What Topics Does the Book Discuss?

In Trip's new book, Rise, he tried to write about things that are relevant to this generation. Watch as he walks through some of the chapters and gives a sneak peak at the content.  

Rise Endorsements

“Trip’s written a book that I think every young person needs to read. His passion for Jesus and this generation comes through loud and clear on every page. I can’t wait to see the impact this message has on a generation that’s hungry for purpose.” — Lecrae, Grammy awarding- winning artist @lecrae “Rise is a phenomenal book that captures the heart of our culture. As soon as I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. Trip challenges you to be REAL, and shows you how to live your life as a young adult in the world today. Great read.” — Sam Acho, NFL linebacker, humanitarian @thesamacho “Trip has written a book I wish I would’ve read when I was younger. His passion, wisdom, and desire to challenge the younger generation is a testament to the work God’s doing through Trip and the work he can do through us all.” — Kirk Franklin, Grammy award- winning and multi-platinum recording artist @kirkfranklin “I loved reading Rise. Many times in this book I found myself medi- tating over pages after I read them. I was encouraged, inspired, and challenged all the way through. The culture expects us to waste time but God...

Piper’s Rise Foreword

Trip's new book, Rise, is out now! Read John Piper's foreword to the book below. You can pre-order the book and find out more at Risebook.tv One of the main things I like about Trip Lee and his book, Rise, is the interplay of reverence and relevance. The aim at relevance in American culture is common. Cool is ubiquitous. As Mack Stiles says, Most Christians in the world must fear the raised fist; Americans fear the raised eyebrow. It means we are not cool. Not relevant. But the aim at reverence is rare. Reverence feels old. It feels unexciting. It’s not cool. But everybody knows, deep down, that when reverence goes, all of human life becomes a variety show. Thin. Glib. Shallow. Plastic. Empty. In the end, meaningless. We were made for more. “Cool is fickle, and we can’t live for it”—the words of Trip Lee. Exactly. Trying to live just to be cool, just to be relevant, is low. And Trip Lee’s voice cries out, Rise! There is so much more to see, to know, to love, to enjoy. There are realities that are so great they can’t be reduced to fun. The words “fun” “blast” “ball” “party” sound silly...

What is the Rise Book About?

People have asked Trip what his new book is about. Here he is talking about that briefly. You can learn more about the book at Risebook.tv

Rise Street Team

Hey guys! My book Rise is releasing on January 27 (next week!)  and I need your help. We’re looking for people who can help be a part of a Street Team and help us spread the word about the book online and on their social media. You can check out more about the book at http://RiseBook.tv My prayer is that God will take this book and use its message to challenge our generation to get up and live. And you can help us spread that message by signing up to be a part of our Street Team for the book. Here’s how it will work… 1 - Apply HERE. Let us know more about you, why you want to be a part of the team, and share you social media and other online links with us. My publisher will review the application and if chosen... 2 - Read an advance copy of the book. They will send you a PDF copy of the book to read. 3 - Join the private Facebook Group. You’ll receive an invitation to join a private Facebook Group from my publisher. There, you’ll get a ton of great content to share with your friends. There are...

Book Excerpt: Don’t Envy the Bench

I played varsity basketball in high school. That’s a completely true statement (unless you force me to define the word play). I attended a small private school, and if you were a senior you got a spot on the varsity team. I love the game of basketball, but I’m a lot better at watching it than playing it. I can chastise players and yell “C’mon!” at referees with all-star skill. But that’s as far as it goes. My school had this strange rule about actually playing sports in order to graduate, though, so I was forced to suit up and hang my head in shame every Friday night. The stands were always full for home games. Excited parents and students—many of them friends of mine— showed up to support the team. Sadly, they probably made as much of a difference in the game as I did. I would glance into the bleachers from time to time, wondering what all the people were thinking, especially my dad. I think he realized that both of us were just there to watch, but I happened to have a better seat. The only time I actually made it onto the floor was at the...

Rise Book Excerpt: 7:00 A.M. Logic

I was fifteen years old and my life was being turned inside out. My name and appearance hadn’t changed, but everything else about me had. I was a completely different person than I had been a year or two before. I don’t mean like when people go to college and re-create themselves with new nicknames and personalities; I mean something significant had gone on inside of me. I had become a Christian. I felt new. I felt alive. I felt so good that I had to announce it to anyone who would listen, especially my closest friends and family. Everyone responded differently to the change in me—some with joy, others with resistance—but one conversation has always stood out to me. I was talking with an older man whom I greatly respected, thrilled to explain my game plan for honoring God with my lifestyle, specifically my sexual purity. I tried to be calm about it, but it was always hard to hold my excitement in. As the words leapt from my tongue at an unnatural pace, I got the sense that he wasn’t as excited as I was. He was trying to listen quietly, but his facial expression responded before his...

Rise Lyrics

Here are all the lyrics for Trip's fifth studio album Rise. Click on the song title to see the lyrics for each track. Enjoy and share with a friend! 1. Rise 2. Lights On 3. Shweet 4. Manolo ft. Lecrae 5. You Don't Know 6. All Rise Up (Interlude) 7. All Rise Up 8. Beautiful Life 2 (Mine) 9. Insomniac ft. Andy Mineo 10. Something New 11. Lazarus ft. This'l 12. All My Love ft. Natalie Lauren 13. I'm Gone 14. Sweet Victory ft. Dmitri McDowell and Leah Smith

Track 14: Sweet Victory

Hook: (Dmitri) I feel thorns where my crown was I’ll be weak but I’m alive From the dust until dawn yeah I’ll survive cause I got Sweet Victory Nobody can take it from me Sweet victory Cause I got, sweet victory yeah Verse 1: You see me limping , I know you see me limping You can’t tell on these CDs, but bro I’m knee deep in it I’m wading in my weakness, he made me dependent I’d be lying through my teeth to say I don’t resent it Even as I write these lines I’m close to tears My body ain’t been working right for seven years So miss me with that “keep your chin up try to smile” Bruh I’m twenty-six, I should feel better by a mile Keep all your anecdotes and cute quotes I’ll pass on clichés for true hopes, he’s too dope Hook Post Hook: Toast to the King, cheers to the ceiling Feeling good we gon’ to make it to the finish Sweet victory You hear me, holla if you feel me We still running even though we limping Sweet victory Cause we winning, yeah you know we winning Even though we winded we...

Track 13: I’m Gone

Verse 1: It’s something on my mind do you got a moment? Soapbox swag, I just got upon it I been in these chains and I’m tired of it (Car noise) I know you hear these tires rubbing Screeching down the road, gotta get away I plotting my escape, I think this the day ‘Cause I been in bondage do his dishonest lies Tried to free myself but wasn’t qualified Get em high, get em high, get em high Novacane in my body, no I ain’t feeling lies They say that I’m salty and they can criticize But I’m praying for slaying, can’t wait for his demise Before you groan, and tell people I’m gone I’m talking bout the loser Lucifer, you know he wrong I know you ain’t posed to break up on the phone Is it wrong if I break up in a song? Hook: I hear what you saying, but I don’t believe you ‘Cause you just be lying, and I don’t need you I got a new Lord, I know I don’t see you But I see right through you, so I gotta leave you (Repeat 2X) Verse 2: How many times do I gotta Tell...

