The Christian Pushback Against Kanye West
“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”
This excerpt from the song “Hands On,” from Kanye West’s new album “Jesus is King,” addresses the massive pushback Kanye has received from Christians since his conversion, a fact that is sadly unsurprising. Comments like “we’ll see” and “I wonder if this is a P.R. stunt?” or “Remember Bob Dylan?” have flooded social media, and to a degree, this was expected given the attitude many Christians have towards celebrities who profess to be believers but live a very hypocritical life. But are the sins of Kanye West too great for God’s grace? I say, in Pauline fashion, “May it never be!”
Scripture documents the uncertainty of a well-known “great sinner” who became a bold follower of Christ overnight; Paul, the self-proclaimed “chief of sinners.” Acts 9:13-15 says, “But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name.’ ” Continuing in Acts 9, verse 26 records the disciples’ initial skepticism of Paul’s conversion, “And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.”
Sounds a lot like what is being said online ever since the news broke that the “blasphemous” Kanye West became a born-again believer. Since the release of Jesus is King on October 25th, the mainstream and Christian media have gone crazy, dominating the headlines, with secularists who have mocked West’s newfound faith and Christians declaring it uncertain that his faith is even real.
For us, the secular world is a given, they lack the Holy Spirit to guide them. But what is the excuse for the Christian crowd? Have we so quickly forgotten all those who doubted our own conversions? Have we forgotten what it was like to be a new believer who just got “radically saved?” Despite this, West’s “Hands On” speaks of the fruits and signs of a follower of Christ when he says,
“I deserve all the criticism you got
If that's all the love you have, that's all you got
To sing of change, you think I'm joking
To praise His name, you ask what I'm smoking
Yes, I understand your reluctancy, yeah
But I have a request, you see
Don't throw me up, lay your hands on me
Please, pray for me”
Kanye’s new behavior does not reflect the worldly one he had up until now. His maturity to say, “I deserve all the criticism…I understand your reluctancy” but “lay your hands on me, please, pray for me” is shocking to the world but right in line with the teachings found in Scripture.
We must remember as believers of Christ, we are not called to judge the heart but to pay attention to the fruits a person produces. If someone produces bad fruit, we are called to rebuke them (1 Timothy 5:20, 2 Timothy 3:16). If they fall away, then they were never part of us from the beginning (1 John 2:19). But when we see good fruit like this, we need to take the role of Barnabas (coming to Paul’s defense) and come to a new believer’s side and help them on their walk with Christ (Acts 9:27).
What is the immediate result of Kanye’s declaration that he is now a child of God? In NYC’s Times Square, advertising for West’s album is displayed in the most prominent advertising board in the whole city. Yes, in one of the most liberal cities in America, “Jesus is King” is the message for all to see.
Pastor Adam Tyson, a Master’s Seminary graduate, also had the opportunity to clearly preach the Gospel at one of Kanye’s weekly Sunday Service that have been held at numerous locations throughout the nation. Moreover, West has been conducting interviews where he is sharing the truth about repentance, condemning abortion, and discussing the importance of evangelism, etc.
Kanye has also shown signs of a genuine conversion by seeking discipleship through regular Bible studies with Pastor Tyson, working on giving up swearing and asking other around him not to swear, publicly pleading with his wife, Kim Kardashian, to stop wearing inappropriate clothing, and dedicating the rest of his career to producing only Christian music (along with modifying any of his past catalog of songs to be G-rated if ever played in concert). The list goes on.
So, as the church, we can not forget the words of Paul in Philippians 1:18, regarding someone proclaiming Christ without sincere intentions, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.”
Beloved, why are we all not rejoicing over this news? Is God’s Name not being proclaimed to the world? Is the truth of Jesus’ saving work not reaching many who normally would never pick up a Bible or step into a church? How many have heard the gospel simply by listening to his gospel album or attending one of his Sunday Service events? Have we so easily forgotten that all this glory is going to God, which is the very purpose of our existence?
While we are so worried about Kanye’s intentions being good or bad, have we forgotten our sovereign God is working this all out for His Name’s sake? May we never forget what it was like to be a new creation for the first time. And may we never forget our chief end on this earth, pursuing God’s glory alone!