The purposeful poets
Legacy One ministry speaks truth in the rhythm of culture
SURVIVING GRIEF, PAIN and heartache isn’t easy at any age, but a group of Canadian Christian artists wants young adults to know there is beauty and freedom in the struggle of life.
Under the banner of Legacy One (www.LegacyOne.ca), the group of artists uses spoken word poetry, music, drama and dance to share God’s message of hope.
“Hip-hop is the leading teacher of theology among young people, but there are artists out there like Kanye West who are holding Sunday worship services and not attaching it to real truth,” says Greg Denie, Legacy One’s 32-year-old founder, from Saskatoon. “Young people are getting their views and understanding of God from this kind of music.
“Legacy One wants to engage youth where they’re at, speak real truth into their lives in their language, and point them to a true understanding of who God is.”
Established in 2010 Legacy One performs in schools, churches and conferences mainly across Canada, but also in the U.S., England, Malta and South Africa. Their shows include a one-hour assembly performance Denie says promotes hope through hardship, and they also present workshops in poetry and dance. A session called Flip the Script presents practical exercises like creating a life mission statement to help youth think about how to overcome adversity.
The group has consisted of four full-time members in Western Canada, all from various denominations, but is now growing to reach more provinces. The Canadian spoken word poetry scene is growing through open mics and budding writers able to freely connect thoughts and rhythm, says Denie. A former youth pastor he found his niche when he began transforming his sermons into poems.
“My best writing comes from spending time in the Word,” Denie says. “There are times when I’ll just jump out of my chair and say, ‘Thank you, Jesus!’ I did not think of the line or concept. It was divinely inspired.”
Though the ministry has been performing for nine years, access to schools can still be a challenge with educators expressing concerns about the Christian content of the shows.
“The goal for Legacy One is not to become famous and do stadium shows,” says Denie. “Our goal is to remain faithful to God, write poetry to impact people’s lives, and help people come away with hope in Jesus Christ.”