Lecrae explains why Christians should create: reflect the glory of God

Published: November 6, 2023

Lecrae explains why Christians should create: reflect the glory of God

By a Movieguide® contributor

Christian rapper Lecrae explained why Christians should glorify God through creativity and discussed his upcoming role as Gabriel in the Nativity musical JOURNEY TO BETHLEHAM on Matthew West’s podcast.

“I think we are supposed to be innovators. I think God, you know, is the most innovative being there is and we are his children, and so we reflect that innovation and creativity. So let’s strive for that, let’s push for that, let’s push for people to say ‘Wow,’ like ‘Woah, what did I just encounter,'” he said. said.

“A lot of times, especially as Christians, we can get lazy, you know, because we give out a lot of participation trophies for the message. It’s like, ‘Oh man, great post man,’ but it’s like, ‘But was it good?’ added. “Did you find a creative way to say that?” And so, I don’t want that. I want people to be blown away because they met each other – that’s not me, obviously. It’s me being inspired by God to bring something into the world. I want them to encounter this. I want them to feel that way because that’s what inspires people, motivates them and drives them.

While Christians sometimes object to the idea of ​​creating culturally significant work, Lecrae said Faithwire, “Historically, (Christians are) known for creating culture – we are known for being culture creators, and we serve the greatest Creator of all time, and so that should inspire us to go out and make incredible things.”

This dedication to creating to glorify God is present in everything Lecrae does. He recently made his first real foray into acting, playing the angel Gabriel in JOURNEY TO BETHLEHAM, out later this month.

While the rapper is comfortable on stage in front of thousands of people, he hasn’t performed much before. In order to give a high-quality performance, he hired an acting coach to help him reach a level he could be proud of.

“Of course, I did a few appearances and something quick that didn’t take a lot of work, it was like you’re in a movie, you’re rapping on stage, you know. It’s like you’re playing yourself, in a sense,” said. “But never, you are another character very far from who you are.”

“Then you have to go,” he said. continued. “Like, I have to make people forget that Lecrae is there and become Gabriel. And it’s a thing, you know, it’s like it’s work, man. It was work.

TRIP TO BETHLEHEM hits theaters on November 10.

Previously Movieguide® reported:

Similar to HAMILTON and recent critically acclaimed upbeat musicals, JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM takes the genre to a new level of storytelling and stars Antonio Banderas, Joel Smallbone, Lecrae and Fiona Palomo.

The film’s synopsis reads: “A young woman who bears an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown. This live Christmas musical adventure for the whole family blends classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told, the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. A unique new entry in the collection of classic holiday films, this epic Christmas musical is unlike any other before.

Grammy Award-winning artist Lecrae recently sat down with Movieguide® to talk about the musical and his role as the angel Gabriel.

“I play the angel Gabriel, who has to break the news to Mary, and for me it was a huge opportunity because (what) better news to break,” he said. “So you know, just being able to hold that weight encouraged me.”