Includes Housing, Outreach, Class Materials, Studio Time and Stateside Travel.
The Heart of Hip-Hop Urban Discipleship School exists to: train and equip young men who feel called to reach the urban/hip-hop culture with the gospel.
The Heart of Hip-Hop's Urban and Hip-Hop Disciplehip School exists to: train and equip young men who feel called to reach the urban/hip-hop culture with the gospel.
ABOUT US
The Urban and Hip -Hop Disciplehip School is a 9-month intense discipleship school that targets any who feel a call to reach those who are lost in the urban and hip-hop culture. A culture inundated with sex, drugs, and alcohol, self-glorification all in the pursuit of being successful. Our mission is to infiltrate the light of Christ through rap, R&B, dance, poetry, spoken word, fashion, beats, DJing, and graffiti also skateboarding, or anything that affects the urban community. If you have a heart for the culture of Hip-hop, this is your opportunity to get poured into, trained, discipled and sent out His way, with His truth, demonstrating His life. Jesus said in John 14:6 I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man comes to the father, but by me. We live our life from this standard so that we will not allow our past experiences, surroundings, failures, unanswered prayers, desires, and emotions to dictate us but by Him alone.
THE BLUEPRINT
The program is broken up into three terms; The Classroom, The Corner, The Countries, all focusing on a separate aspect of what it means to be His Prodigy.
CLASSROOM:
In this term you will have the opportunity to go through our core teachings. Some examples includes The Old Testament, Baptism, The Great Commission, The Gospel, Supernatural, Kingdom Parables, Counting the Cost, classes on how to study and preach, outreach missions, healing, budgeting, as well as studio production, music industry insight, etc; the list continues.
NOTE: Classes may vary throughout the course of the year
CORNER:
We believe in moving in the talents and gifts the lord has given us. The second term will be focused on developing and/ or discovering that talent or gift, whether it's rapping, singing, dancing, spoken word, poetry, fashion, beat making, djing, or graffiti, skateboarding, etc. Maybe it is none of the above; maybe your gift is more like preaching, worship, prayer, or one-on-one discipleship. No problem ,we have a place for that as well. We will be focusing on outreach, within prisons, youth detention centers, homeless shelters, as well as traveling throughout the United States to minister in the major cites using those very gifts and talents. We really want to embrace the aspect of a missionary. The inner cities of America are in severe need of missionaries. Being here, qualifies you as that; a Missionary. You will take what you have learned in the classroom; apply it to the corner, and minister to those lost in the urban and hip-hop culture.
COUNTRIES:
In this term we will take what we learned in both term one and two and apply them when we travel to other countries, We will be putting on concerts, open-air crusade, services, healing revivals, block parties and humanitarian projects in places such as Kenya and Mozambique Africa, Haiti, Europe, Puerto Rico and wherever else the lord may call us.
When does the program begin and end?
The Urban and Hip -Hop Discipleship School will start in January-September (January 9, 2011-September 18, 2011). In this session students get a week-long spring break. Students are committed to the 9-month program and will not be able to leave except for the scheduled breaks.
Is the program only for people who can rap, sing, dance etc.?
No. The Urban and Hip -Hop Disciplehip School is first of all for anyone and everyone who wants a deeper, intimate relationship with the Lord. It is for those who have a heart for the urban and hip-hop culture and more importantly the people lost in it. For example; running after money, and fame, fleshly pleasure, and self-glory. It says in 1 Corinthians 9:22 become all things to all men that we might by all means save one. The Lord doesn't call the qualified ...He qualifies the called!
How will I personally benefit from this Program?
•You will acquire an intimate relationship with Jesus as king
•Build a firm foundation in the word of God
•Leave with a missional minded perspective in your walk with Christ
•Learn the process and logistics to set up outreaches, mission trips, and ministry events
•Provide you the chance to improve in the talents the Lord has given you
•Get discipled by real men and women of God and develop a heart to disciple others.
Will every application be accepted?
Your spot will be secured when we receive your completed application, $100.00 non-refundable application fee, and your Confidential References. We only have room for 10 at a time. Those who are called by God will be accepted. We want to help people that are going where God has called them.
What are the safety measures/ precautions?
All facility and events will be accompanied by a Heart of hip-hop staff and/or pastor.
What do I get for graduating?
You will be presented with a certificate of completion of The Heart of Hip-Hop Disciplehip School, as well as (Hourly completion of track) after completing a set number of hours of your particular talent track.
After the second year you will be eligible to apply for ordination as an urban minister.
When does my tuition need to be paid by?
We expect you to have the tuition paid in full 2 weeks before move in date. We understand how such a high dollar amount can be intimidating, but there are several practical things you can do to raise support. Writing support letters to friends, family and church members has always been the number one way for raising tuition support. Our staff is also available for any questions or concerns you may have regarding this issue. We will provide detailed instructions during your registration process once you have been approved.
