We had high hopes for Kayne. When we first covered his supposed conversion in 2019, he was in good hands and was being taught and discipled by pastors who were theologically sound. Over the years, he showed some good fruit, such as Kanye West Talks Expository Preaching and Jesus on Joe Rogan Podcast and Kanye West Talks Faith In New GQ Interview, sayin things like:
One of my pastors, pastor Adam, the way he preaches is called expository. It’s like one-to-one by the Word. I like all different kind of preachers but there are some type of preachers they get up, they have the bible in their hand, and they close the bible and they just talk for two hours.
And some do have anointing, but expository preachers go line for line, and for me it’s like I come from entertainment. I got so much sauce, I don’t need no sauce on the word. I need the word to be solid food that I can understand exactly what God was saying to me through the King James version, through this, you know, this translation or the English Standard Version.”
At the time we were encouraged but were realists, with JD Hall urging back then:
INSTEAD OF GIVING VOCAL SKEPTICISM, TRY PRAYING IN HOPEFUL OPTIMISM
I am perfectly willing to concede that Kanye may brush off his Biblical counselors, jump back into a Hillsong-style Christianity, and become some kind of weird hip-hop antichrist. I am making no definitive claim that I know his conversion is real.
However, I also know that if all you can do is voice concern and not be hopefully optimistic that God can save the chief of sinners, we might have more hope that Kanye is saved than that you are.
Do not be the Prodigal’s older brother, with folded-arms, huffing and angry with snorting, cynical skepticism. Have your doubts, while you hope and pray for the best.
Unfortunately, since then the fruit has lessened and started to rot. His behavior has gotten more and more erratic, a mix of ego and mental illness which has harried West for years. A messy public divorce, frequently bad theology, inexcusable actions and statements, and now racially charged comments that echo what you might find flying from the mouth of Black Hebrew Israelites suggest that Kanye has definitely lost his way. Now, he writes:
“I’m taking a 30-day cleanse. A verbal fast. No alcohol. No adult films. No intercourse. In God we praise. Amen. But my Twitter still lit.”
The fact that Kanye is taking a fast from watching porn and fornicating suggests that it’s something he’s actively been engaged in, and the other fact that it’s only going to last 30 days and not forever is even more an indictment on the state of his soul.
We’ve always taken a sit and wait approach with new believers, and Kanye is no different. After 3 years, we now have our answer.