Track 12: All My Love

Intro: (Natalie) I see you watching Do you like what you see? Am I single? Well, sorta kinda maybe What did you have in mind? Your face looks familiar I see you all the time And I can keep you company tonight You ain’t gotta tell nobody Ain’t nobody else around watching Yeah just say the word and you got it Right here, right now Verse 1: Jay was lonely And he’s looking for love on the net A man has needs, what you expect? He looked through all their pages And when he found her man he lost his breath Cause it was love at first sight when they met His heart beating hard She was kinda light skinned, eyes like he liked them Can't fight them feelings when they hit you this hard It’s long distance, so he's with her online all the time He's at work but this girl's on his mind all the time He can't wait to see her, she got them banging features When they together he don't mind he gotta pay with Visa His homies warned him "slow down that woman can't complete you" But he's in the game of love he don't...

Track 11: Lazarus

Verse 1: Boy I hopped out the grave good morning I been sleeping for too long I'm yawning Everybody talking trying to see me, disbelief Like how he breathing? He was six feet deep Boy what you saying? Hold up shut your mouth Dead men can't holla, what you talking bout? ‘Cause once through that door it ain't walking out But let me take you back in time to my coffin now Ooh know you smell it in the air Cause I been in the grave for too long I swear People crying I'm missing, obituary been written My face pale, they can't tell your boy about to be risen Close the coffin, call the preacher, he so gone It's over can't nobody reach him, say so long But hold on, before you cry and run out I heard somebody coming, saying something yelling, "come out" Pre-Hook: Hopped up out the grave, good morning I been sleeping for too long I'm yawning They buried me in black suit, black tie I'm alive and I woke up looking fly So from now on Hook: From now on you can call me Lazarus From now on you can call me Lazarus From...

Track 10: Something New

Intro/sample: Hold up, hold up Let me get another one (Repeat 4X) Verse: Boy you know I got them J’s, rock them on my feet Caught up in the craze, my closet ain’t complete You know I got them 5’s and I just got them 12’s But you know them 1’s I really wanted is on sale So a couple more clicks on the site, till I’m feeling just right Bruh I gotta keep my sneaker game tight If everybody got them homie that ain’t what I like Now everybody wanna be like me instead of Mike My addiction isn’t women or the booze Sneakerheads anonymous, I’m itching for some shoes Put it on my card, I ain’t got nothing to lose Sometimes I wonder what it is I wanna to prove Cause I wan’t something new What I got it won’t do I think I got some kinda flu Cause I’m addicted to that new It got me like Outro/sample: Yeah it got me like Hold up, hold up Let me get another one (Repeat 4X)

Track 9: Insomniac

Verse 1: I’m going in today This my only shot My life could end today Yeah my heart stop If I go out tonight I'm going out on top I give it all this life ain't all I got Yessir now wait a minute bruh I see y’all rocking with your hands high Waiting for that beat to take off, 808's on standby When I'm breathing bangers I say statements that I stand by The ground gon shake when that beat drop, landslide Please let me off my leash I feel it, I feel it, I’m feeling too good Like I'm a beast Like a gorilla who's real in the hood So I'm going on and on I'll be resting when I'm gone Rise and grind is what I’m on Bruh that's why I wrote the song Tonight I'm going off like My life span just lasts all night If I don't wake up in the morning, bruh I'm gon be alright Throw caution to the wind Let go we bout to go in No slowing down, we gon win No slowing down, we know him Brag Pre-hook: Tonight I'll risk it all to follow And live like my life's...

Track 8: Beautiful Life 2 (Mine)

Intro: Oh, I love you, yeah Like no other, yeah When I see you smile you shine just like the summer, yeah Verse 1: You know that feeling when them words fail It's hard to verbalize what I wanna tell To my mini me, my little man Be talking baby talk, I don't know what you be saying But it's music to my ears though Boom bap to your daddy when I'm near though Mommy put you in them polos and skinnies Curly fro wild, you be flyer than a leer though You got that mixed kid swag on them Looking like your mama and your dad on them Straight out the womb you was real fresh I cried so hard till I ain't have tears left Since then you keep a smile on my face Wrestling and dancing, wild in the place Look I know you got my name But I want wearing his living for his fame, I love you Hook: Oh, I love you Like no other When I see you smile you shine just like the summer My vision can’t be clearer no no no Cause you’re beautiful, it’s no wonder I love you I can’t...

Track 7: All Rise Up

Sample: If we all rise up, oh yeah oh yeah (repeat) Verse 1: I know I don’t deserve to touch the mic bro But this craft is something that I would fight for I’m in the lab with this pen and a pad Knowing I might finish last, that ain’t really why I write though
Let’s go back in time to ’04 I met 116, quickly I was on board Fast forward four years, we on tour And we ain’t know just what he had in store But now here we are ten years later, flows got greater Bonds got closer, plus it’s more haters Saying we just do it for dough, but they won’t break us ‘Cause the Lord we serve with the flow he is so gracious And if they ask me why I do it I tell them it’s the music of a movement Yeah I’m speaking for my unashamed crew That will never touch a stage but they’re walking in his newness Rise up Pre Hook: If we all rise up
That would be my dream We should all rise up And give a standing O for the king cause he’s good Oh yeah, oh yeah Oh yeah,...

Track 5: You Don’t Know

Intro/sample: Some days I feel so close And some days it seems so far Surely goodness and mercy shall always follow And never return void, oh Hallelujah being the highest praise I’ll give it to you gladly all my days I just hope that all my life conveys that I mean every word, ooh Even with evil with me Jesus, Oh Jesus, My Jesus, that’s why I love you so Verse 1: Boy I feel like I’m gliding Running to make my election sure, Obama Biden (get it?) Everyday I’m homiciding Killing that villain within me, sometimes it’s traumatizing (ain’t it?) But bro it’s not surprising That it brings me joy when I cling to his word I’m promise riding I promise I been regretting it when I’m not abiding I’ve been exposed, but I’m in him Synonym: I’m in hiding Feel like I got a hole in one They throwing shade, but I’m beaming cause I know the Son Feel like I’m dreaming with eyes open, my minds floating Gliding by sky rises, cloud 9 that’s my ocean Swimming in that ozone layer layer Hey I’m soaking But he lit that fire up under my behind I’m smoking Can’t...

Track 4: Manolo

Hook: I do it for the turn up Got that ammo locked and loaded I ain't talking about no burner Flip a page, I’ll explode it Got a cabin in Manolo (nolo) Manolo (nolo) Manolo (nolo) Manolo (Repeat 2X) Verse 1 (Trip): Trying to tell them boys I never leave the crib alone Cause I keep one in my car and I got two at home They different kinds, but they do the same thing Double edge, double barrel, bang bang I'm out here facing dragons, I ain't out my mind They coming for my soul, so it's bout that time Them lies they trying to kill me, if you don't believe me I don't care, I don't care, I can't take it easy I'm flipping a page, I’m trigger-happy a clip and a gauge Clicking it, hitting the stage Hit you with truth, its in every phrase He cut me deep I'm diving, I’m diving in When I ride I got that fire fire, I’m alive again Hook Verse 2 (Lecrae): Manolo Manolo, I'm out here going postal My partners think I lost it, my mama think I'm loco I keep my shooter close though, you know it's fully...

