(A huge thanks to Chris Lenoir for providing today’s article!)
This is not another article weighing in on the validity of Kanye West’s conversion. At some point we need to move past that as Christians and move forward with the narrative. The passage of time will determine whether Kanye West’s conversion is legitimate and by spending our time debating this I believe we are missing a real opportunity. As Christians we are called to live our lives glorifying God and pointing people to the good news of Jesus Christ. The latest Kanye West album “Jesus is King” is an opportunity to do this very thing.
“Jesus is King” is Kanye West’s 9th album to debut at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart but it is his first album to glorify Christ instead of himself. All his albums have an “E” for Explicit language and content on them except “Jesus is King”. By the world’s standards “Jesus is King” is Kanye West’s most explicit album yet because it is explicitly and unapologetically Christian in content.
Here are just a few examples of this content:
From the Song “Selah”
John 8:36
To Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.
He saved a wretch like me.
From the song “God Is”
King of Kings, Lord of Lords
All the things He has in store
From the rich to the poor
All are welcome through the door
You won’t ever by the same
When you call on Jesus’ name
Listen to the words I’m saying
Jesus saved me, now I’m saying
From the song “Hands On”
I’m not trying to lead you to Besus
But If I try to lead you to Jesus
We could call “Halfway believers’
Only halfway read Ephesians
Only if they knew what I knew, ah
I was never new till I knew of
True and living God, Yeshua
The true and living God
From the Song “Closed on Sunday”
Stand up for my home
Even if I take this walk alone
I bow down to the King upon the throne
My life is His, I’m no longer my own
From the Song “Jesus is Lord”
Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confesses
Jesus is Lord
Jesus is Lord
These are just a few examples of the lyrics being explicitly Christian. Christians are we ready to explain to the unbelieving world these song lyrics that are clearly grounded in Scripture? Are we ready to explain how someone like Kanye West can now sing, “My life is His, I’m no longer my own”?
In Acts 8:26-40 we find a similar situation. A Eunuch is reading the scroll of Isaiah when Phillip finds him. Philip asks the Eunuch if he understands what he is reading. The Eunuch responds by asking Philip, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” The explicit Christian nature of Kanye West’s album is an opportunity to guide those who are listening to it to understand what they are hearing. As Christians we are the ones who have this understanding to explain to an unbelieving world what Kanye West is singing about. If you and I spend all our time arguing about the genuineness of Kanye West’s conversion, we will miss this God given opportunity.
Even if Kanye West does another 180-degree pivot and denounces Christ 6 months from now we can still use this opportunity in the present. Guess what, that person who just gave a wonderful salvation testimony in your church recently could walk away from the faith as well but that does not make their present testimony any less impactful for those who hear it. As Christian’s we can only take people where they are currently at with their confession of faith and fruits.
In the past two weeks I have gone from barely knowing who Kanye West is to asking just about everyone I meet if they have listened to the new Kanye West album. The Kanye West album “Jesus is King” is a talking point that can be used to have a deeper gospel conversation. What about you? How are you using this very public declaration of Jesus Christ?
We need to be ready to explain what is meant by such sayings as “being free” “being saved”, “Lord of Lords”, “calling on Jesus name” and “true and Living God, Yeshua”. We need to be ready to explain how God could make someone like Kanye West a new creation in Christ who goes from singing of nothing but himself to sing about nothing but our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Many will hear a gospel testimony perhaps for the first time by listening to Kanye West’s album “Jesus is King” and you and I need to be ready.
“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can we they call upon him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, how beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
– Romans 10:13-15
