Posted on 08/04/2014 8:38:22 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Admitting the problem is the first step towards recovery. So let's admit it: if we swop the lyrics of a Taylor Swift ballad with some of today's contemporary Christian worship songs, no one would know the difference.
Others have noted the "Jesus-is-your-boyfriend" style worship songs clogging the airwaves of contemporary Christian radio and Sunday morning worship sets lack depth and reverence to the Almighty. They're right. But there's an even bigger problem when contemporary Christian songs downplay, even scold Christian's public witness for the sake of couch-potato Christianity.
Last week a fellow pro-life, pro-family activist turned on his local "family-friendly" contemporary Christian radio station while driving his kids to camp. As his kids were belting the words to a new hit, my friend was shocked by the lyrics.
The song was Family Force 5's "Let It Be Love," number #14 on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs list. Of course this means it is one of 20 songs that local contemporary Christian radio programs play over and over ad nauseam. The song's lyrics go:
I've never seen a soul set free Through an argument I've never seen a hurt get healed In a protest… It's not about the stand we take But the grace we give
For my friend, the first line "I've never seen a soul set free through an argument" couldn't be further from reality with the conservative Christian movement. In addition remembering that the Apostle Peter urged Believers, "[A]lways being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15)
My friend witnessed a life changed from a same-sex lifestyle to a redeemed follower of Christ thanks to a bold, counter-cultural argument presented at a Parents and Family of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) event. A young gay man made the decision to offer over his life to Christ after listening to Robert Knight, Senior Fellow for the American Civil Rights Union, described God's love for humanity and purpose for sexuality and marriage.
Most devastating is the lyric's second line, which reads, "I've never seen a hurt get healed in a protest." I'm not sure what kind of protests these band members have attended, but they must not have been pro-life oriented.
A beautiful example of lives transformed at a protest is told by Wendy Wright, former President of Concerned Women for America and Vice President for Government Relations and Communications. Wendy spent many days peacefully protesting outside of abortion clinics. She and her fellow protestors not only offered hurt women prayer and side-walk counseling, but worked to save the lives of their unborn babies.
Wendy was blessed to come face to face with a young woman whose mother protected her from abortion because of Wendy's abortion protest. "After speaking to Generation Joshua home school students, telling stories of rescuing babies from abortion," explained Wendy. "A young woman asked, "Have you ever met one of those babies that you rescued?"
Shaking her head no, Wendy explained that while she hadn't she would love the opportunity. "I was rescued from abortion and adopted because of you," the young woman told Wendy.
Lives are changed, in part, through vessels willing to "contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people" (Jude 3) Sadly you wouldn't know that based on the premise of this "Christian worship" song.
To be fair, Family Force 5 is correct that grace is a necessary component to lead others to salvation in Christ. But it alone it is not enough. Grace without substance is pity and nothing more. Behind our compassion must be a willingness to share the totality of Christ's character and His command to turn from sin.
Contemporary Christian music has a tremendous ministry opportunity that expands beyond the borders of the local church. Christians cannot present half-truths for the sake easy listening and broader audiences. As followers of Christ, we can do better. Or at least turn off the radio.
-- Chelsen Vicari serves as the Evangelical Program Director for the Institute on Religion and Democracy. She earned her Masters of Arts in Government from Regent University and frequently contributes to conservative outlets
You MUST submit and LIKE, no LOVE Amazing Grace this INSTANCE! DISENT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! :)
“Yeah, there was an article not long ago that said many members of prominent Christian music acts aren’t even practicing Christians anymore, they just stuck with it for the steady paycheck. Show business is show business, whether you slap the label “Christian” on it or not.”
Perhaps this is the article you refer to:
Tim Lambesis world exclusive interview: The As I Lay Dying singer breaks his year-long silence
“There are bands out there right now, playing Christian festivals, cashing the Christian checks, selling CDs in the Christian stores, who are not Christians. Maybe one or two guys are, but most of them aren’t. They will rationalize it either by saying, “I want this check,” or “Well, one guy still is” or worse, I know of one band who says, “Well, we don’t want to let our fans down, because we love them so much.”
We toured with more “Christian bands” who actually aren’t Christians than bands that are. In 12 years of touring with As I Lay Dying, I would say maybe one in 10 Christian bands we toured with were actually Christian bands. I actually wasn’t the first guy in As I Lay Dying to stop being a Christian. In fact, I think I was the third. The two who remained kind of stopped talking about it, and then I’m pretty sure they dropped it, too. We talked about whether to keep taking money from the “Christian market.” We had this bizarrely “noble” thing, like, “Well, we’re not passing along any bad ideas. We’re just singing about real life stuff. Those kids need to hear about real life, because they live in a bubble.”
“7-11 Christian Worship Songs” = the same 7 words sung 11 times.
yes and it is called ‘vain repetition’, but protestants never do that..
Ad Majoram Dei Gloriam
I can not understand why any one dislikes that song. It is beautiful. I have been singing it for decades. It is one of the most loved hymns of all time. I love to listen to bagpipes playing it.
You clearly do not know even what the NEW COVENANT IS???
I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not ... and I don't consider myself a protestant, but I DO know we, in out Baptist congregation, are aware of vain repetition and strive to not perform it
If your faith is not centered on Christ, then you and others are wrong. No church should be put ahead of Jesus. A church does not save anyone.
Your post 162 rings true…..I’ve seen the same thing. And yet, when I worship God, it’s between me and Him - and has nothing to do with the faith, or lack of faith, from the musicians. Like I’ve said, I trust God to figure that out without my help.
