Skip to content

Soul Preaching

Menu
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Popular Updates
    • Preaching Methods
    • Homiletic Theory
    • Sermon Construction
    • Exegesis
    • Feature Articles
  • SUBSCRIBE
Menu

The Sermons of the Black Church – God Will Hook You Up

Posted on May 9, 2008

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Otis Moss III, pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, contributed to the chapter “At the Table: The Next Generation” in the book Blow the Trumpet in Zion. Moss’s contribution is entitled “Discerning among Theologies in the Black Church. There Moss writes of “three prevalent theologies in the Black church.” These are a: “theology of pimps, a theology of prostitutes, and a theology of prophets.” Moss sees the theology of pimps as reduced to preaching “what can you do for me.” Here the preacher is seeking to extract from the people benefits for the preacher. Moss sees a correlation between that mindset and the mindset of a pimp.

The next is the theology of the prostitute. Here the preacher serves the people without any respect for the preacher’s own needs spiritual or otherwise. The preacher asks “What can I do for you?” The final one is the theology of the prophet. Here the prophet asks, “What can we do together?”

God will Hook You up

As I thought about this, I decided to riff on the idea. The product is largely consistent with Moss’ presentation, but it is a different one. I ask what are messages in the Black church. There are certainly more, but these demonstrate much of the message. The first message is “God will hook you up.” This is the narrative where good things happen to good people. This message sometimes comes in during the celebration phase of a message. The preacher will say good things will happen, you will find that job, your son will come back to church, your mother will be healed of cancer. Pay your tithe and you will be guaranteed money. If not money, you will be guaranteed blessings that your room will not be able to hold. In addition, if you don’t get a blessing down here, you will get one in the bye and bye. God is gonna hook you up with a mansion where you will eat milk and honey hanging out with Jesus.

Possible Errors in the Message

Certainly there are blessings to Christ’s followers. However there are two errors that sometimes crop up into this message. First, we sometimes do not recognize that everybody don’t get hooked up like we would think. We can ask John the Baptist who’s head was displayed on a plate or Stephen who died preaching the gospel. Sometimes we don’t always get what we think we should or what this message may betray. Your child may not come back, you may not get that job, and your mother may die of cancer. You even may lose your house even though you tithed faithfully. That is the truth. So sometimes we paint a picture of a fairytale world. Now it is true that many of us know how to interpret such messages as not being a certain promise of healing for cancer or the like, but there are some among us who do not have the expertise to interpret what is happening in the Black church.

We Need Balance

Another error that crops into this message is that when it is all you preach it can cause problems. We are not called to JUST preach the benefits, but some of the responsibilities and the like. So another problem is a problem that is possible for all these messages, is one of balance. We must be balanced between them all. After having said that, we certainly must continue to preach this message, let us just do it responsibly.

In the next post we will look at the other two messages of the Black church namely, “God will fix it up”, and “God will clean you up.”

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailIs Your Mouth Open? Preachers and Proclamation Default ThumbnailSermons of the Black Church – God Will Fix Me Default ThumbnailAudio 27 – The Sermons of the Black Church Default ThumbnailDo we Need the Black Church? – Napoleon Harris

1 thought on “The Sermons of the Black Church – God Will Hook You Up”

  1. Grace says:
    October 20, 2011 at 2:55 am

    If more Christians actually read their whole bibles verse by verse they’d understand the difference in Old vs New Covenant, Law vs. Grace, What changed after Jesus fulfillment to fulfill the law and His words on the cross, “Paid in Full”.
    Jesus said he did not come to abolish the law and the Prophets but they forget the most important part of this verse continues with.. TO FULFILL. Jesus fulfilled the law for us because No sinner could keep the whole law all 613 of them are described in Leviticus.

    Jesus went beyond the law to count our thoughts and he said what we think about is the same as the act. Looking with Lust on another woman (not your wife) is adultery in your heart according to Jesus.

    After years of Prosperity and tithe teaching, yet this economy continues to take a nose dive and things are getting worst, not better. If people really read their bibles they would know that there is not one command to tithe, keep the Sat. Sabbath, circumcise 8 day old male infants, stop eating pork or keep the Jewish Feast days (all requirement under the Old Covenant just like tithing) AFTER Jesus said “IT IS FINISHED,” MEANING PAID IN FULL.
    Galatians 3:13-14 declares “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law” That verse came after the Malachi 3:8-9 curse. It voids the curse for not tithing sillies!

