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Brother Ma$e,

 

I decided to write you this letter after I went to your Twitter account to tweet you that I am a believer in Jesus Christ and recently left managing secular hip-hop acts to pursue a closer walk with Him. I write this letter to you in love, both as a fan and as a brother in Christ. I grew up on ‘Harlem World’, which is easily one of my top 5 rap albums of all-time. I believed the substance and lyrics that you and Puff gave to me as a child. It led me on a path where I pursued the same things: shiny stuff, money and women. I had some mild success in music but it pales in comparison to the accolades and level of the game you reached. To see you turn away from it all and turn to Jesus Christ was an amazing thing to witness. For you to come to the same realization as Solomon; that all the riches and fame of the world is meaningless, what a testimony! Not only that, you then returned with a more positive message for the rap game in ‘Welcome Back’, kudos. To see you grow and become a successful preacher and author, amazing!

 

My brother, I write this letter not to praise you but to tell you in the most loving way possible that you are not following Christ. I can’t see what is behind the scenes of your life but from the news I have been reading and the new music I have been hearing, I come as a brother in Christ to tell you to turn from it (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). Your new content is sexually immoral and opposite of the Spirit. I have seen that you have been hosting nightclubs too? You’re walking right back in the path of evil. I hold you to a higher standard because you are a pastor of a church and a famous figure with the power to influence. What does this new pursuit say to your family, church and the world? What’s your rationale for returning to a similar path in which you were previously on? God led you out of the darkness to be a light and to point people to Him. Constantly being around others who aren’t serious about pursuing Christ will taint you. Do not be deceived Ma$e, bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33). God wants you to love, serve and share with non-believers, but these shouldn’t be the people you’re ‘doing life’ with. Just as Ephesians says, evil shouldn’t be named amongst you (Ephesians 5:3-6). You should live in the broken society but you shouldn’t be of it.

 

As a pastor, how can you genuinely say that you are serious about Christ and the scriptures when your business is to sell things and do things that are destructive to people’s understanding of or walk with God? I know you are talented enough to use God’s gift of musical talent to find a medium between secular music and Christian hip-hop. We need you to find a way to still reach the masses while still keeping a Christian undertone. Don’t be conformed by this world, but be transformed by Him. I am praying to see you become successful in hip-hop while delivering a message for Christ but these new lyrics will do the complete opposite of your only purpose here on Earth, which is to point others to God.

 

Most of the success of your ministry is built off of your solid marriage and you have filed for divorce. You have been preaching a message of marriage and love and selling books about how to have a successful marriage; all the while, you have been separated from your wife? You have masked your personal life and deceived the people. You said it yourself in a sermon, ‘They may beat you to the door if you both listen to the devil, but the devil is a liar.’ Don’t listen to the devil brother. Marriage is God’s, divorce is man’s (Matthew 9:3-12). I am praying that you hold fast to His words and reconcile with your wife so that you may be a blessing to your church (1 Timothy 3:1-7).

 

Ma$e, I’m writing this in prayer that somehow, someway, you will see this letter and it will put a stone in your shoe that you can’t shake out. I write this letter out of love and concern for you as a fan & a brother in Christ. I want nothing more than to see God work radically through you to bring salvation to many through your music and ministry. I’m open to talk to you about this anytime, brother.  I will be continually praying for you, your family and your congregation.

 

Please remember your words Pastor Mason Betha:

‘I refuse to allow my feelings to weigh in stronger and move me to do what’s opposite of this bible.’ – You

 

Your brother in Christ Jesus,

Phillip Ward

@DigitalExecMerk