Kanye, the Power of Prayer, and the Problem of Hypocrisy
I I Graphic by Draven Haefs
The opinions reflected in this OpEd are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, faculty and students of The King's College.
Last month, Kanye West released his new gospel-rap album entitled JESUS IS KING. Although the record is only twenty-seven minutes long, each song uncovers a deeper meaning behind the truth of the gospel. I was a bit reluctant to share my thoughts on West’s conversion because I had certain reservations regarding its authenticity. After a profound conversation with a close friend and hearing “Hands On” for the first time, I realized that I have no right to judge Kanye’s personal relationship with Christ. In fact, the Church as a whole has no right to judge Kanye for this radical transformation in his life. As a Church, we often underestimate the power of prayer and its role in leading others to Christ.
First off, I have to say that this album is a great one. I found myself nodding along to certain hits like “Closed on Sunday,” “Water,” and “On God” to name a few. I was equally excited to see that West featured Fred Hammond, one of my favorite Gospel artists, on “Hands On.” I was not prepared for the conviction I felt when I first heard the song. Through a potent beat and heart-wrenching lyrics, Kanye calls out modern Christians on their judgmental nature and misconceptions about the miracle of conversion. He says,
“Said I'm finna do a gospel album
What have you been hearin' from the Christians?
They'll be the first one to judge me
Make it feel like nobody love me
They'll be the first one to judge me
Feelin' like nobody love me.”
I was almost in tears when I heard those words. I immediately felt remorse for my ridicule and reluctance of Kayne’s faith journey. One of my close friends and cousins, Marilette Sanchez reminded me that Christ’s redemptive power is available to everyone. She told me that “American Christians have such a narrow view of conversion. Just because someone truly submits their life over to Jesus, doesn’t mean all their bad habits go away.” She also helped me realize that prayer is more influential than people are willing to admit. She said something that I believe all Christians should take into consideration: “I don’t think it’s our place to judge his intention. Our job is to pray.”
Christians often forget that the gospel does not grant us a VIP pass to the pearly gates or give us a license to criticize others in their walk with God. Jesus said that He came to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10 NIV). He also said that He didn’t “come to condemn the world, but to save the world” (John 3:17 NIV). The gospel is the good news that Jesus paid the price for our sins and came to renew our souls. This good news is available to everyone, including Kanye West. Instead of judging his “spontaneous conversion,” we should lay hands on each other and pray for those who are broken and lost.