Is transportation provided?
Full time transportation will be provided to meet the basic needs of all students.
Scott "Free" Ballauf - Freestyle Missions director:
Scott Ballauf, a.k.a. Scott Free, is a pastor, speaker and hip-hop artist. He emerged out of the Miami urban scene in the late 90s to fall in love with Jesus. His love for urban culture and his new found passion insisted that he follow the urging to reach this same aimless and searching generation with the love of Christ.
Residing in the Hip-Hop capital of the world - Atlanta GA, Scott Pastors a monthly Urban & Hip-Hop service called City Takers. His focus on being the Church pushes him daily beyond the four walls of tradition to prisons, jails, homeless shelters and schools.
He is instrumental at Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta, where he often speaks and preaches, bringing a fresh and relevant message to young people ages16-30. Simultaneously he leads an urban mission to wash the feet of the homeless in downtowns city parks, feeds the homeless in various shelters and preaches worldwide. The Luis Palau Association recognizes Scott and his ministry as a valuable asset to their network. You will find many more accolades from local urban
ministries where Scott has been involved.
Chris "Bishop" Lyons - Director:
Chris Lyons a.k.a Bishop is the schools director and runs the day to day operations. Bishop is a graduate of Masters Commission, a three year intense discipleship training program where he grew in the knowledge of the Word, discipleship and various ministry and mission skills. With his training behind him, and his qualifications, Bishop was selected by Freestyle Missions to coordinate and build the Urban & Hip Hop Discipleship schools curriculum and program guidelines.
Secondary to Bishops commitment to discipleship is the fact he is also a Hip-Hop Artist himself. He frequently ministers the Word through rhyme at various outreach events sponsored by The Heart of Hip Hop - an outreach ministry of Freestyle
Missions.
Jeremy "Jerm" Beckelhimer - Discipleship Pastor:
For the past 3 years Jeremy Beckelhimer a.k.a. Jerm has served as an inner-city missionary living in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward. Jeremys mission within the School is to disciple other missionaries who are called into the hip-hop culture, equipping and training others to "hear, know and obey the voice of God."
As a graduate of Master Commission Jerm is qualified to lead the team in outreach and other mission related activities. Jerm is the hands on front man at the school and his involvement in the development of the students is his priority.
Tuition and Fees
First Year Student: Second Year Student:
Application Fee: $100.00 Application Fee: none
Tuition: $6,000.00 Tuition: $5,000.00
Tuition includes: Housing, Books, Classes, State Side Travel.
Mission Trip: $1,500.00 (Includes Travel)
NOTE: Food will not be provided
Every year we go on a missions trip wherever the Lord directs us and all students are required to go. The cost of the trip is separate from the cost of tuition and all students are expected to raise their own funds.
ORIENTATION WEEK
Each vital ministry is presented and viewed during this week; giving the trainees a taste of what the next nine months has in store for them.
TEACHINGS (Classes)
Sessions will have a variety of speakers from all over the United States. Topics may include: The Kingdom of God, discipleship, identifying in His Love, lifestyle worship, church planting, cross cultural ministry, leadership, authority, moving in the prophetic, Parables of the Kingdom, Pastoral License Classes, etc
VIBE (Worship)
A worship style that reflects the cultural context we live in. We may be singing contemporary Christian songs but remixed with hip-hop, R&B beats behind it giving it a urban feel. Along with that we may have a MC rapping a verse with someone doing visual art alongside of worship. With that you got Vibe. Worship completely out of the box. It says in the word God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). Who are we to say we cant praise him this way or that way? So we dont.
SELAH (Quit Time)
Is there a connection between the amount of noise in our live and our inability to hear God? Does my schedule, my time, my life look like that of a person who wants to hear Gods voice? Selah means pause and reflect. Lets pause and reflect on the word of God, and present or lives as a people who want to hear Gods voice.
HAND-ME-DOWNS (Discipleship Training))
Be more then students, be disciples. Walk in the shoes of the leaders before you. Help construct block parties, concerts, and outreaches. Learn how to maintain a ministry, promote events, and feel what it is to be His Prodigy in its truest essence.
MINISTRY OUTREACH TOOLS (Outreach Planning)
Many hours will be spent learning different methods and tools to minister to the hip-hop culture. Examples: rapping, singing, dance, spoken word, poetry, fashion, beat making, djing, graffiti, preaching, lifestyle witnessing, and most importantly listening to God and hearing what He would have you do.
