{"id":15237,"date":"2020-05-15T10:06:33","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T14:06:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=15237"},"modified":"2020-05-19T17:21:49","modified_gmt":"2020-05-19T21:21:49","slug":"former-atheist-turned-christian-recording-artist-lecrae-was-changed-by-ravi-zacharias","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2020\/05\/former-atheist-turned-christian-recording-artist-lecrae-was-changed-by-ravi-zacharias.html","title":{"rendered":"Former Atheist Turned Christian Recording Artist Lecrae Was Changed By Ravi Zacharias"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>
The Come Up Show | Flickr.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Former atheist turned Christian recording artist Lecrae paid tribute to Ravi Zacharias before his recent passing.<\/p>\n

Lecrae made a post on Facebook offering his praises to the widely known Christian apologist.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of Ravi Zacharias, I had answers to hard questions,\u201d he said. \u201cWho would\u2019ve thought a tour bus full of young rappin\u2019 city kids would go in between watching hip hop awards shows to theological debates and lectures? I just want to give this man his roses while he\u2019s still here. I know God is likely taking him home soon, but I\u2019m glad he was here during my lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lecrae, along with an array of other celebrities chose to pay their respects publicly after Zacharias\u2019 daughter and CEO of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Saran Davis gave an update on her father.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have just learned that, while the tumor in my dad\u2019s sacrum has been responding to the chemotherapy, the area where the cancer metastasized has actually worsened,\u201d she wrote in a statement. \u201cHis oncologist informed us that this cancer is very rare in its aggression and that no options for further treatment remain. Medically speaking, they have done all they are able.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Texas native hasn\u2019t been afraid to share his past struggles when transitioning from an atheist to a Christian, and he has faced criticism from some in the faith community for his continued ties with secular artists.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been atheist, agnostic, seen the institutionalization of Christianity and wanted to throw it all away. I\u2019ve felt the hatred of people who claim to love God and it discouraged me. I\u2019ve tried to walk away but grace kept me,\u201d Lecrae once admitted.<\/p>\n

Lecrae says because of the knowledge he has of Jesus, he has a relationship with God and rejects religion. He also revealed that after concerts he would spend hours poring over Zacharias faith based videos and lectures.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t grow up in church; I don\u2019t know all the cultural rules and norms. I\u2019m a lil unorthodox, I don\u2019t call myself religious. Religion to me is following rules hoping to be right with God,\u201d the recording artist said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former atheist turned Christian recording artist Lecrae paid tribute to Ravi Zacharias before his recent passing. Lecrae made a post on Facebook offering his praises to the widely known Christian apologist. \u201cBecause of Ravi Zacharias, I had answers to hard questions,\u201d he said. \u201cWho would\u2019ve thought a tour bus full of young rappin\u2019 city kids…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":624,"featured_media":15270,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3383],"tags":[4296,3754,4299,4302],"class_list":["post-15237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christian-celebrity","tag-christian-recording-artist","tag-former-athiest","tag-lecrae","tag-ravi-zacharias"],"yoast_head":"\nFormer Atheist Turned Christian Recording Artist Lecrae Was Changed By Ravi Zacharias<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Christian recording artist Lecare paid tribute to Ravi Zacharias earlier this week and says the Christian 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