Christian music finds stardom (The rise in Christian Music Industry

Washington Post via Orlando Sentinel ^ | 7 Jan 2005 | Michelle Boorstein

[nckerr]

Michelle Boorstein | The Washington Post Posted January 7, 2006 Looking at row after row of Christian-music CDs in a suburban Virginia Wal-Mart, Clint Clifton glimpses the seeds of something grand -- a golden period for Christian artists that could rival 12th-century France or 15th-century England. The Christian selections fill about one-eighth of the mega-store's music department. Having spent three years promoting and training young Christian musicians, Clifton smiles; he is living in a boom time. But Clifton, 26, sees other things on the wire shelves, too. He picks up a CD by the teenage band Jump 5 and tsks. The group doesn't write most of its songs, and Clifton suspects that it began as a moneymaking "concept" in a music company's marketing department, not as a divinely inspired prayer, as Christian music should. He flips over a top-selling CD and marvels at the name of the label: Time-Life. "Seeing Time-Life on a Christian CD is still pretty weird," says Clifton, who lives in Stafford, Va., and is pastor at Pillar Church in Dumfries, Va. "It's a good thing as a whole, but I don't necessarily think being bigger is always a good thing. It's a fine line." For musicians of what's broadly called "contemporary Christian" --

[nckerr]

I bet in a minute thier will be a thousand people calling these artist heretics like they call megachurch pastors. But I think it is awesome that America is increasingly become more conservative in the last 30 years.

[Paradox]

My brother gave me a CD for Christmas many years back. I am not an evangelical Christian, not really a Christian at all, more of a Deist. In fact, I can easily do the "atheist/agnostic" thing. But to this day, that CD is one of my favorites. It is "Third Day", by, funny enough, Third Day. Great music, and the message gets to you anyways.

[MineralMan]

""Churches are the new radio," says John Styll, president of the Gospel Music Association"

---

Yah. And Green Day is the new pink, I guess.

How is a church a radio?

[MineralMan]

Here's the next new wave in Christian Rock. I'm not sure that this is going to play well down at the corner church:

[pissant]

Gotta go with Hank Hill on this one...

"Can't you see you're not making Christianity better, you're just making rock n' roll worse."

[IronManBike]

bttt

[IronManBike]

bttt

[ReformedBeckite]

You probably don't listen to any of those New Christian Contemporary Christian stations since you've mention your an atheist, but I let you know they don't play those usual Christian funeral marches on those stations.

[MineralMan]

"You probably don't listen to any of those New Christian Contemporary Christian stations since you've mention your an atheist, but I let you know they don't play those usual Christian funeral marches on those stations."

Oh, I've hear them. How about Christian Metal bands? Nice, huh? Get one of those as your praise team.

As for other church music, I have a great fondness for classical music. Bach's Mass in D minor is a pretty nice little tune. Give it a try. Hardly funeral music.

[nckerr]

A lot of people don't realize that switchfoot, reliant k, and a lot of others you hear on regular radio are actually CHristian artist now. All I listen to know for music is Christian radio. I think it is great. Oh and we can't forget Mercy ME.

[AppyPappy]

Please don't try to get around copyright protection.

[Admin Moderator]

Please don't use replies to complete items from excerpt-only sources, such as the Washington Post.

[lawgirl]

My favorite band in the world is PFR and they are christian. Love them to death- their music totally gets it- about feeling alone and like you are not worth crap and the love and hope that comes from faith and a personal relationship with god and knowing that he loves you even when you feel like you can't love yourself.

[okkev68]

I straightened my life out and turned back to God after my sister gave me a Stryper cassette in college. I enjoyed the music and the message and the conviction of the Holy Spirit finally overtook me.

My wife and 3 kids are very thankful for "Christian Rock".

[RepoGirl]

Another good band to check out is Jars of Clay. Their one song, Flood, had a lot of air play about 8 years ago on the alternative stations. It amazed me to find out they were considered Christian music.

[smith288]

I really liked "Bound by Grace" but they were a REAL small group.

They have a song we play every year at Easter because its based on the story and the musicals are goosebump inducing.

[MineralMan]

Glad to hear it. I have nothing against Christian Rock. It's just not my kind of music. But I'm a geezer.

[MamaB]

It is way past time, too. I remember as a teen listening to Christian music only it was the Blackwoods, The Statesman Quartet, etc. I would do my homework listening to them. Of course, we did not have much junk on the radio either. Anyone remember the Chuck Wagon Gang? This dates me but I like my age right now. In fact, another bd is coming up on the 20th.

[ThinkPlease]

How about Veni Domine? These Swedes were doing Christian Doom metal in Europe almost before there was Doom Metal back in the mid 90's. A lot of people got into it, though I couldn't really get into the singer's vocals (still can't).