"The Case" for Cross Movement Ministries


More and more in today’s world it is becoming undeniable that one of the key contributors to our society is the Hip Hop Culture. If you are not familiar with it you certainly are familiar with Hip Hop’s most common face: rap music.

Each generation has had a Pied Piper, and consequently has been drawn into a mindless pursuit of every indulgence secular man can conjure up. Hip Hop has become a modern day Pied Piper. Its music, art, fashion, and personalities have become key components in a multi-billion dollar industry, with worldwide impact that is felt on the social, political, and religious scene.

It is unrivaled in its worldwide influence on the young urban and suburban mind.

In the beginning it was a healthy, harmless environment where inner-city youth found an arena in which they could express themselves artistically without having to go outside of themselves for approval. And even today traces of that innocence can still be found.

But as history has proven, civilizations and cultures when divorced from their Creator, though they may advance in their creativity and technology, seem to only decay in their morality and spirituality. This can easily account for the destructive messages and lifestyles that seem to go hand in hand with today’s Hip Hop music. In the same way that the ideal Christian is supposed to be the living version or mirror image of the Christianity found in the pages of the Bible, those influenced by Hip Hop Culture are the mirror images of the lifestyles glamorized in Hip Hop music. 

Where promiscuity is promoted. 

And young unwed mothers and STDs are the norm.

Authority is challenged, so we operate in confusion and mayhem.

Violence is glorified, so our streets are filled with fear and homicide.

Drug and alcohol use is advocated,

so abuse and addiction is the experience of many.

Self is exalted, so others are trampled on in our climb to the top.

And last but not least of our worries, tragedy of all tragedies:

God is dethroned.

This is indeed a bleak picture. For many young Christians the negative effects of Hip Hop music have created an in-house missions field, where the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. 

Sadly, the Church -the one group of people with the remedy for the illness in Hip Hop Culture, or any culture for that matter- is uneducated and often times clueless as to how to reach the Hip Hop Culture with the only cure, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the desire of the Cross Movement to properly introduce the Church to the Hip Hop Culture. In addition, the Cross Movement desires to educate the Church on the good and the bad within the Culture, in order to reach those in the Culture. As well as to properly introduce the Hip Hop Culture to the Person and teachings of Jesus Christ. 

Having grown up in the culture, as well as coming into a relationship with Jesus Christ and taking the time to look at the culture from a biblical perspective, the members of Cross Movement may have something to offer on the subject. This is why for the past seven (7) years the Cross Movement has been traveling the United States and abroad working with churches and para-church organizations to put on evangelistic concerts.

Desiring to make these concerts free to the attendees, as well as to dedicate their time to training others to reach the Hip Hop Culture with the gospel of Jesus Christ, members of the Cross Movement established a non-profit corporation in 1997, and were granted tax-exempt 501(c)3 status by the Federal Government in 1999. As mentioned, the effects of Hip Hop music and culture is not limited to the inner city. If the Cross Movement is successful in reaching its goals, we will see the rebirth of those not only in the inner city, but in every area that Hip Hop has touched in its course around the world. As you read these pages, we ask that you would strongly consider joining us by helping us reach our goals. Thank you for your time and consideration.