Christian Rock...

[Aleksander]

I did a search for "Christian Rock" and didnt see anything that I am looking for(maybe didnt look hard enough?). If there is a topic on this, please link to it...

This is something that has been going through my head for a while now. The issue of Christian Rock, Christian Pop, etc...

There is another forum I visit where they had a topic on this, but for every opinion posted there was another one that would oppose it with equal zeal and assurance that they are right and the other guy is wrong.

This would not eat me as much if I didnt have a bunch of CD from groups like Pillar, Skillet, Kutlass, Day Of Fire, Jonah33... and artists like Jeremy Camp, Plumb, Todd Agnew...

So, if you dont mind, I want to hear what you, Worthy Boards, has to say. I am hearing all kinds of Do's and Dont's when it comes to this. My family is set against it. The other day the stereo was playing the "Take Me In" by Kutlass, and my brother still didnt see the music as Christian. I was trying to point him to the words of the song, but all I keep hearing is that you cant praise God and satan by the same song (I assume it mean words=Praise God and the music itself=Prais satan : ).

I cant seem to bring myself to throw, or give, away a CD where the artists sing songs that they dedicate to the God. Like, the band Day Of Fire, in their previous CD the lead singer tells the story of his life and at how he came to Christ and now wants to praise God through the music that he knows how to play. And asks the reader to let Jesus into their hearts and let Him transform their life. The other band, Jonah33, is an artist thats always listed under the Christian Rock. But the singer has a testimony video on YouTube(linked to in my signature) where he openly talks about God and how He changed his life.

All this is confusing, somehow. I didnt ask my pastor about it, yet. Cause I am not sure I am gonna like what he will tell me about it. And I didnt pray about it, much(perhaps thats why I am still looking?).

So, yeah, some help with figuring this out ?

Edited January 20, 2008 by Aleksander

[Mikeyjay]

Man, i don't mean to dispose your Bro or Family, but who do you think invented music? and what was it used for? music was invented by God for the glory and worship of God...whether you use a flute, a harp, or even a lute as David did; or you use an electric guitar, a bass, drums, or even a synth...it's not what you use or how you use it...if you do it to worship God, that's what counts...also for your family to judge this music is to judge the faith or the salvation of the ones creating it...and i don't recommend judging the heart of another, for only God can judge the heart of a man...it says in the Bible:

Matthew 7:1

[nebula]

Last night, I had the privilege of listening to a Native American minister who is a worship leader. Among the things he talked about, he mentioned the time the Lord told him to use his native drum in worship. You see, since becoming a Christian he was told the drum was evil. But it was still OK for him to play his guitar. For years he played the regular Christian worship songs, but this one day, the Lord told him to worship on the drum. So he walked onto the stage of the church with his drum and sang a worship song Native-style (which he had just then composed for this). Interestingly, instead of outrage, the people responded to the worship, and they had an awesome worship service!

The point was that a guitar is nothing, a drum is nothing. The instrument, truly, is the person. If a man comes with evil in his heart and plays a guitar, evil will flow from the guitar; but if a man comes with the praise and worship of God in his heart and plays a guitar, worship will flow from the guitar. The same applies with the Native drum. It is what is in the heart of the person playing the drum that matters, not the musical tool.

(I wish I could recount his word-for-word account, because it was very well spoken.)

I say this because I believe the same applies to music styles. There are no evil styles of music. The evil of rock music is the evil that is in the hearts of the musicians and singers. But in the hands of musician or singer with a heart to God, a heart to do good, a heart to worship and minister, the music brings life and healing.

We are the instruments, not the guitar, not the drum, not the keyboard, not the microphone, not the beat, the volume, not the style played.

I have found this to be true. I have been to churches where the worship was just bland. The music was fine, but in my spirit it was lifeless. I have also been to churches where the worship was refreshing and drew us into the presence of God. I have found the same in Christian concerts of various styles. Some were spiritually disturbing or dead. But others were incredibly worshipful. I had a very special time with the Lord at a Christian rock concert many years ago, for instance, and it came from how the band ministered.

As for your list, I have Skillet's Ardent Worship album, and I love it! Worship is in the hearts of the band members, and it can be felt. You see, Satan doesn't drive out Satan. If you listen to the music, and your heart is drawn to worship Jesus - that is the work of the Holy Spirit flowing through the music. If the music was evil, He wouldn't do that, would He? That would be deceptive.

Make sense?

[Hunterpoet]

I just read a story a few days ago, can't remember where, could have been here on Worthy.

Anyway, it was about 2 musicians, both at first non-believers. After finding G-d both wanted to play their music for G-d...one started right away, the other feeling that something was wrong waited.....the one who waited strengthened his walk with G-d and when it was time began to play his music for the Lord and was a strong testimony. The other, weakend over time and was a very weak testimony and if memory serves, discovered that fewer and fewer people were listening to his music.

The morale I suppose is just how close a walk the musician has with the Lord.

Some of the music out there...regardless of the lyrics , I would question. We all discover that there are things we must walk away from in order to be closer to the Lord.