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

  • The Moan and the Whoop: Where Blues Meets Preaching
  • Sermon is Art Not Lecture
  • Why The Psalms and the Prophets Sound Like Blues
  • How The Blues Helped My Preaching
  • Preaching Truth Through the Blues
  • What The Blues Teaches Us About Celebration
  • Stop Sleeping In The Pulpit

Free Email Training

Sign up for the New Preaching TIPS Email Newsletter. You will recieve 5-7 emails a week.

Click Here

Revised Common Lectionary

  • August 10, 2025: Proper 14 (19)
    on August 4, 2025 at 5:00 am

    * Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 and Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23 * Genesis 15:1-6 and Psalm 33:12-22 * Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 * Luke 12:32-40

  • August 03, 2025: Proper 13 (18)
    on July 28, 2025 at 5:00 am
  • July 27, 2025: Proper 12 (17)
    on July 21, 2025 at 5:00 am
  • July 20, 2025: Proper 11 (16)
    on July 14, 2025 at 5:00 am
  • July 13, 2025: Proper 10 (15)
    on July 7, 2025 at 5:00 am

What does the blues have to say about celebration? More than we think. In this video, we look at how the blues teaches us that real celebration doesn’t ignore pain—it rises out of it.

Too often in preaching, we rush to “celebration” and skip the struggle. But the blues shows us how to hold lament and joy together, and how to preach a hope that’s rooted in reality.

Watch as we explore:

Why celebration means more when it grows out of lament

How the blues teaches us to preach with honesty and depth

What true “rise” looks like in the pulpit

👉 Read the full article here: https://soulpreaching.com/what-the-blues-teaches-us-about-celebration
👉 Subscribe for more resources: https://soulpreaching.com/9-2
Celebration and the Blues
What does it mean to preach the truth with the honesty and depth of the blues? In this video, we explore how the blues teaches us to name pain, sit in lament, confront injustice, and rise with hope that’s real—not manufactured.

The blues doesn’t rush past the struggle. It tells the truth about life and points toward God’s presence in the middle of it. That’s exactly what our preaching needs right now.

Watch as we break down:

Why the blues is a model for truthful preaching

How lament makes space for authentic hope

What it looks like to confront injustice from the pulpit

👉 Read the full article here: https://soulpreaching.com/preaching-truth-through-the-blues
👉 Subscribe for more resources: https://soulpreaching.com/9-2
Preaching Through The Blues
In this video, we take a candid look at the new direction for SoulPreaching.com and what it means to preach with a limp. For years, we’ve focused on practical tips to help preachers structure and deliver sermons. But now, we’re making a turn toward blues theology—preaching that tells the truth about pain, wrestles with injustice, and rises with authentic hope.

The blues teaches us that God’s people don’t just dance; sometimes they limp. That’s the kind of honest preaching we need in this moment—preaching rooted in lament, resistance, and real hope.

Watch as we lay out:

Where SoulPreaching.com has been

Why this blues turn matters

What it means to “preach with a limp”

👉 Read the full article here: https://soulpreaching.com/blues-preach-with-a-limp
👉 Subscribe for more resources: https://soulpreaching.com/9-2
Preaching With A Limp
People don’t need another polished performance.
They need something real.

This video dives deep into the connection between authenticity and effective preaching, drawing from the raw honesty of the blues tradition. The blues never lied. It didn’t fake joy, didn’t clean up pain, and didn’t hide behind big words. It told the truth — out loud.

And that’s what preaching must do too.

If your sermon doesn’t come from your gut, it won’t land in theirs.
If your preaching ain’t real, it ain’t healing.
And if your gospel wears a mask, the people will too.

This is a call to preach from your scars, not just your notes.
To stop performing… and start testifying.

#Authenticity #Preaching #BluesTheology #RealGospel #BlackChurch #SoulPreaching #NoMoreMasks #BluesAndTheWord
Authenticity, Blues, and Preaching.
What do the blues have to do with the gospel? Everything.

In this video, we explore why passion is essential in preaching — not just performance, not just polish, but real, soul-deep fire. The kind of passion that groans like the blues, that feels what it says, and that tells the truth even when it's messy.

Drawing from the rich tradition of Black preaching and the raw honesty of the blues, we look at how this music can reignite the pulpit — not just to inform, but to transform. From the gut to the gospel, from the blues to the blessing.

If you’re a preacher, a speaker, or someone longing to hear truth on fire, this one’s for you.

🕊️ Don't just preach. Feel it. Live it. Sing it.