ADOPT A BLOCK (Outreach)
Every Saturday volunteers meet and make bags of donated food, we worship and pray and then go door-to-door taking the bread of life to the community. Relationships are built strongly through this ministry and through lives being changed by hearing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
SAFEHOUSE (Outreach)
SafeHouse Outreach is an urban outreach committed to affecting real change in the lives of those in the margins of society, by providing a hand-up, not just a hand-out. Every night of the week we host a dinner and service for the poor and homeless of Atlanta. Volunteers are needed, especially on Wednesday nights, to help with food preparation, set up, clean up, and ministry during those times.
MAXIMUM IMPACT (Outreach)
A Ministry dedicated to the area of Fulton Industrial Boulevard, where numerous adult and child prostitutes are found. Maximum Impacts heart is to bring the light of Christ to this area to impact lives in almost every way. Whether it's through live worship music, free food, free clothing, medical assistance, haircuts, counseling, prayer, and most importantly The Gospel of Jesus Christ that can forever change ones life!
CITY TAKERS (Urban Hip Hop Church Service)
City takers Is a new and fresh way to worship The Lord using Hip Hop while still being in a normal church setting. We present local and well known artist from around the globe to perform Christian Hip hop. We use the elements of Hip hop as tools to present Jesus to those in the culture that wouldnt normally attend a regular church service. Our service usually consists of about three artists performances, live worship, a message, an offering, an altar call, and a finishing performance to cap off the night.
MISSIONS TRIPS
Every year by direction of the Holy Spirit His Prodigy goes on a missions trip to a foreign country, and in-state mission trips throughout the United States of America. On these trips the Gospel is ministered to hundreds of people by services, preaching, concerts, open-air crusades, humanitarian projects, and so on.
HERMENEUTICS (Biblical Study)
Each student will be taught how to study the bible in an in-depth breakdown of each scripture. The book of Romans will be the example that they will study to learn the techniques. This will be taught during the Classroom term.
HOMILETICS (The Art of Preaching)
Each student will be taught and trained how to prepare a sermon and how to present it. Students will have the opportunity to practice preaching their sermons on missions trips and in front of their fellow colleagues. This class is taught throughout the classroom term and will be applied through the second and third terms.
TALENTS
Talent Tracks consist of students matching up with the leaders that share the same passion and heart for a curtain method of presenting the Gospel, and being discipled in that area by the leader of that particular track. Our heart behind training and disciple you are to equip and enable you to do the work of the ministry. After four to six month period we will evaluate in your area/ call of ministry.
MC: One of the elements of Hip-Hop MC (Master of Ceremonies), a lyricist, a rapper. Considered by most to be more than just an ordinary rapper. A step above just a rapper an emcee not only writes great lyrics, but also rocks the stage equally well. One who raps with skill.
Singing: A good singer will have to think of a lot of different things in a performance. Good vocal technique, a large vocal range, as well as feeling the song through emotional language and breathing, and also acting to provide a song with meaning. A good singer may be able to learn a song quickly, but it may take some time before they really feel it has become "part of them".
Dance/B-boying: One of the elements of Hip-Hop Break dance (also called breaking, b-boying or b-girling) is a type of dance that is done by people who are part of the hip hop culture. Break dancing was invented in the early 1970s in African-American and Puerto Rican communities in South Bronx in New York City. The dance style evolved during the 70s and 80s in big cities of the United States. Break dancing uses different body movements, spins, arm movements, leg movements, all of which are done to the rhythm of hip hop music.
Djing: One of the elements of Hip-Hop A disc jockey (also known as DJ or deejay) is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, disk referred to phonograph records, while disc referred to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the source. There are several types of disc jockeys. Radio DJs introduce and play music that is broadcast on AM, FM, stations. Club DJs select and play music in bars, nightclubs, discothèques, at raves, or even in a stadium. Hip hop disc jockeys select and play music using multiple turntables, often to back up one or more MCs, and they may also do turntable scratching to create percussive sounds.
Poetry: A form of art that uses language. Poets use the beauty of a language and its words to create a feeling or convey a message to the reader, whether the wording is soft, sweet, sunny, and a lovely walk through a meadow... or clotted, ugly, grungy, and conjures up images of a slum. Just like artiest use images and colors to create a mood or message, poets use words to do the same thing.
Spoken word: is rhythmic poetry. It is performed enthusiastically (be it vibrant or emotional), rather than just read plainly. Like other art forms, it is a form of self-expression, and can be used as therapy for the artist and the listener.
Skateboarding: is the act of riding and performing tricks using a skateboard. A person who skateboards is most often referred to as a skateboarder, or just skater. Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation.[1] Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report by American Sports Data found that there were 18.5 million skateboarders in the world. 85 percent of skateboarders polled who had used a board in the last year were under the age of 18.
Freestyle BMX: is the name given to people who perform tricks and stunts on a BMX. It consists of five disciplines: "street," "park," "vert," "trails" or "dirt jumping," and "flatland."
