rap music, Voice also has a new album that has just released. This one, his third, is titled The Process of the Pardon. As with his previous two albums, it is an album that teaches theology and which glories in the gospel. New this time is guest appearances from a couple of well-known MC’s—Ligon Duncan and Wayne Grudem. In this case he has not inserted excerpts from sermons, but actual recordings they made in-studio with him. They cover, among other topics, Covenant Theology and the ordo salutis. Voice was kind enough to send me a document with the lyrics and it comes in at 33 pages! You can do a lot of theology in 33 pages. Here is a sample from one of the songs:
In Christ I’m legalized, sin is equalized, He penalized
Now that’s what I call a friend epitomized. I minimized
The sin in guys and the sequels rise, it’ll beef with guys
And I’ve traced it back to a match that has prequel ties
Stick to facts, let it meditate between the eyes
In a moment atonement will levitate what’s seen in guys
Seen as wise between you and I believe in thy it’ll stand
Hands, keep em high; man, don’t even try
To deny Christ crucified is evil eyed
Evil pride as if it never is found where clever is
Temporary, but forever lives somewhere beyond
The eyelids of the promised heir’s kids
What I did was give up to grace when it lit up
Now my life bows down till the Great Renown says get up
Conversion is good but when you got the wrong version
It could be a deterrent to the urgent that is currently lurking
That’s why we’re not emergent. Cause to the flesh it sounds good, what
But you don’t just buy any detergent; you buy what’s worth it, right?
Apart from Christ, all you get in this life is salvation waiting at the circus
With lions and tigers, good, terrific, but if it’s not sin legit, then get it, it’s not salvific
So don’t miss it. To be redeemed by the blood streams of Christ
You have to decide if it is or isn’t. Decisions…
New Attitude offers seven reasons they like the album. You can watch a video about the making of the album right here. You can listen to three tracks and download two at purevolume.
Phil Wickham
And finally, Phil Wickham is offering his album singalong for free download. I don’t know a whole lot about Phil but have listened to the album a few times and am largely enjoying it. And the price is right! You can download it right here.
Comments (10) »
1. Tim
August 17, 2008
2:35 PM
I listened to “Expository Journey” for a few minutes before I ran away. It was very depressing to me. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about this. Am I supposed to celebrate this as a new progressive method of evangelism? Have I become an old fuddy-duddy because I just can’t get into this type of music? Is this music?
Whites were officially proclaimed to be the minority, last week, in my hometown. I am the only white employee where I work and there are 10 or 11 employees. I hear rap all the time and I just can’t learn to like it.
It wasn’t “Off the chain”
It wasn’t “Buck”
It wasnt’ even “Good”
2. Tommy B
August 17, 2008
3:23 PM
I disagree with the previous comment. I enjoyed this music very much. And I’m a white dude. :)
3. Jenn
August 17, 2008
4:55 PM
Tim - I’d encourage you to listen to Bob Kauflin’s sermons on “God Music and Me” over at Sovereign Grace. It may not be your cup of tea; that is respected. It points to the glory of God through various themes; I believe He is pleased w/this.
Tommy B - Yes, Evangel’s music is ridiculous! (in a good way!)
4. Michael Dewalt
August 18, 2008
1:18 AM
where is the puritan prayer!!!!
5. chuck beem
August 18, 2008
10:34 AM
I haven’t actually heard Voice yet, but I am a huge fan of guys like Flame and Shai Linne. For the record, the lyrics you’ll get from these rappers so far outshines what most ‘Christian’ artists put out, it’s ridiculous.
6. Derek
August 18, 2008
2:04 PM
Let me start off by saying thank you Mr. Challies for so graciously posting this review of Evangel’s project on your board. I know there are some who are not accustomed to and not comfortable with rap, even if it’s Christian. So I’d like to post some lyrics from one of Evangel’s old songs which teaches the Sufficiency of Scripture. As for Brother Tim living in a truly frustrating situation as a minority, As your brother in the Lord who happens to be black I pray the Lord encourage your heart during your time of struggle.
Grace & Peace
Sufficiency of Scripture
Today His Word’s diluted, sin germ polluted
And there’s no importance placed on hermeneutics
Yet we defend our fleshly pretense
Churches search for an esoteric experience
In the book that He authored
The Scriptures, give us a more sure word, so let’s look at what’s offered
It’s awkward, there’s no gimmicks
By His Word He spoke and created man in His own image
By His Word He created the heavens for display
And they’re still stating His presence to this day
By it He promised life
The logos that took flesh, and was put to death as the incarnate Christ
The universe is vast that his Word sustains
Heaven and earth shall pass but His word remains
By His Word, the Lord healed from His talking
No gangbanger though He invented the crip-walking
A sword when temptations are given
The Lord Christ sliced and answered thrice it is written!
