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shai linne - The Church
(from the album The Church)
© copyright 2010

Verse 1:
With our raps we adore our Master and Lord/
Jesus Christ, who deserves all our claps and applause/
For the wrath that He bore on the cross/
For our blasphemous thoughts and the classless acts of a whore/
He gave up His life with a passionate roar/
Was raised up to heights where He sat at before/
After this all, He gave pastors the call/
To ministry found in Second Timothy chapter 4/
Verse one and two- what I first wanna do/
Is come to you, the church, to reverse a funny view/
So let me ask a question: what’s most essential?/
What is it that gives a local church its credentials?/
Some would say music, some would say deacons/
Others say reaching the lost and soul seeking/
But if we wanna give God the glory in our meetings/
The most important thing is expository preaching.

Hook:
Where are the Whitfields? Where are the Spurgeons?/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)/
We need sound theology to deal with reality/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)/
We got enough rappers, we need more pastors/
We need explanation and deep application/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)/

Verse 2
Let me explain what I mean, it’s not too complex/
It’s preaching God’s Word in its proper context/
As you listen, be discerning- what you have to determine:/
Was the point of the passage the point of the sermon?/
If not, this problem must be confronted today/
Because he just used the Bible to say what he wanted to say/
And even if it’s delivered with fire and intelligence/
That’s basically making what God has inspired irrelevant/
Instead of applying the Word’s realities/
A lot of pastors (are) relying on personality/
But gifts of communication can never be a true replacement/
For the Holy Spirit’s illumination/
Without exposition, you’ll lack major profit/
All you’ll get is tradition and your pastor’s favorite topics/
And that could be a slippery slope, the Word should be giving you hope/
This dude is just giving you jokes/
That won’t help you love Christ, it won’t help your obedience/
We need more expositors, not more comedians/
But shepherds who labor in the text, then faithfully connect/
You to the Savior, then wait for its effects/
God gives the increase- holiness, love, unity/
The Word faithfully preached builds up the whole community/
If not, your Sunday meal will not last/
And you’ll have to supplement it with a podcast.

Hook:
Don’t entertain us, that won’t sustain us/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)/
Careful instruction, not a big production/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)/
We need less theatrics and man-centered tactics/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)/
We’re on the brink of eternity, please speak earnestly/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)

Verse 3
Y’all should be mindful of this devout thesis/
All of the Bible is about Jesus/
The Old Testament- Jesus Christ concealed/
The New Testament- Jesus Christ revealed/
This truth of the Lord- Christ boldly proclaimed this/
In Luke 24 on the road to Emmaus/
The law, the prophets and the teachings of Apostles/
All of these point back to Jesus and the gospel/
So if the work of Christ is what the Word is about/
Ultimately, it should be what the sermon’s about/
Forget applause, you’ve got to let the cross rock ya/
All roads in the Bible lead to Golgotha/
Whatever the text, faithfulness demands/
That we should hear the echoes of nails hitting His hands/
Don’t try to be original- say the old story/
And watch your people changed as they behold glory.

Hook:
The glory of Jesus- we need to see this/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)/
Make Christ the center so new life can enter/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)/
Give us the whole counsel along with the gospel/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)/
This is your duty: Show us God’s beauty/
(Preach the Word!) (Preach the Word!)