Track 3: Shweet

Hook: Get them hands in the air Make a little noise in the stands if you there Brag on the Godman if you dare, only if you dare That’d be shweet What if when you brag it wasn’t ‘bout the clothes with the tags? That’d be shweet What if when you brag it was bout him who’s the first and the last? That’d be shweet Post Hook: I heard them talking like they hot man Somebody got them gassed up, on that octane Look I hate to tell them they ain’t better Better get a umbrella, God reigns Verse 1: Let's go back in time to late eighties D town hold me down, that's where they made me When I'm back there, I ain’t vaca-ing (vacationing) Feels like I’m home, thinking about staying, I ain’t staying though Ooh already already Lone star state bred, how could I forget it But I ain’t pop up out the blue It’s fly how he knit me, I ain’t talking bout the shoe, shoot I got a lot of problems but I’m straight, that’s shweet I know my God will toss them in the lake, that’s shweet How many times I gotta tell you...

Track 2: Lights On

Intro/sample Oh oh, the light We don’t know where we going (repeat) Verse 1: Look around it’s all dark, all black everything Like the million man march, but I’m talking bout everything Dark hearts, dark souls Dark minds writing dark flows Can I get a little light though? Is that something I can fight for? Hey we so blind we don’t know On that highway we go Go full speed ahead, flying but we low But we don’t know just what he got in store, no more falling for the okie doke Nope, he can give us sight for things we never saw before ‘Till that light get to glowing, we don’t know where we going But it ain’t no google map for life, and it’s like our headlights are broken Proof: we flashing, passing on some treasure that’s golden For some nickel and copper, trying to get glory that’s stolen And reaping what we sowing Hey we all got dreams, this is mine I’m praying that he’ll flip that switch and shine, kids are blind We know you got it, Lord we know you got it Only you can take us higher, you the pilot Lights please Hook We...

Track 1: Rise

Hook: Today's the day when we all rise My anchor’s gone so watch me come alive Together we stand against the burning lies And now that I found my wings I'm ready to go Rise, we all rise Oh oh oh We all rise Oh oh oh Today's the day Rise Verse 1: Hold up I'm back to boast on these tracks like I'm mad at em, might back slap mics Never mind mind the fact I never left I’m hype Listen up right you ain't gotta ask me twice I'm here, I'm here to brag on him like I'm known for While folks snore I’ma go for it My God ain’t no folklore, ‘cause he real, he real Now to the topic at hand I know the designer, he's higher than pilots who fly up in clouds he designed with his hands I'm writing to tell you this life is a flash in a pan How I’ma retire when we need a cryer to tell us to rise up and stand? Check yo plans My dude, that grave ain't your home Cause you been underground way too long Six deep with a date on your stone All they say,...

Coulda Been Me Lyrics

Produced by: Gawvi Additional Vocals by: J. Paul Artwork by: Alex Medina Mixed and Mastered by: Jacob "Biz" Morris Verse 1: Don’t nobody wanna hear our pain That’s how I’m feeling when I’m flipping through them twitter comments, all I feel is rain They telling me get over it’s old That stuff don’t exist no more But that don’t ring true when I look in these streets So it’s real when I feel like it coulda been me Hook: Man can I tell you how I’m feeling right now Ah they wanna know how I’m feeling right now I feel like it coulda been me I feel like it coulda been me We all made in God’s image you know All our lives matter, our vision is broke We feel pain cause we been here before Who’s innocent I don’t know But it coulda been me I feel like it coulda been me Verse 2: I didn’t know Mike Brown I ain’t know Trayvon I didn’t know Sean Bell But I know they gone I ain’t know Oscar Grant or Tamir Rice I didn’t know Eric Garner But I know they life Is worth more than they...

Coulda Been Me

My heart is heavy. I know God is good, and that He’s in control, but my heart is heavy. Last week after the events in Ferguson (and the responses to it on social media), I felt burdened to write a song. My goal wasn’t to make any grand statements or declarations, but to express the way that everything made me feel. So I started writing, and this is what came out. The sentiment that echoed in my mind was: “It could’ve been me.” I had a whole post ready on how Christians should respond in times like these, but after the news about Eric Garner yesterday, I decided to wait and post that later. For now, I just want to say that I have a heavy heart. I’m not interested in debates or arguments right now. I just want the freedom to express my hurt. I’m hurting because that Eric Garner video is devastating to watch. When my wife and I first watched it months ago, we both cried. Life is a beautiful gift, and it’s sobering to watch that life leave someone’s body — especially when it’s taken by other men. I thought, “Surely people can’t...

New Book Coming Soon

My new book, Rise, comes out January 27th! It will be available wherever books are sold. You can pre-order it now and visit the book website at Risebook.tv. I pray the Lord will use it to encourage my generation to get up and live. Watch the trailer above and read a brief description of the book below: Society says youth is a time for carefree self-expression, but Trip Lee says God has called everyone to RISE from slumber, above low expectations, and to live for the risen King. The world tells us that our early years are to be irresponsibly enjoyed rather than devoted to meaningful pursuits. We're told that responsibility and commitment are burdens to be put off as long as possible. And so, most of us spend our youth in a sad state of slumber-sleeping in on life until we're forced to get up. The problem is that life has already begun. It's happening right now. And God has called you to live it. In this powerful book, Trip Lee argues it's time to wake up and RISE, to live the way we were created to live. Young or old, we've been called to live for Him. Right now. Young believers face the...

Shweet Wallpaper

Enjoying the artwork you've seen for Trip's latest album, Rise? Then grab this shweet wallpaper for your phone so you can have it with you all the time. Download iPhone Wallpaper  

When Winners Look Like Losers

What do winners look like? Are they tall or short? Black or white? Strong or weak? I guess it depends on what we mean by "winner." I was sucked into the story of one winner this past month as a read a lengthy, but engaging biography of Michael Jordan. The detailed account reminded me why many people's obsession with him borders on hero worship. Many things can be said about "his airness" but nobody could ever claim he's not a winner. Did he look like a winner before he got all those championship rings, though? As you read the book, it seemed clear from his childhood that he would be a champion. Whether that was his outstanding play as a little league pitcher or as a junior varsity basketball player; his high school growth spurt or his game winning shot during his freshman year with UNC. By the time I got to the chapters about his championships as a Chicago Bull, there were no surprises. The author told his story in a way that made it clear: Jordan was born to be a winner. And that's what we know him for: winning six championship rings, five MVPs, and 14 All...

Wait, Trip — Didn’t You Retire?

