If you don't know the TikTok Theologian, Donnell McLachlan, you should. He's an "elder Millennial" with a virtual pulpit where he spits prose and verse (sometimes) about culture, like hip hop, de-colonializing faith, and recently, what's keeping a good chunk of nearly a generation and a half of young people out of church.
Because if they aren't in the building, how will they get the leadership lessons?
Donnell is one of the many thought leaders in my forthcoming book and offers some insight.
I've always believed that preachers and rappers were two sides of the same coin--with several similarities. And before you say, "Coach, L, how can you put preachers and rappers in the same space?" First of all, they both use the call and response religiously; second, they are both extremely influential in the Black community and beyond; and third, they both do their own form of preaching and storytelling.
The rest you'll need to take up with Rev. Run, Kurtis Blow, Mase, Hammer, Lecrae, Trip Lee and Kirk Franklin, among many others…all of whom are both preachers and rappers.
Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church (2026). goes on presale this fall.
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