Hip Hop Chapel
Posted: 05/04/12
Chapel services are held Tuesday to Thursday during semester, it is not only a great opportunity to worship God together, but also provides students the opportunity to use their gifts to serve the Ridley community, and learn important skills in arranging and leading services.
The Christian Worship class at Ridley was set the task of creating a hip hop service in Chapel, incorporating Scripture reading, sermon, songs and Lord’s Supper. “It is important for those who have responsibility for worship in their own churches to think theologically from first principles about how to construct services which honour God and serve a variety of different people and subcultures” says chapel coordinator, Rhys Bezzant. “The challenge to work within the musical genre of hip hop and to think about the culture that generates the music is both stimulating and fun!”
Rhys was very pleased with the results, “It is important as well to provide resources for students to try things elsewhere. One chaplain in a government high school loved the service, and thought he’d try it some time in his school. A youth minister has seen possibilities for the youth ministry in her own church. No doubt others will produce their own material and make it serve their own communities well.”
After the service, the college was buzzing from the experience, one student was heard to remark that he didn’t realize rap could be Christian! Amen? Word!