A couple months ago I surprised everyone by announcing a brand new album, "Rise." You don’t understand how hard it was to keep quiet about it before my label and I went public. The album had been in the works for over a year, and I couldn’t wait to tell everyone — especially those who kept asking when I was dropping something new. The response so far has been deeply encouraging. I’m amazed that people have continued to support me even though I’ve been pretty quiet for the last two years. Your love and excitement has only increased mine. Early Retirement One of the responses I wasn’t surprise by was this one: “Wait, I thought you retired?” This is the question that follows me around like a shadow. I’ve addressed it in interviews, tweets, and blog posts, but I know it’s still unclear to some. Let me continue to try to set the record straight: I never retired. In 2012, I announced that I’d be “stepping away from music.” Yes, I know that sounds retirement-ish, but I purposely didn’t use that word. I kept it intentionally vague because I wasn’t 100% sure what it would look like. I knew it...

Brag Wallpaper

Need a daily reminder that you were built to brag? We've put together a few wallpapers for your phone, tablet, or desktop. There are three simple options below with the BRAG logo. There are more to come later. Enjoy! Download iPhone Wallpaper • Download iPad Wallpaper • Download Desktop Wallpaper Download iPhone Wallpaper • Download iPad Wallpaper • Download Desktop Wallpaper Download iPhone Wallpaper • Download iPad Wallpaper • Download Desktop Wallpaper  

A Workout that Lasts

Throughout my life, I’ve gone through seasons when I’ve been really motivated to work out. When I was in high school I just wanted to be buff enough to impress girls (I failed). In the months before my wedding I was trying to work on my honeymoon beach body. These days, I’m just trying to make sure I live past my twenties. My motivations have changed over the years, but what hasn’t changed is how fickle those motivations are. Maybe you’re naturally motivated to work out—shout out to my friends who post pics and videos of their training regimen each day. But if you’re like me, your motivations go up and down like a kid on a trampoline. What if the results from your work out lasted forever, though? Would you be more motivated? Hard Work Pays Off During the Winter Olympics last month I was in awe as I watched lightning quick bobsledders and highflying snowboarders. I was impressed by their athletic excellence, but I was even more impressed when I thought about the disciplined training it must have taken to get there. At the end of each event when the victorious athletes stood on the winner’s...

5 Questions for Beyoncé

Music is a big part of my life so I’m always thinking about how to use it best. It’s hard for me to enjoy art without analyzing, taking notes, and asking questions. Beyoncé has our nation’s attention right now and she’s obviously one of our most beloved pop stars. The first lady even said if she could be anyone else, she’d want to be Beyoncé. Beyoncé is more popular than she’s ever been, so you can’t turn on the TV or get online without seeing something about her, from reviews of her new album to pictures of her walking down the street with her daughter. I’m impressed by her talent and inspired by her drive, but I’m also puzzled by some things I see. Beyoncé and I do have a few things in common. We’re both from Texas, and have lots of family in Houston. We’re both artists who’ve released around the same number of solo albums (though she’s just a little bit more well known than me). And lastly, we’re both sinners in need of God’s grace. With that in mind, if I had the chance to meet her these are some of the questions I might ask, some...

Only God Can Judge Me?

I love discussing God’s will for our lives, even when someone disagrees with me about it. Conversations can get real tense real quick though—especially when we’re talking about controversial issues. It’s never fun to tell someone that you think they’re wrong. So I try to be careful with my words, and simply point to what God says, rather than my own opinions. Like clockwork, though, at some point during the conversation, they’ll pull out the trump card: “But doesn’t the Bible also say not to judge? You conveniently skipped over that verse, huh?” It never fails. In Matthew 7 Jesus says, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Even those of us who’ve never read the Bible can quote this part of his sermon word for word. This may be the most well known Bible verse in our day. And it may also be the most misunderstood Misunderstanding this verse means we misunderstand how we’re supposed to love one another. So it’s important that we ask the question: What does Jesus mean when he tells us not to judge? What He Doesn’t Mean Last weekend, my wife and I attended a marriage workshop at our church. As we...

Why I Married a White Girl

Whenever I post pictures of my family on social media, the responses are always fun. The most common are, “Your son is so handsome!” or “What a beautiful family!” But one of the other common responses is, “Is your wife white?” People ask me at shows sometimes too. The answer is yes. My wife is a mix of Hungarian, Italian, and Polish—which to most people just means yes, she’s white. This is irrelevant to some, but shocking or even disappointing to others. I don’t think anyone should be shocked or disappointed by interracial marriages, but I still wanted to talk about why I married outside my “race. The decision to marry someone from a different ethnic background wasn’t a tough one for me. I never sat down and wrote out a pros and cons list. Though if I did, the fact that my wife has never seen an episode of “Martin” would be in the con category. But honestly, I didn’t agonize over it or seek counsel about whether it was OK. I was convinced that she was the woman for me to marry, even though she wasn’t black. Some would never consider marrying someone who wasn’t the same ethnicity...

5 Pitfalls of Social Media

Guest post from Jessica Barefield Let me start by giving a disclaimer. This article is not about how evil social media is. Used in moderation, with the right heart posture, it can be a wonderful thing. The point of this article is to point out some ways that social media can be a pitfall for the Christian life and to encourage you to examine your heart when it comes to your social media consumption and participation. These are five ways that social media can feed our sinful desires. 1. Social media can waste your time This is nothing we haven’t heard before, but it’s worth repeating. We are reminded in Ephesians 5:16-17 that the days are evil and we should make the best use of the time given to us. Consider for a moment what you could be doing instead of checking all those sites. While waiting at an appointment, we could keep a list of people to pray for on our phone and spend those extra minutes in prayer for our family and friends. Certainly, at one time or another, we are all guilty of spending hours on Facebook in a day and never opening up the Word of...

What Doesn’t Kill Me

When you’re going through a hard time, people don’t always know what to say. The result is meaningless clichés or trite attempts to cheer you up. I’ve always had a problem with cliché phrases– the kind that don’t mean anything to the person saying them and don’t actually help the person hearing them. Silly things like, “Chin up” and “It’ll get better.” Really? How do you know? You don’t do your friends any favors by giving them light, fluffy hopes that aren’t rooted in anything. When deep pain hits we need rock solid truth to sustain us. During his bout with cancer, Christopher Hitchens voiced similar frustration with some of the meaningless phrases we throw around. He spends a few pages attacking one of them in his book, Mortality. He says, “In particular, I have slightly stopped issuing the announcement that ‘whatever doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.’” He goes on to say, “In the brute physical world… there are all too many things that could kill you, don’t kill you, and then leave you considerably weaker.” Can’t you just feel the joy? It sounds depressing, but I think Hitchens is right in a sense. It is quite possible that we...