Music Producer: is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording (i.e. "production") of an artist's music. A producer has many roles that may include, but are not limited to, gathering ideas for the project, selecting songs and/or musicians, coaching the artist and musicians in the studio, controlling the recording sessions, and supervising the entire process through mixing and mastering.
Graphic Design/ Drawing/ Graffiti: Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property. Graffiti is any type of public markings that may appear in the forms of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings.
Videography/ Documentation: Videography refers to the process of capturing moving images on electronic media (e.g., videotape, hard disk, or solid state storage, streaming media). The term includes methods of electronic production and post production. It is the equivalent of cinematography, but with images recorded on electronic media instead of film stock.
GUIDELINES/RULES
All Students will be housed in dorms.
They are to be available for assignment or work six days and/or nights per week and as needs arise.
The students are expected to attend Sunday services, youth service, and all classes as well as all of Heart of hip-hop booking events are required for students to attend.
They will be saturated with worship and in the Word over the nine-month period.
Monday is their day off.
Prior approval is required to be excused from any daily sessions (i.e., sickness, special circumstances).
Any type of commitment by a student, work or pleasure, must be approved ahead of time. Any approval of this type will be subject to cancellation if it is in the best interest of The Heart of Hip-Hop
Students are not allowed to take leave from the THOHH The Urban and Hip -Hop Disciplehip School yearly schedule, except for the week long spring break. Permission may be granted for special occasions, however, students and their families will need to plan on nine-months of consecration to the Lord. The staff feels the responsibility to provide maximum opportunities for corporate growth and experience in The Heart of Hip-Hop The Urban and Hip -Hop Discipleship School . If a student misses these growth opportunities, they find themselves lacking significant events that lead to the benefit of the full nine-months of the His Prodigy. It is understood that families do sometimes experience traumatic events and may need their son or daughter home for a brief time.
Due to frequent unpredictable changes in scheduling, flexibility is a key; it is the call of our ministry to be available.
Be respectful and attentive to lectures and guest speakers.
COVENANT
Covenant - (Bible) an agreement between God and his people in which God makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in return.
The reason we have covenant is for the student to come to terms with what it will take for them to personally focus wholly on God and to make the student aware of the responsibility, integrity, and accountability that is required at The The Urban and Hip -Hop Disciplehip School . Each student will write their own covenant after they spend time in His Presence.
We as a staff will then walk with them through their covenant. With that there is still a standard that staff and students both will be required to follow:
No Abusive Foul Language No Illegal Drugs No Tobacco Products
No Weapons No GamblingNo Pornography No Disorderly Conduct
No Alcohol No Sexual Immorality
We Believe:
We believe in the Bible as Gods only inspired, inerrant and authoritative revelation of Himself to man in written form (2 Timothy 3:16,17).
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7).
We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
(John 1:1), His virgin birth (Matt 1:18), His sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), His miracles (Acts 10:38), His vicarious death as the only sacrifice for the sin of the world (1 John 2:2), His bodily resurrection from the dead (Luke 24:39), His ascension to the right hand of God as our intercessor (Hebrews 4:14), and His future return in glory, first to rapture His church (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) and second, to establish the kingdom of God upon the earth (Revelation 20:6).
We believe in the finality of Christs mediatorial work for the redemption of humanity and the present freedom of access to the Father (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25).
We believe in the new birth as the only means of receiving eternal life. The new birth involves a cleansing and deliverance from the penalty and power of sin. It is effectuated through faith in Jesus Christ and repentance from sin (John 3:3,5,7; Ephesians 2:8,9; 1 Peter 1:18-20).
We believe in divine healing for the total man, spirit, mind and body and that this healing is accomplished in the redemptive work of Christ on the cross and appropriated in the believers life through prayer (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24; James 5:13-15).
We believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit as an enduement of power for all believers (Acts 2:4,38-39; 10:44-46; 19:1-6; Ephesians 5:18). This baptism results in a deeper expression of spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22,23), a greater growth in Christ-likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18), a genuine manifestation of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11), and a more effective prayer life (Romans 8:26, 27).
We believe in the process of spiritual development (sanctification) wrought in the believers life by the Holy Spirit. The growth involves daily dying to sin and living unto righteousness (Romans 6:1-23), finds expression in a holy life (Hebrews 12:24) and will be culminated at the return of Christ (1 John 3:2).
We believe in the resurrection from the dead. First, the righteous unto eternal life and second, the ungodly unto eternal damnation (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28,29; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15).
We believe in the sacraments of the church established by Jesus Christ our Lord; the Lords Supper (Matthew 26:26-30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) and baptism by immersion as a symbol and witness of the new birth (Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 3:20-22).