No, vain repetition would be what I heard during 99% of the formal hymns in the mainline churches I’ve attended.
like bead praying ?
Matt Redman - “Your Grace Finds Me”
Chokes me up every time I hear it.
I guess she doesn’t like the phrase “Rosary rattlers”…...
yes knarf some sarc since as a Catholic we have had the term tossed our way innumerable times.
I understand the reverence most folks show in their prayers and songs that St Augustine said “He who sings prays twice” about 1,600 years ago.
Prayer is all about the eternal, omnipotent Creator and us mere mortals and our relationship to Him.
Most Christian music in the last few hundred years is kitsch, pure and simple.
Ad Majoram Dei Gloriam
That's almost right - I think the difference is that Country Music has always had Gospel music associated with it. They are nearly inseparable. Gospel has always been carried forward as contemporary within the genre... See 'Three Wooden Crosses' - by Randy Travis, 'I Believe' - by Diamond Rio, 'Some People Change' - by Montgomery Gentry, 'Long Black Train' - by Josh Turner. And while it keeps driving contemporary Gospel forward, it honors it's past as well - there is hardly a country star that hasn't covered 'Amazing Grace' or 'Old Rugged Cross'... Thus Gospel music survives and thrives within the greater context of the Country music ecosystem, it's own thing, by definition, but embraced, part and parcel, as a big part of the Country lifestyle.
Christian Contemporary, admittedly Pop music leaning toward Rock, is it's own thing - There is no strong Christian identity in either pop or rock (quite the opposite, generally) - It does not rely on or survive within the genres it came from (where it is largely hated). It is supported by Christian folks who came out of Pop/ Rock (probably with a lot of baggage), and their children... It does not benefit from the 'lifestyle' aspect that Country Gospel does.
Thus the 'standard' that contemporary Christian stars are held to is far more rigid, contained firmly within it's own world - ONLY Christians are listening, and the artists are portraying themselves according to the needs of their audience. There is no allowance for error - Step off the straight and narrow and doom ensues. Quite unlike Country, where folks know what 'good ol' boys' are gonna do, and will grant a certain amount of clemency.
During King David’s time, the men had to train for twenty years in order to be eligible for the temple choir.
Not how I read it. It does say they speak, but it says that immediately after saying they all had harps. I think it's unclear -
And you mentioned that you go to your church for the Bible teaching, and not the music. Maybe so, but I'll tell you, the vast majority of the churches who actually teach the Bible have contemporary music. Wonder why that is?
you said a factoid. You did not really make a point (though I see how you might be confused on that).
when praying the rosary which usually takes about 20-25 minutes each day, Catholics meditate on a group of mysteries taken directly from scripture.
The Mysteries of the Rosary are meditations on episodes in the life and death of Jesus from the Annunciation to the Ascension and beyond,[44] known as the Joyful(or Joyous) Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. Each of these Mysteries contemplates five different stages of Christ’s life.[44] Pope John Paul II, in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (October 2002), recommended an additional set called the Luminous Mysteries (or the “Mysteries of Light”).[47]
Joyful Mysteries
The Annunciation. Fruit of the Mystery: Humility
The Visitation. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of Neighbors
The Nativity. Fruit of the Mystery: Poverty (poor in spirit), Detachment from the things of the world, Contempt of Riches, Love of the Poor
The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: Purity, Obedience
The Finding of Jesus in the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: True Wisdom and True Conversion, Piety, Joy of Finding Jesus
Luminous Mysteries
The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. Fruit of the Mystery: Openness to the Holy Spirit, the Healer.
The Wedding at Cana. Fruit of the Mystery: To Jesus through Mary. The understanding of the ability to manifest-through faith.
Jesus’ Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Fruit of the Mystery: Trust in God (Call of Conversion to Messiah)
The Transfiguration. Fruit of the Mystery: Desire for Holiness
The Institution of the Eucharist. Fruit of the Mystery: Adoration
Sorrowful Mysteries
The Agony in the Garden. Fruit of the Mystery: Sorrow for Sin, Uniformity with the will of God
The Scourging at the Pillar. Fruit of the Mystery: Mortification, Purity
The Crowning with Thorns. Fruit of the Mystery: Contempt of the world, Courage
The Carrying of the Cross. Fruit of the Mystery: Patience
The Crucifixion. Fruit of the Mystery: Salvation, Forgiveness
Glorious Mysteries
The Resurrection. Fruit of the Mystery: Faith
The Ascension. Fruit of the Mystery: Hope and desire for ascension to Heaven
The Descent of the Holy Spirit. Fruit of the Mystery: Holy Wisdom to know the truth and share with everyone, Divine Charity, Worship of the Holy Spirit
The Assumption of Mary. Fruit of the Mystery: Grace of a Happy Death and True Devotion towards Mary
The Coronation of the Virgin. Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance and Crown of Glory, Trust in Mary’s Intercession
generally speaking Catholic ‘rosary rattlers’ are spending at least 20 minutes a day in meditative prayer, which does not include the time they spend going to daily Mass or in other types of prayer.
Ad Majoram Dei Gloriam
yeah, great Catholics like Nancy Pelosi - I’m sure she does 45 minutes of these deep mysteries……or else she would be excommunicated.
Oh, wait……….
Nancy Pelosi is excommunicated ‘latae sentia’ from her very first vote approving abortion.
She did it through her own actions and the excommunication is automatic based on her personal actions.
Now she may pretend to be Catholic to get unwashed masses and the gay clergy votes, but your everyday Catholics know she is not Catholic just C.I.N.O. - Catholic In Name Only.
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