#Preaching #Blues #BlackChurch #PassionInPreaching #SoulPreaching #GospelTruth #BluesTheology
Passion, Blues, and Preaching
Cover of Crowder's All My Hope.
All My Hope
Gravity by John Mayer cover #smuleglobal
Gravity Smule cover
Tracks of My Tears - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles cover #smuleglobal
Tracks of my Tears Cover
You will only get better writing sermons by writing many sermons. In this video I share the importance of getting our reps in....practice more. Sermon Construction is a muscle. Like any other muscle you need to exercise it for health.
Get Better At Writing Sermons By Writing More Of Them!
Load More... Subscribe

shermancox

Instagram post 18035264126160509 Instagram post 18035264126160509
Instagram post 18039911987063802 Instagram post 18039911987063802
Instagram post 18053936150312478 Instagram post 18053936150312478
Instagram post 18041906996079829 Instagram post 18041906996079829
Instagram post 17910296783919000 Instagram post 17910296783919000
Instagram post 18035493148903548 Instagram post 18035493148903548
Instagram post 17887097775081541 Instagram post 17887097775081541
#smule #smuleduet #easylikesundaymorning #smule #smuleduet #easylikesundaymorning
I feel Good #smule #smuleglobal I feel Good #smule #smuleglobal
Instagram post 18087447073438590 Instagram post 18087447073438590
Instagram post 17851233018147535 Instagram post 17851233018147535
Instagram post 17907649217946063 Instagram post 17907649217946063
Intro to prayer Intro to prayer
Instagram post 17982108473571505 Instagram post 17982108473571505
Instagram post 18030258256647195 Instagram post 18030258256647195
Instagram post 18128574130309862 Instagram post 18128574130309862
Instagram post 18388873843007811 Instagram post 18388873843007811
What’s on the wall when I’m singing? What’s on the wall when I’m singing?
How bout some blues harp. With a blues guitarist. How bout some blues harp. With a blues guitarist.
Goodness of God cover. Goodness of God cover.
Follow on Instagram

Instagram

shermancox

Instagram post 18035264126160509 Instagram post 18035264126160509
Instagram post 18039911987063802 Instagram post 18039911987063802
Instagram post 18053936150312478 Instagram post 18053936150312478
Instagram post 18041906996079829 Instagram post 18041906996079829
Instagram post 17910296783919000 Instagram post 17910296783919000
Instagram post 18035493148903548 Instagram post 18035493148903548
Instagram post 17887097775081541 Instagram post 17887097775081541
#smule #smuleduet #easylikesundaymorning #smule #smuleduet #easylikesundaymorning
I feel Good #smule #smuleglobal I feel Good #smule #smuleglobal
Instagram post 18087447073438590 Instagram post 18087447073438590
Instagram post 17851233018147535 Instagram post 17851233018147535
Instagram post 17907649217946063 Instagram post 17907649217946063
Intro to prayer Intro to prayer
Instagram post 17982108473571505 Instagram post 17982108473571505
Instagram post 18030258256647195 Instagram post 18030258256647195
Instagram post 18128574130309862 Instagram post 18128574130309862
Instagram post 18388873843007811 Instagram post 18388873843007811
What’s on the wall when I’m singing? What’s on the wall when I’m singing?
How bout some blues harp. With a blues guitarist. How bout some blues harp. With a blues guitarist.
Goodness of God cover. Goodness of God cover.
Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • The Moan and the Whoop: Where Blues Meets Preaching
  • Sermon is Art Not Lecture
  • Why The Psalms and the Prophets Sound Like Blues
  • How The Blues Helped My Preaching
  • Preaching Truth Through the Blues

Archives

  • August 2025
  • July 2025
  • September 2024
  • March 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • March 2019
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • January 2015
  • November 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • December 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006

Categories

  • 11Cartoons
  • 11Fiction
  • 11Instruction
  • Associate Ministry
  • Audio
  • Basic Preaching
  • Bible Study
  • Black Church
  • Black Preaching Style
  • blog
  • Book of the Month
  • Book Reviews
  • Devotional
  • Exegesis
  • Feature Articles
  • feedburner
  • Fixing the Sermon
  • Funeral
  • General
  • Gospel Music
  • Headline
  • History
  • Homiletic Theory
  • Issues
  • MiniBlog
  • Ministry
  • Negro Spirituals
  • Planning
  • Podcast
  • Practice
  • Prayer
  • Preaching
  • Preaching Methods
  • Preaching Style
  • Premium
  • Questions and Answers
  • racism
  • Scripture Selection
  • Sermon Analysis
  • Sermon Construction
  • Sermon Craft
  • Sermon Editing
  • Sermon Outline
  • Sermons
  • Software
  • Theology
  • Titles
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Web Ministry
  • WebSeminar
  • Whooping
  • Without Notes
©2025 Soul Preaching | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme