Using Acts 17:16-34, the Apostle Paul’s sermon to the Areopagus in Athens, as a biblical precedent for faithfully engaging cultural artifacts homiletically to evangelize potential Christians, through the study of seminal hip hop recordings, texts on hip hop and theology, and through field study in congregations and personal interviews with pastors known for effectively engaging hip hop lyricism in their preaching, I will develop a practical theology model for homiletically engaging hip hop lyricism as a theological conversation partner to effectively evangelize younger generations of potential African American Christians.

The project will unfold in three phases. In Phase I, I will study seminal hip hop recordings and texts on hip hop and theology. In Phase II, I will conduct field study in congregations and personal interviews with pastors known to effectively engage hip hop lyricism in preaching. In Phase III, I will develop a model, informed by my textual research, field study, and personal interviews, that instructs pastors and their congregations how to effectively engage hip hop lyricism in worship and preaching to evangelize newer generations of potential African American Christians, many who lack any Christian spiritual formation.

My research will be disseminated through presentations, articles, and in book form.