You’re Not Righteous Enough

Every now and then I’ll talk to someone who says they want to become a Christian, but they seem to think the time isn’t quite right. When I ask them why, they tell me about all of their sins, all of their shortcomings, and all the messed up things they’ve done in the past. I never argue with them about their sins, but I do push back on their assumptions. They’re assuming that sin somehow disqualifies you from coming to Christ, when the exact opposite is true. Being a sinner doesn’t keep us from Christ; it’s the reason we need Him. If we wait until we look perfect to embrace Him we’ll be waiting forever. In one of my favorite quotes, Charles Spurgeon urges us to stop looking to ourselves, and to start looking to Jesus. He says: “O! You say, ‘I do not repent enough.’ That is looking to yourself. ‘I do not believe enough.’ That is looking to yourself. ‘I am too unworthy.’ That is looking to yourself. ‘I cannot discover,’ says another, ‘that I have any righteousness.’ It is quite right to say that you have not any righteousness; but it is quite wrong to look for...

5 Words vs. 5 Lies

The way we respond to a message depends on who it’s from. Let me give you an example. If a stranger walks up to me on the street and says, “Let me borrow the keys to your car real quick. I want to get some money out of your glove box,” I would probably look at him like he’s crazy and walk off. But if my wife were to come up to me and say the same thing, I’d give her the keys without a second thought. We listen and respond differently depending on who’s speaking. How about one more scenario. If one of my good friends insisted that I must submit to his perfect authority over my entire life, I would probably look at him like he’s crazy and go get some new friends. And it would be fine for me to respond that way. But what if God Himself said the very same thing? 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed.” That’s not the whole verse, but those five words say enough to meditate on for a lifetime. The fact that the words of Scripture are the words of God Himself is significant. And I think those...

Built To Brag Pt. 2

Air Jordans are iconic. I didn't wear them much growing up though, because my parents refused to buy me ridiculously expensive shoes. I didn’t like it, but I knew I would never get my hands on a pair. So I was forced to cope – by pretending they didn't exist. It was a long couple of years trying to convince myself that Reebok cross trainers were stylish. But as I got older, I realized Jordans were hard to ignore. All of my friends had a pair or two, and one of my friends was downright obsessed with them. When a new style came out, he wouldn't just stop by the local Foot Locker when he had some free time; he built his life around getting that new pair. He made sure he knew all the Jordan release dates, he would buy the same shoes in different colors, and he would often spend Saturday mornings camped out in front of shoe stores. It blew my mind. So finally I had to ask myself, "What is so special about these shoes?! Clearly I'm missing out on something." My friend’s obsession with Jordans made a statement. Whether true or not, he was saying...

Built To Brag Pt. 1

Nobody likes name droppers. You know who I’m talking about. Those people who want you to know that they know people that you probably want to know. When I think “namedropper,” there’s one guy that immediately comes to mind. I’ve only met him a handful of times, but every time we’ve talked, half of our conversation is taken up with blatant name drops. He knows a good number of “big time” people, and he has an absurd ability to sneak those names into any conversation. Here’s an example. I say, “Hey man, what time is it?” His reply: “Oh, it’s about noon. Reminds me of that time I played putt putt with Michael Jackson at noon in Paris.” Word? Honestly, it’s not just name droppers that irk us though. It’s people who brag in general. We get tired of hearing grown men brag about their high school football days (it’s time to move on, sir).  We grow weary of our privileged friends that find some way to tweet about every exotic place they visit. And we don’t have much patience for people who detail for us every expensive item they purchase (unless they’re rappers, of course). Whether it’s covertly bragging about...

Should We Move On?

I’ve kept up with the Trayvon Martin saga from the beginning. Like many of you I watched the news coverage, read the articles, and talked about it with friends. It dominated public conversation and provoked a much needed discussion about race in America. The ugly reality of racism was pushed in front of our faces, and even those who like to pretend it doesn’t exist were forced to talk about it. Over a year later, Trayvon’s killer has been tried and found not guilty. Does that mean we should move on from the issues? They found him innocent, so these “race issues" must not be as real as we thought they were, right? That couldn’t be further from the truth. I have no intention of arguing about the facts, Trayvon’s character, or the verdict in this tragic situation, but I do think some discussion should continue. The trial is over, but the conversation shouldn’t be. Why the Interest? I know there are many who wonder why this particular trial has captured the attention of so many. Others wonder why some black folks are so quick to sympathize with Trayvon Martin, despite the fact that he had issues of his own....

Rap & Religion

For as long as I can remember, hip hop has had an obsession with God and religion. I don’t mean to suggest that all rappers are religious devotees. But few rappers – or any artists for that matter – can shake the urge to include God somewhere in their art. It’s natural and good for us to speak about God, but the question is, what are we saying? Some will say, “It’s just music. Don’t take it so seriously!" But what a rapper says on the mic is more serious than you may think. Some have used hip hop to express their sincere religious belief or lack thereof. Islam, The Five Percenters, Christianity, Agnosticism, Atheism, and other religions have all been promoted through the art form. I think hip hop is uniquely suited to express loyalty and devotion to anything we’re passionate about. Partly because of the culture’s compelling rawness and partly because hip hop allows for more words, thus you can actually “teach." But most of the time hip hop is more like a barbershop than a Sunday School class. Rappers recklessly run off at the mouth, whether they know what they’re talking about or not.  Sincerity vs. Recklessness...

Are You Living the Good Life?

Earlier this year I went on tour with my new book, The Good Life. Each night, I gave a talk that tried to answer the question, “What does it mean to live the good life?" In Chattanooga, TN, we recorded the message and I’ve posted it above. The book released on October 1, 2012 and you can purchase it here. To learn more about the book you can click here. You can purchase The Good Life album here. Are you living the good life?

The Future of Trip Lee

Most of you know me as a rapper and performer, but the truth is, at heart I’ve always been a preacher. For as long as I’ve been making music, my deepest desire has been to proclaim the Gospel and declare the goodness and glory of Jesus Christ. By God’s grace I’ve had the opportunity to use music to do that on a public stage. I’ve loved every second of it and I’ve tried to do it with excellence. Over the years, I’ve sensed God calling me and equipping me not just to make music, but also to preach and to write. That’s why last year I wrote The Good Life, a book that dives deeper into the message behind my record of the same title. It’s also why I announced last fall that I wouldn’t be traveling quite as much as I have been. I want to learn how to be a faithful pastor, and that can only really happen in the context of a local church. So I’m taking the time to invest in learning from godly pastors at my church in Washington, DC. Lord willing, as I serve on staff at my church, I’ll also be able to...

All We Need Is In God

Here’s the audio from a recent sermon I preached on Psalm 142. All of us go through difficult times, but the psalm shows us that even in the worst times we can find everything that we need in God. The four points are: I. God is Our Friend in Times of Trouble II. God is Our Protection in Times of Trouble III. God is Our Treasure in Times of Trouble IV. God is Our Deliverer in Times of Trouble

The Importance of Words

Here’s a sermon I preached a couple months ago on Matthew 12:36. I pray it’s an encouragement to you.

One Sixteen Video

In celebration of the release of my book, The Good Life, here’s the official video for “One Sixteen," from my newest album, also called The Good Life.

The Good Life Mini Documentary

Take a look behind the scenes with Trip Lee as he discusses highs and lows in the process of making his latest album "The Good Life."

The New Covenant

Here’s a recent sermon I preached on Jeremiah 31:33. My main points were: I. God Is Working Internationally II. God Is Working Internally III. God Is Working Interpersonally IV. God Is At Work

What is My Book About?

