The Red Letter Disciple 013: FLAME on His Journey to Becoming a Lutheran Hip-Hop Artist, Why the Church Has Not Embraced Rap Music, and Why Understanding Baptism Changes Everything
FLAME is a pioneer in the world of Hip-Hop and Rap music. He shares the journey that took him from a kid growing up in the inner-city who combined his interest in rap along with a terrible tragedy to being a Grammy-nominated performer and artist. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.
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Resources mentioned in the episode:
Twitter: @flame314
TikTok: @flameextranos
Key insights from the episode:
“Educa-tainment” - Flame’s grandmother is credited with suggesting he rap to remember facts for tests and he fell in love with rap and hip-hop.
While hip-hop did start off with just the party vibe and telling the story of the inner city, it quickly turned to the gang culture, drug culture, and a celebration of criminal activity. The church was caught off-guard by the collection of young people that were excited about rap and combining it with the gospel. - Flame
We are in a season of trying to educate the elder giants of the faith that we, the young people they are passing the baton to; it may look different from the way we are trying to communicate this ancient truth from the scripture, but we do have the heart of God, we have the Holy Spirit leading us. - Flame
Hip-Hop and rap will be the fastest-growing worship song genre. We need to create content that will engage the youth. - Zach Zehnder
God is the creator of music, sound, and blending and pairing; if we can see hip-hop music as a thing that is innocent in and of itself, that has been usurped by the mainstream society or the devil, then we can ask, What if Christians can get a hold of it, yield it to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, then we can couple it with the gospel? - Flame
We’ve seen this musical journey before in terms of traditional gospel music coming from the blues; even some hymns have their origin in some mainstream things that were going on. - Flame
When you see the goodness of God’s creation being expressed out loud and being submitted to the Lordship of Christ, it’s the best of both worlds. - Flame
The way some people have sanctification arranged in the room, you’ll always stub your toe on it. - Flame
In the generic American church, baptism is seen as work; it is seen as something that we do when we are ready to prove to God that we are serious about Jesus, or we are ready to hit reset. But it’s upside down. Baptism is a gift from God to us. - Flame
You’re always going to see your own inconsistencies, your own hypocrisy, your own disintegration, so I feel like what Lutheranism did was bring me out of myself to focus on Christ and his finished work. Now with my sanctification, I can do good in the world as opposed to being so absorbed with ‘Am I good enough?’ ‘Am I pure enough?’ ‘Are my affections aligned with how Jesus would feel about this?’ I had to break out of that mindset. - Flame
People that are tapping out of Christianity because they feel overwhelmed by this unattainable thing, I think they'll be attracted back to their Lord when they hear Lutheranism expanded. - Flame
We need to be Lutheran out loud in the arts so that people can know afresh that Jesus is for us. - Flame
A big common issue in the world today is mental health and identity, and society answers that question by telling us to look within. - Flame
One of the best habits I have is I try to get back on Sundays so that I can worship with my church body. - Flame
Tragedy does one of two things, it presses you in, or it presses you out. For Flame, it seems like the tragedy in his life pressed him into God. - Zach Zehnder
Flame’s challenge: Hear God’s voice in a world of competing voices. Take some time to read a chapter or a verse from the Bible and listen to what He has to say to you today.
Lead yourself (and your church) to be more like Jesus.
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