“What thus saith” God said
We should live by it and not bread to get our chops fed.
Hook:
Sufficiency of Scripture how it used to be a fixture
Now it’s swirled into a world mixture
Expose the fallacy of this mentality
Lord, restore Your word to its centrality!
Verse 2: Evangel
Stop being ignorant when bondage occurred
He sent His Word to the prophets for deliverance
Yet my mind marvels
How the gospel today’s been reduced to a left behind novel
In this contemporary Christian trend
Many think evangelism is a fish emblem
Nothing but blues that trouble our pews
Unless on the Word we show dependence like W2’s
That’s the object true faith comes from God’s writ
Not logic that some squads spit
His Word suffice for a subservient life to Christ
Giving perfect advice We should read it
Explains the blessings and reproof that’s needed
Contains the necessary truth We should eat it
Sweet like honey but it’s funny in the tummy
It’s bitter once we consider to heed it!
7. Christopher Lake
August 19, 2008
7:29 PM
Tim (the first commenter), I’m a white man who went to nearly all-white schools in the Deep South, from childhood through high school. In my twenties, I moved to a city just outside of D.C. The ethnic/cultural environment was very different. In some ways, I enjoyed it, as I had hated the racism toward non-whites that was prevalent in my home state. In other ways, it was a challenge, as I realized the degree of of the cultural differences that can exist between whites and other ethnic groups.
Having written the above about my background, I’ll just say this in love, my brother in Christ: Be careful of a quick reaction to what is not musically familiar to you, or to what you might *think* that you already understand. Now, you may just not like hip-hop as a genre of music, and that’s fine. Everyone has their preferences. As far as the possible ungodliness of hip-hop though, please know that not all hip-hop music is the same. Some of of it is undoubtedly an expression of rebellion against God. The same could be said for rock music of various styles. Some hip-hop artists, though, are writing and performing explicitly for God’s glory, such as Shai Linne, Flame, and Evangel. The lyrics of these artists are more theologically sound than much of what you will hear in the typical American evangelical church! The words are hard-hitting, clear presentations of Reformation theology. The music might seem abrasive or assaulting to your senses, personally, but the words are often theological gold.
I can appreciate that you don’t care for the style. I don’t like most Christian “emo” music (or worse, “screamo”) that I have heard. I don’t care for screamo largely because the words are often indecipherable. With Reformed hip-hop, I love that I can usually understand the words, and that they are actually worth hearing!
Anyway, brother, don’t think that you *must* like Christian hip-hop, because God obviously doesn’t view us through the lens of our musical preferences. However, also know that these artists are doing much good for God’s glory— partially through showing kids in urban areas and elsewhere that hip-hop music can be created for much greater ends than the glorification of materialism, sex, and violence! It’s not hip-hop itself that is evil. It’s a matter of what is in the particular artist’s heart and what he/she creates out of that condition of heart.
8. James
August 19, 2008
9:12 PM
My personal music preferences at one time were anything but rap or hip-hop or whatever the kids are calling it. Then one day I heard some theologically sound Christian rap on Way of the Master radio and fell in love with it. It’s very creative and refreshing to listen to when most of the airtime on Christian radio is taken up by “Jesus is my boyfriend” songs. I do have to admit that sometimes when I’ve got it cranked up in the family van, and kids on the street are looking my way, I find myself asking, “Should a 48 year old man be listening to this?” :-)
For those so inclined there’s some sample downloads for indie hip hop artists Timothy Brindle, Shai Linne and the Vessels of Mercy at www.lampmode.com
9. Randy Brandt
August 25, 2008
10:54 AM
> I don’t know a whole lot about Phil
For starters, he’s the son of John (guitarist) & Lisa (vocalist) Wickham of Parable, a great Christian band of the 70s. Parable’s frontman Chuck Butler has a son Chad, who happens to be the drummer for Switchfoot, so the second generation is doing quite well.
10. Jenn
August 26, 2008
12:26 PM
Phil also has a brother Evan Wickham who is a Christian artist too… I like them both a lot. Very Christ-centered lyrics.