The book comes out October 1, but you can download a sample chapter at TheGoodLifeTheBook.com, and you can pre-order the book here.

Reflection on the Conventions

I watched most of the political conventions these last two weeks. The public speaker in me couldn’t help but over-analyze the messages and oratory skills of the candidates and their supporters. Every person on that stage tried to persuade you with personal stories and/or big promises. I’ll admit, some of their desires were noble, but most of the speeches felt calculated, empty, and purely political- to me at least. Some of the talking points were straight up wrong too. But debating platforms isn’t the point of this post. One of the things I realized was that while the parties were trying to sell you their candidates, they were also trying to sell you their worldviews. According to them, material propserity is the promised land, and their party wants to be your Moses. In their view, the good life is getting wealthy when you work hard, and their candidate is the savior who can take you there. Now there’s nothing sinful about wealth. And being rewarded for hard work is a good thing, but that can’t be where our hope lies. Wealth shouldn’t be our end goal, it should be a means to a greater end. We also can’t afford to...

The Perfect Anger of God

Here’s a sermon I preached recently on Psalm 95:10-11. My 3 points were simple: I. Sin Provokes God’s Anger II. Sin is an Alernate Path III. Sin keeps us from God’s rest I pray this is an encouragement to you

The Beautiful Lives of the Unborn

Trip Lee on “Beautiful Life" from Desiring God on Vimeo. The first song I wrote for my most recent album, "The Good Life" was a song called “Beautiful Life." Desiring God asked me about that song and my heart behind it. Here’s their entire blog post. And here are the lyrics to the song, which features V. Rose: Hook: Beautiful Life Inside Living Moving Breathing So Let Hope Arise God knew what He was doing When He gave Beautiful Beautiful Life Verse 1: Dear sister, I hear the place you at I know it ain’t nothing easy bout going through that There’s a baby in your womb, but you wasn’t trying do that You’d take it all back if you knew that, but you ain’t have a clue that That time with your boyfriend, that late night When you thought you was making love, that you would make life And now it’s feeling unfair, man it ain’t like You ain’t got a life, shoot, the timing really ain’t right Can’t quite tell you that I understand your pain But I know you shouldn’t feel discouraged and ashamed And I know that baby in your stomach ain’t a game He’s got...

The Man Who Has God For His Treasure

The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight. Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever. A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Manhood

Biblical Masculinity and the Importance of Role Models from Desiring God on Vimeo. My friends at Desiring God asked me some questions about the obstacles to manhood and how to fix the problem. Here’s what I said

Lord of the Demons

Here’s the video from my recent sermon at Summit Church in Raleigh, NC. I preached on Mark 5:1-20 about the power, authority, and mercy of Jesus. I hope it’s an encouragement to you

Reflections on Romans 8

How Romans 8 Helps Trip Lee from Desiring God on Vimeo. My friends at Desiring God asked me to share about the passage of Scripture that helps me most. In this clip I reflect on Romans chapter 8

Thoughts on Robot

Trip Lee Is Not a Robot from Desiring God on Vimeo. During a recent interview, Desiring God asked me to talk a little bit about my song, Robot from The Good Life

The Gospel in 2 Minutes

What Is the Gospel? from Desiring God on Vimeo. Another clip from my interview with Desiring God. They asked me if I could rap the Gospel in 2 minutes. This was my attempt

Hip Hop and the Fight Against Sin

This is part of an interview I did with Desiring God. I’ll post the other parts as DG puts them up Hip Hop and the Fight Against Sin from Desiring God on Vimeo.

The Good Life the Book

As many of you know, I’ve been working on a book to go along with my newest album, The Good Life. Well this book will be releasing with Moody Publishers on October 1, 2012. Read more about it in the press release below. And go to TheGoodLifeTheBook.com to be notified when it releases. HIP HOP ARTIST TRIP LEE TO RELEASE DEBUT BOOK THE GOOD LIFE ON OCTOBER 1, 2012 THROUGH MOODY PUBLISHERS Upcoming project builds on current album release and redefines “The Good Life” by challenging people to no longer live in the light of lies but embark on a new and more glorious journey.  LOS ANGELES, Calif. (May 17, 2012) –Billboard chart-topping hip hop artist Trip Lee is gearing up for his debut book release, The Good Life (Moody Publishers).  A continuation to his latest album which released on April 10, 2012 through Reach Records, The Good Life will hit stores nationwide on October 1, 2012. “For years, I’ve been doing music that challenges our world views and points to Christ - but there have always been limitations to music, because there’s only so much you can communicate in a song,” says Trip. “The album gave listeners snapshots of the good life, and the book will...

Experience the Good Life Live

The Good Life tour kicks off this week! Find out which date will be closest to you. We’ll be in Minneapolis, Michigan, Virginia Beach, Nashville, Orlando, and Dallas. More dates will be added soon as well! Click on the links for tickets or go to ReachRecords.com/events.

iLove Lyrics

These are lyrics from my song iLove on my new album “The Good Life." Anybody else suffer from iLove? Verse 1: My girlfriend’s name starts with an I Shines bright like stars in the sky Stays by my side, when its dark she’s the light She befriends many, and we get lost in her eyes Staring at her instead of watching our steps Run to her when we wake without catching our breath She’s addicting, the truth: we’re fiends But we ain’t sniffing glue, we’re just glued to the screens She rules us, see the proof when she rings We’d probably take two of her over two human beings Her sisters? Some bigger some smaller We sync her with em daily to keep her in order We get her when she drops even if we can’t afford her Ask me if I really need her? I be like, “sort of" But when I seen her at the mall I had to court her I keep her in accessories, ya boy do spoil her I want her in my life, I’d do anything for her Forget about a dime boy, she’s more like a quarter I’m with her all the time,...

The Good Life is here!

My fourth solo album, “The Good Life" has officially been released! Buy the album from iTunes here. You can also pick the album up in stores at Lifeway, Family Christian, Mardel, and Target & Wal-Mart (select stores). Also, you can watch the new video for “I’m Good" featuring Lecrae here. We partnered with Voice of the Martyrs on this one to raise awareness about persecution and encourage believers to stand firm. Join me in praying that the Lord would use this project to challenge and encourage many!

What’s So Good About Good Friday?

It’s normal to remember the day of somebody’s death. Anyone who’s lost a loved one knows that you’ll never forget the day they passed on. It’s the end of a life, and it’s heartbreaking. Of course, as a human race, we don’t only remember loved ones. When important public figures die prematurely, we remember and mourn the day they were taken from us as well. Our nation remembers the day Martin Luther King Jr. was shot, and the day John F Kennedy was killed. But those particular days are never referred to as good. Those were horrific days, where beloved men were murdered by malicious assassins. Yet, two thousand years ago Jesus of Nazareth was murdered by his own malicious assassins, and we remember that day as “Good" Friday. What’s so good about the day when the most talked about man in human history was violently beaten and killed by his enemies? The fact that wicked men would plot to murder the Son of God is tragic and it’s undoubtedly the greatest sin ever committed. But his death is unlike any other death before it or after it . We can call that day “Good” Friday for many reasons. He...