You had mentioned that you didn't pray about it before meeting with your pastor...well, maybe thats what you need to do...take a break, pray, take another break and pray some more.....ya can't get dry if your still standing in the water...so take a break, then come back and listen and see if you still feel the same, after praying of course.

[Ddavid from NC]

The choice of musical styles is your preference, God doesn't have a musical style preference. But, in the same vain, no matter the combination of notes or rifts not all lyrical content is good theology. That criteria goes from classical to head banging. Not all stage presence glorifies God... That goes from Southern Gospel to Black Gospel... Just because it is emotional, some people just like performing and some listeners just like getting their groove on. The common mistake about musical preference is we often major on minors and minor on majors. It depends on if you are worshipping or just being entertained.

[Guest LadyC]

alek, stick around and you'll find the same thing here... for everyone thumbs up, there will be a thumbs down.

God is the creator of music. all satan can do is immitate it, and i doubt he's likely to create an ungodly immitation that sings praises to our Lord. it's just not his style.

God knows each and every person is reached by a different method of approach. what works for some won't work for others. a headbanger isn't going to listen to the message of God if it comes in the form of a ballad, ya know?

if the lyrics are praising, worshipping and glorifying God, then the music is too... although i'm sure God uses earplugs for a lot of it!

[nebula]

I just read a story a few days ago, can't remember where, could have been here on Worthy.

Anyway, it was about 2 musicians, both at first non-believers. After finding G-d both wanted to play their music for G-d...one started right away, the other feeling that something was wrong waited.....the one who waited strengthened his walk with G-d and when it was time began to play his music for the Lord and was a strong testimony. The other, weakend over time and was a very weak testimony and if memory serves, discovered that fewer and fewer people were listening to his music.

I don't believe that is the music's fault.

Mylon LeFevre, for instance, was a rock singer. When he became a Christian he completely gave up his music and became a church janitor for a living. During this time he cleaned up (like most rock musicians, he had been a drug user, alcohol drinker, etc.) and sought the Lord and grew in knowledge of Him. After a time, the Lord brought him back to playing music, only doing it for him. Eventually, he became the lead singer for one of the top Christian rock bands in the '80's where he was also a strong preacher and evangelist.

[redwing]

I just read a story a few days ago, can't remember where, could have been here on Worthy.

Anyway, it was about 2 musicians, both at first non-believers. After finding G-d both wanted to play their music for G-d...one started right away, the other feeling that something was wrong waited.....the one who waited strengthened his walk with G-d and when it was time began to play his music for the Lord and was a strong testimony. The other, weakend over time and was a very weak testimony and if memory serves, discovered that fewer and fewer people were listening to his music.

I don't believe that is the music's fault.

Mylon LeFevre, for instance, was a rock singer. When he became a Christian he completely gave up his music and became a church janitor for a living. During this time he cleaned up (like most rock musicians, he had been a drug user, alcohol drinker, etc.) and sought the Lord and grew in knowledge of Him. After a time, the Lord brought him back to playing music, only doing it for him. Eventually, he became the lead singer for one of the top Christian rock bands in the '80's where he was also a strong preacher and evangelist.

mylon grew up with southern gospel music. his mother, eva mae, lived through more heartaches than most of us can even dream about. she credit,s her faith in god and to sgm, to get her through those trying times.

"the lefevres" are a legend in southern gospel music.

[nebula]

mylon grew up with southern gospel music. his mother, eva mae, lived through more heartaches than most of us can even dream about. she credit,s her faith in god and to sgm, to get her through those trying times.

"the lefevres" are a legend in southern gospel music.

Yes, when he decided to retire the band, he went back to singing southern Gospel. I believe I saw him a few times at the Gaither concerts. But for years, he was the lead singer of Mylon LeFevre and BrokenHeart (ministry slogan: Jesus came to heal the broken heart).

[Axxman]

I went to the Rage Music Festival this weekend. Man, it was so awesome and uplifting. I saw bands like Spoken, Kutless, Wavorly, Family Force 5 (AWESOME!!!!)...and a bunch of others. As usual, the musicians were walking around and meeting people and enjoying the music of their other compatriots. I cannot imagine for the life of me how a Christian could judge them for what they do. Its like they hear music that doesn't fit their preconceived ideas about how music should sound and they just pass judgement on a person in a band without ever meeting them. Its sad really.

I gotta admit it bothers me to hear people like Thoughtful say that Christian music is underbudgeted so that they "steer clear" of Secular (the appropriate term) labels. Christian music is underbudgeted because too many "christians" spend more money supporting the secular (the appropriate term) music industry, than they do on supporting their Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

I can speak to the level of harsh criticism a Christian musician gets for even 'thinking' about doing a project with a secular (the appropriate term) label, artist, prducer, etc. A Christian musician will get slammed for not having a multi-million dollar budget...while Hannah Montana gets rave reviews from Focus on the Family and Christianity Today.

I will never cease to appreciate and love Christian musicians who do what they do for millions of dollars less than their secular (a never more appropriate term) counterparts...inspite an incessant amount of criticism and temptation to sell-out.