Baptist teens take closer look at hip-hop

BY NIRAJ WARIKOO • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • June 24, 2009

After showing a music video by T-Pain with suggestive lyrics, the pastor posed a question to the group of Baptist teenagers:

"Is it all right to be a Christian and listen to this?" asked the Rev. Tracy Samuel from South Carolina.

The response was varied, reflecting the lively discussion Tuesday on the second day of the annual Congress of Christian Education of the National Baptist Convention USA, the oldest and biggest black religious group in the nation.

The workshop, Hip-Hop Culture and Christianity, was among the forums held Tuesday in Detroit's Cobo Center aimed at young Baptists. They're an attempt, say organizers, to keep youngsters in the church and to deal with the influence of pop culture.

In Samuel's session, the group discussed a wide range of issues, from how to dress in church to how to spread the gospel.