I’m Good Explained

“I’m Good" was one of the last songs to be recorded for my new album, The Good Life. Lecrae and I actually wrote and recorded an entirely different song, and we liked it at first. But eventually we decided it was just pretty good; and we wanted to put out something great. So I played a few beats for him that I hadn’t written lyrics for yet, and we were both in love with this one. It was epic, aggressive, and catchy. I told him I wanted to write an anthem that communicated our security in Christ. I wanted to encourage Christians to stop living in fear and start living in Romans 8. We decided on the “I’m Good" theme, we asked the Lord for help, and we started writing in opposite corners of Reach’s Atlanta studio. We recorded most of our vocals that night, and when it was all done we loved it. Hopefully this explanation of the lyrics will help us to digest the content… Verse 1: I hear the trouble’s coming for me, death is at my door way/ Fear says I’ma perish bro, but that ain’t what my Lord say/ He said I ain’t guilty though...

The Greatest Love of All

Everybody wants to be loved. Whether we admit it or not, all of us have this natural desire to feel adored and appreciated by others. Many of us spend our entire lives searching for someone to love us, in hopes that somebody- anybody- will satisfy this longing inside. Well if you’re planning to lose yourself in romance today and you’re hoping that you’ll finally satisfy that longing, I want you to know that your aim is too low. You won’t find the greatest love of all at a candle light dinner tonight. However, there is an all powerful, all satisfying, perfect love available to you. There’s a God who loves you more than you could ever imagine. His love isn’t fickle and you don’t have to woo Him or work for it. Does God Love Us? I know sometimes many of us wonder whether or not God really loves us. He seems so far away. And maybe we’d stop doubting if He did something to make it clear for us. The truth us, He already has. The Bible says, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." And again it says,...

Robot

"Robot" is the first song of my upcoming album “The Good Life" releasing April 10. Lyrics to the song and a free download are below I am not your robot, I am not a clone You are not my puppeteer and I am not a drone Got a new master and I follow Him alone I want a good life till I’m gone Verse 1: Hey I was born less than human I know it sounds crazy But I was really born a robot as a baby No real life in me, I just played my role No self control, I just did what I was told I got my first order, I was just a day old But I didn’t have a chance, cause my heart was way cold My heart took the order, I couldn’t break the mold Sold under bondage and I couldn’t take control So I was just chilling in my robot clothes With my robot friends, and my robot flows Living robot ways, cause that’s all I know Till I heard I could be freed from my robot soul, I’m like… Hook Why you always trying to control me? You are not my boss that’s...

The Good Life

For the first half of 2011, I did no songs, no features, no shows, no nothing. I moved to Washington DC and took about 5 months off for a pastoral internship. Even though I wasn’t traveling the world and standing in front of a sea of people every night, it was one of the most fruitful seasons of my life. When the internship ended I started traveling again and slowly started working on new music. Around fall I kicked into full gear working on my fourth solo album. And after months of hard work, the album is pretty much done. I can’t even express how excited I am to release it. I’m always looking to give people something I haven’t given them before. I don’t want to remake an album I’ve already made. I want to give you a new album, with new music, and new ways of celebrating the same old truth. In 2006 on my first album, If They Only Knew, I wanted to tell people about a glorious God who I wanted them to know. In 2008, “20/20" came out and I wanted to encourage folks to see the Lord with real vision. 2 years later, “Between...

Courageous Leadership

Here’s MLK’s courageous leadership on display (not to mention some of the best writing I’ve ever read). He refuses to embrace unjust laws and refuses to wait patiently. He takes the initiative on behalf of a whole race of people. As a black man, I’m deeply grateful to God for the work accomplished through him. And as a Christian, I want to fight for justice just as hard as He did, keeping in mind that only Jesus can bring perfect justice. And He will. This is an excerpt from MLK’s famous letter. You should read the whole thing when you get a chance. “We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, “Wait.” But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse,...

Inspired By the Lowercase King

Today we celebrate the legacy of the foremost leader of the Civil Rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Lord used this man to inspire a nation, and move a people towards equality. There is still work to be done, but his contribution was invaluable. No hero is perfect, and Dr. King was no exception, but I admire him in many ways and I’m inspired by his legacy. Here are three things about his life that inspire me. 1. Passion for Justice Dr. King was disgusted by the injustice that was rampant in our world, and dedicated his life to fighting against it. In the Bible, he saw God’s vision for His world, He saw the prophets call for the end of oppression, and He was passionate to see that justice come to pass. I admire this passion for justice, and pray God would continue to work it in my own heart. I want to fight for the oppressed and preach Good News to the hopeless. 2. Leadership Despite his youthfulness, Dr. King’s prophetic speeches and crystal clear vision led him to emerge as the leader of the movement. He didn’t sit back and complain, he stepped up and...

Even When

Even when our happiness and comfort leave us, we can be absolutely sure our God won’t. Ezra 9:9

One Life: Share It

A couple of weeks ago, I spoke at the Campus Outreach National Conference about every believer’s responsibility to evangelize. My text was 2 Corinthians 5:18-21. Here’s the video from that session. One Life | Share It - Trip Lee from Campus Outreach on Vimeo. If you’re interested, here’s the video from a panel discussion I was a part of as well. The discussion was about campus ministry, the local church, the Great Commission, etc.: Pastors Panel from Campus Outreach on Vimeo. Plus, I recommend you check out all the other media from the conference. There was tons of great teaching that I think you’ll find to be edifying.

We Fight

We fight to prove how righteous we are, forgetting that the righteous are not who Jesus came for. Matt 9:13

3 Ways to Deny God

Have you denied the God of the Universe? Believe it or not, this is an important question for all of us to think about. It’s clear in Scripture that eternal life is freely given to those who trust God and believe His Good News, and just judgment is carried out on those who deny Him. But there is more than one way to deny God. Here are three that I found in the New Testament. 1. Denying that Jesus is Who He said He Was "Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? That is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also." 1 John 2:22-23 There are many people in our world today who think of themselves as spiritual or even religious people. They believe that God exists, and they attempt to worship him in their own way. Maybe they even see Jesus as a great teacher or a prophet from God. But if they don’t believe that Jesus is who HE said He is, they are denying Him. Seeing Jesus merely as a great...

The Temptation of Jesus

For Christians, the question is not whether or not we will face temptation, but how we will respond when we do. In Luke 4:1-2, we read about the temptation of Jesus and how He responded. Here’s the audio from a brief sermon I preached on that passage at my church a few months back. I wanted to look at Jesus’ temptation, reflect on His obedience, and think about what we can learn from this scene. What are the things WE should remember in times of temptation? Here are the main points: I. God Allows and Uses Temptation as Part of His Plan II. Weakness is Not an Excuse to Give In to Temptation III. The Tempter Has Already Been Defeated The Temptation of Jesus by BragOnMyLord I pray it’s an encouragement to you

How Are We Righteous In The Sight Of God?

