Christianity Today recently highlighted Reformed Rap and Hip-Hop. I am quoted in the section:

Reformed hip-hop is a theologically driven masculinity movement. It says no to the prom songs to Jesus in CCM, no to whiny emo Christian music for hipsters, and no to empty, shallow, individualistic Christian music lacking theological content produced out of Nashville.

Years ago, I can remember speaking with black sages in the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America), like Carl Ellis and Wy Plummer, about our desire to see an indigenous black reformed movement. While we hoped that this movement would, in fact, develop in the PCA it simply has not (yet) and I’m not sure if it will in my lifetime for many reasons.

If you look at the article profile in Christianity Today you’ll only see two groups represented: friends from the “Reformed” Baptist world (and other Calvinistic Southern Baptists) and friends from the Sovereign Grace network. Other than me, no Presbyterians.

No white Presbyterian pastors (with the influence of John Piper or C.J. Mahaney) are associated with this movement. White Baptist and Sovereign Grace ministers embraced the movement and gave it a platform to flourish and grow. White Presbyterian influencers did not do this. This, in part, explains what we see today.

Carl Ellis and Wy Plummer’s dream has come true in one sense but it primarily occurred in contexts that none of us knew were on the horizon during our discussions in the mid-1990s. This is probably one of my last comments about race and the PCA for a while but it seems that the black Reformed movement has completely skipped the Presbyterians. (*see story posted yesterday – Ed)

I’m happy that black Reformed churches and ministries are exploding in Baptists and Sovereign Grace circles. Maybe in a generation or so those will spill over into the PCA but until then I am content to watch the growth elsewhere. Thankfully, as a black Presbyterian, I’ve been invited to speak in the Baptist and Sovereign Grace dominated black Calvinist contexts and I consider it a privilege.

This summer I’m speaking that Legacy Conference in Chicago that will host many of the Black Reformed hip hop artists and hundreds of fans. It’s an honor to be invited in.

Anthony Bradley is an Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics at The King’s College, NYC. This commentary is taken from Bradley’s blog, The Institute and is used with permission of the author.