Christian Music: Good or Bad?

[JustJat1]

LOL "Falling in Love With Jesus" doesn't seem to have made it over to this side of the pond... I can see why!

[Sabrewolv]

I'm grateful for your wording here in one of your responses. You account for the idea that there are songs that may be good to listen to that fail some of those tests. I agree that many of the songs in our 'genre' today are not appropriate for most believers, but my test would be a bit different. If it truly causes you to be grateful for what Christ did for you or genuinely draw you closer to Him, I'd count it as an acceptable song. G. Craig Lewis deals with some "other" issues in our music.

[fxtrader92]

Ironically, both of the PERFORMANCES of these songs were not used in for worship in this video - they were performances.

Amazing. People today do not understand the basic nature of worship.

And they come up with little explanations like this to try and see if a song is a worship song, though obviously Amazing Grace is a better worship song.

[SkateParkEvangelism]

@fxtrader92

While both video clips in question were performances, and not taken from worship in churches, that does not discount my points. At my old seeker-sensitive church, for instance, "Falling in Love With Jesus," was a regular staple of their song selection.

[fxtrader92]

The problem with so-called Christian "worship" today is that the Christian bands that play for the service are performing, not worshiping. They are not leading worship because people are not being led to worship. They are being led to listen to a "nice" performance. I've even heard crowds applaud the performance of the "worship" band.

Yet another terrible effect of the "seeker-sensitive" model that worship now looks/sounds like a rock concert.

People barely sing if at all.

This is NOT worship.

[rofyle]

Which is why we maybe ought to think about supporting Christian artists who create worship songs. I'm talking of people like Michael W Smith and Newsboys. I love that song, "In Christ Alone"

[DillonDemas]

it really isn't as cut and dry as you're saying. you can't apply the same standard to all 'christian' music. if someone feels closer to God when listening to a certain song, then its christian enough. hell, i think about God when i'm listening to songs that have nothing to do with Him. songs about completely different topics, songs in languages i don't understand, songs with no words at all. it don't matter.

[SkateParkEvangelism]

@DillonDemas

So, by your logic, a person can be listening to some wicked death metal song, yet feel like they are being brought closer to God, then it's a Christian song, despite how the lyrics may contain graphic depictions of rape and murder. See the problem there?

[DillonDemas]

@SkateParkEvangelism i don't. in fact, i make a point to listen to especially evil music for my spiritual health. in order not to do evil, i find it helpful to meditate on it with some dark music so that i always know what it is.

[SkateParkEvangelism]

@DillonDemas

I'd say that there's some serious problems with this line of thinking, especially when we are admonished in Scripture continually to focus on good and holy things and put away evil and corrupt things.

Remember, you can spend all day looking at counterfeit bills, or just study an original intently.

[DillonDemas]

@SkateParkEvangelism i don't. in fact, i make a point to listen to especially evil music for my spiritual health. in order not to do evil, i find it helpful to meditate on it with some dark music so that i always know what it is.

[musicchick85]

@SkateParkEvangelism I believe it has to do with lyrics. I'm gonna use the analogy that my youth pastor used a couple years back. If we all listened to the same type of music (i.e. style) wouldn't that be a bit boring? take me to a passage in Scripture that specifically deals with what type of music that we should listen to and then I'll seriously think about this.

[SkateParkEvangelism]

@musicchick85

The style isn't necessarily the problem. I love Shai Linne's music as well as classical hymns. It's a matter of the theology, content, and way in which it is supposed to honor God that draws the problems.

For instance, like I said in my video, if you can take a song, substitute out, "God," for your boyfriend's name, and sing it as though it would be a normal Top 40 song, it's likely not a good Christian song.

[RockSprites]

@DillonDemas If the depiction of God in the song is an idol, and it is drawing you closer to that idol, that's a big no-no. It does matter. Compare the lyrics to the Word of God. Don't lean on something simply because it makes you feel good. Jesus is not our bearded girlfriend.

[beckerclan]

Instead of looking at it as "just music" (because it is not just music) at it for what it is........woship and praise to God almighty. Churches do not have "just music." We sing and make music to woship God, praise Him and the Bible (His Holy word) tells us too. I find this video a very DRY way of looking at the music. I do not enjoy the music simply for entertainment value because it isn't about me.......its about Him.

[fxtrader92]

@beckerclan I agree and would further say that worship is a frame of mind that music puts you in to have an (intense in my opinion) desire to cry out to the Lord with your musical voice.

This is one of the most beautiful ways of being with the Lord but it is all but dead in the church today, especially the "seeker-sensitive" churches that use rock music.

I don't see anybody in those churches really worshiping.

[stevibxyz]

Pretty good video, but you obviously see the possible fallibility of the 'you ratio.' The 1st song has mentions to Jesus but only in the passive, while in Amazing Grace most of the mentions to self are in the passive (and even more, are self-depracatory). That is, "Amazing grace...that saved a wretch like me" and "I once was lost but now am found" are much, much more God-honoring than some pithy love reference.

[steelvenom2003]

There are tiers of Christian music (from best to most painful):

-classic hymns

-old-school bible camp songs

-Christian music that imitates other kinds of music

-contemporary worship songs

...

(a long way off)

...

-tuneless 7/11 "music"

[grelee]

i have been saying the equivalency thing for a long time good stuff

[Spartan9x13]

Hmm..we seem to agree on a lot of points of theology...

[zabriel13]

I've never heard the first song before, but I found myself turned off in every way by it. I think this video just got a favorite brother.