How are we righteous in the sight of God? It is assuredly in the same respect in which Christ was a sinner. For he assumed in a manner our place, that he might be a criminal in our room, and might be dealt with as a sinner, not for his own offenses, but for those of others, inasmuch as he was pure and exempt from every fault, and might endure the punishment that was due to us- not to himself. It is in the same manner, assuredly, that we are now righteous in him- not in respect of our rendering satisfaction to the justice of God by our own works, but because we are judged of in connection with Christ’s righteousness, which we have put on by faith, that it might become ours. John Calvin Read this slowly and let it sink in! I came across this quote while preparing for my message on 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 for the Campus Outreach National Conference. Good stuff

I Take It, Then, That Unbelief In Jesus

I take it, then, that unbelief in Jesus (NOT believing in Jesus) is a turning away from Jesus in order to seek satisfaction in other things. And BELIEF in Jesus is coming to Jesus for the satisfaction of our needs and our longings. Belief is not mainly an agreement with facts in the head; it is mainly an appetite in the heart which fastens on Jesus for satisfaction. [Jesus says,] ‘He who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst!’ John Piper

Why I Got Married So Young: From My Wife’s Perspective

About a month ago I wrote a blog telling folks why I got married so young. I was deeply encouraged by the responses from all who read it and my prayer has been that the Lord would help us to think more biblically about marriage. If you didn’t get to read that original post check it out here: Why Did I Get Married So Young? Well after so many folks reached out to me and told me how helpful it was for them, I thought it would be just as helpful to let my wife, Jessica, answer the same question from her perspective. So here it is. What made my wife decide to get married so young? She says… 1. I found a godly man  When I first met Trip, I was not planning on getting married anytime soon. But from the very first time we went out, I knew there was something different about him. He was passionate about the Gospel in a way that I had never seen before in a guy my age. I also never met someone with such a wise perspective on dating. Thanks to his discipleship before college he knew exactly what he thought...

Driven

Here’s some video from a sermon I preached earlier this year in San Diego. The theme of the conference was “Driven", so I chose to preach on Romans 12:1-2. What does it look like for a believer to be “driven?" My main points were that the believer should… 1. Be Driven By Mercy 2. Be Driven to Worship 3. Be Transformed Hope its helpful!

Thank You

I just want to say thank you to everyone who prayed for us while we were on tour in the great continent of Africa. The Lord graciously answered many of those prayers, and used you along with us to make an impact in six different countries. The tour has now come to an end and we are headed home tonight. We’d appreciate your continued prayers for safe travel and for health. A few of us haven’t been feeling too well and we want to make it home healthy. I look forward to posting a blog to tell you all about our trip. Until then we appreciate your prayers

Help Us Out with Unashamed Africa

Right now it’s 12:34 am in Botswana. It’s our first full day in Africa and the Lord is already at work. The whole Reach crew landed in Johannesburg last night and flew to Botswana this morning. We got to meet tons of supporters this afternoon at a signing we did at a local Christian bookstore and we had some great interviews. Tomorrow evening is the first concert of the tour and we are amped. We really want this tour to be fruitful and we would love your help. How can you help? You must also help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:11 We firmly believe that the Lord uses the prayers of His people to carry out His plans. So you can help us by praying. Here are some basic ways you can pray for us and with us: 1. That the Lord would keep us healthy and strong 2. That we would posture ourselves as servants 3. That the concerts would go well 4. That the Lord would protect our families while we are away 5. That Christ would be...

Man Up Video

This September we released a short film and album called “Man Up" to challenge young men to be men. Here’s a music video for the “Man Up Anthem." You can purchase the short film and album here 

The Faithful Evangelist

Here’s the audio from a session I taught earlier this year about faithful evangelism. The Faithful Evangelist by BragOnMyLord For those short on time, here’s a summary of the points: 5 Characteristics of a Faithful Evangelist… 1. Embraces and Understands the Gospel 2. Confident and Unashamed of the Gospel 3. Loves the Lost 4. Depends on God for Results 5. Prays for the Lost and for Opportunities to Share Hope it’s helpful 

The Invasion Video

For those of you who’ve never seen the video for my song “The Invasion (Hero)" here it is. Enjoy! I hope it helps you to keep your eyes on Christ.

Why Did I Get Married So Young?

Yesterday I made a late night stop at the store to grab a few things and I had a very interesting conversation with the cashier. We made small talk as she scanned my items, and then she offered me a discount card but I told her my wife already had one. That’s when the conversation got fun. I know this conversation all too well because I’ve had it many times before. It goes something like this… Person: What!? You’re married? Me: Yeah I’ve been married for two and a half amazing years. Person: How old are you? You look like a baby. Me: I’m twenty three. Person: You’re so young! Why in the world would you do that? Me: Why wouldn’t I? In 2009, I got married at the barely legal and barely respectable age of twenty one years old. During my courtship, engagement, and short marriage, I’ve been asked time and time again questions like, “Why get married so young? What’s the rush?", and my personal favorite, “You should have waited and enjoyed your life!" Some of the folks asking these questions were strangers, but some were family. Was I crazy to get married at such a “young" age?...

I Love Music

Every now and then I go back and listen to albums and songs that really moved me artistically and spiritually when I heard them. One of those albums is The Solus Christus Project by Shai Linne. It is one of my favorite hip hop albums- period. The production is unique (though not commerical), the content is incredible, and Shai’s lyrical skill is on full display. This is one of those albums that makes rappers ask themselves, “Why am I still rapping again?" I can’t quote the whole record in this post, but here’s one of my favorite verses from the album. It’s shai’s verse from “Mic Check 1,2": He gave His life as a ransom, I’m hype and I’m dancing When reciting my anthems of Christ, the Righteous Lamb who lights my lantern Who else but the Lord of the nations Can hype a heathen drunkard to write without even one word of self-glorification? My feeble words- inadequate indeed to describe the Immaculate Seed Destined to do miraculous deeds At the age of twelve, he had the old heads amazed at His insights Obeyed His parents, even though He created their wind pipes A true Anomaly- and who can ponder the Servant...

Unashamed Australia Recap

A couple of weeks ago I took off from LAX and headed to the other side of the globe with some of my favorite people. Tedashii, Pro, KB, Thi’sl, DJ PDogg, our tour manager Steadman, and I were headed to Australia to serve Jesus. What we did We spent two weeks down under traveling through Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. In each of the cities we were part of large concerts ranging from 5,000-10,000 young people. Before the concerts, we went to some schools and invited them out to the shows. What we were allowed to say at many of the schools was limited (because they were non-Christian state schools), but we did our best to encourage the students and point them to Christ. At the concerts, all five of us hit the stage as one rowdy, unashamed crew. We rocked those stages to the best of our ability while trying to be as clear as possible about the Gospel that moves us to do what we do. More than anything we wanted folks to know Jesus! We always try to make sure folks leave impressed, not by our skills, but by our Lord. What we experienced We got to...

Gospel Coalition Video

Recent Gospel Coalition video of Eric Mason, Lecrae, and me discussing black folks and “reformed" theology