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BradJHammond said:
I suppose what I would like to explore a little more deeply is the claim of some holy hip-hop supporters and artists (such as William Branch), that holy hip-hop has emerged from the church -- from the Christian hip-hop church community. It is their “indigenous” music. Just as our church music (I’m especially thinking of the music and not the lyrics) reflects and bears the stamp of the cultures from which our churches have emerged, their music reflects and bears the stamp of the culture they have come from and still belong to. Once they’ve thrown out all the dirty, degrading, worldly lyrics and replaced them with pious ones, what else do they need to do? Are certain rhythms, sounds, and melodies intrinsically ungodly? My gut says Yes! But, not being a musicologist, I don’t have a clue how to articulate my misgivings. Also, maybe my musical intuitions and tastes are just too "white." Is there anything ungodly or sinful about “sampling” or “scratching” or “rapping” in themselves? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/peace.gif" alt="" />

When missionaries go to foreign mission fields, do they or should they allow local, indigenous musicians to write new settings for old songs, or perhaps even compose or write their own? Or is the (white - Western) music the missionaries bring with them the only thing permitted? And if so, for how long? What if indigenous children or teenagers start singing songs about Jesus in the style of other songs they know, should this be discouraged? How or why is the inner-city African American community or culture any different? Certainly it and the people in it need to be redeemed; but what does redemption look like when it comes to music?

Sounds like a good thing to do. I certainly would not say that our western style music is what has to be enforced by missionaries. What about many missionaries from non-Western countries that are now working in Western Europe?

For a number of years we had a quite a number of Korean members in our congregation and I know that they had their own music. But, it is also true that for some of them the traditional Western hymns were special. They adopted it. Making contact with the reformed churches in Korea might already help a lot in trying to get an answer.

I also have some sort of barrier to feel comfortable with bringing into the worship service music that has a strong secular connection. Maybe it is the tradition that I grew up in that gives me this bias. On the other hand, although my tradition is Dutch reformed, I never had a problem with the English counterpart. And when we stayed in Las Cruces for seven months and were part of the University Prebyterian Church (PCA) I also learned to appreciate the contemporary music they used. Although it was totally new for me I never felt uneasy as eg is the case with what people call christian rock. One thing that keeps coming back to me time and again is that the words of the psalms that we sing as well as of the traditional English hymns has a depth that I don't find in most of the contemporary gospel songs. Take for example the hymn "Great is Thy faithfulness" which most of you know:

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!