Thabiti Anyabwile introduces his readers to the traditional African-American style of preaching known as whoopin’. This was really enjoyable to read and watch.

At the Miami Pastors’ Conference, one of the best things to experience is the genuine Christian fellowship and laughter. I laugh there and in Chicago at the New Life conference more than any place on earth. That’s ’cause the bruthas are silly.

This past conference, Ken Jones, Michael Leach, and Anthony Carter grilled a young man about why he feels compelled to whoop. Now whoopin’ is a staple of traditional African-American preaching. If you can’t ‘hoop, you can’t preach. And don’t let Leach fool ya; he’s a ‘hooper :-). Anyway, if you’ve never seen a preacher ‘hoop, it’s better to illustrate than describe. Here’s a video for the uninitiated.

Now what’s new to me in this video is the lady in the corner doing sign language for the hearing impaired. Ever seen a ‘hoop signed??? She’s smooth with it. Check her out as the preacher gets rolling!