Now, it just makes sense that if you're trying to calm a child, you don't shout and scream - but I don't think a better option is singing dirty lyrics softly.
The idea that Christian rock is a bad thing seems to me to be a perception by people who don't find it appealing, and nothing more.
I play in a praise band every Saturday night. We’ve been together for a year now and I’ve only missed three services. I play a Fender American Custom Telecaster through various pedals. I have an overdriven sound and a clean sound. At times I have to fill in for various musicians so some times I play my Fender bass and sometimes I play my Taylor 810. I have the same Korg Triton at home that we use in our band so I’m able to program at home and take it to church as needed.. That said, I was glad when they said unto me, “Come, let us create a new praise band”
Our praise band practices start off with prayer and ends with prayer. Our praise band meets 15 minutes before the service to have prayer. We pray for the concerns of the praise band members as well as concerns of people from our church. We always pray that our work will be to glorify God and not ourselves.
I also write music for children’s musicals. I’ve have songs published by Brentwood-Benson, Lillenas, and Integrity. Steven Taylor has arranged some of my compositions. My neighbor writes the words and I compose the music. If you’re interested, my neighbor needs to have my music before he can write the words. We work on assignments from the producer where are asked to write songs that fit a particular segment of the musical. Sometimes our music doesn’t even mention Christ but supports the dialogue. Other times our music just plain ole’ describes the plan of salvation. We write for the age group of from 1st grade to 6th grade. We don’t compose little kiddy songs. We write music that kids enjoy singing. We used Steven Curtis Chapman’s song “Dive” in one of our musicals and the kids loved singing it. Our goal is to make singing fun while delivering the Gospel to children.
Here’s an observation I’ve made.
If you can’t draw the line in the sand about a matter then the matter is moot and not worth discussion.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I say God created a hen and a rooster and they had an egg. There are people that will debate me on that issue, but I don’t care. The matter is moot. There are some things we’ll never know in this life and that doesn’t bother me one bit. When we get to heaven I’m sure we will forgot everything we thought we ever knew anyway.
I play in a tee shirt and blue jeans on Saturday night. Before the service I go out into the audience and welcome people I don’t know and introduce myself. I wear clean tee shirts myself but I’m not above welcoming someone in a dirty tee shirt.
What is the definition of dressed up for a service. Is there a certain price level one needs to meet before they are considered dressed up. How much money should you spend on your clothing to be considered dressed up. I’ve got a $40 silk tee shirt. Is that enough money to spend? It’s a moot discussion. IT DOESN’T MATTER.
I think some of the nay sayers on this thread may be Church of Christ folk who will never be pleased with any kind of instrumentation in the worship service
Handle’s Messiah was considered blaspheme when it was first introduced. Now it’s a Christmas standard.
What works is right. God is God and I fear him.