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
The song is, after all, “Amazing Grace”, not “How Wonderful I Am”, or the favorite of CCM: “God Loves You Just the Way You Are”...
The problem with CCM is that much of it ignores the ideas of sin, the need to repent, and that we need to be made a “new creation” in Christ.
We alternate between my husband’s Methodist formal church, and my Assembly of God less formal. That way we both get what we like. Strangely enough my AG Church, I would prefer to skip the praise hymns they have adopted for the youth, and go in for the preaching. And love the older more up tempo of the formal Methodist. Yeah, some are draggy and hard to sing kind, I skip those.
You have a multi fold problem. The number of generations in a church. Youth like the more modern hypnotic hard to sing to repetitious praise hymns. Seniors don’t care for them. NO MEANING in them.
Middle age like their gospel older, but with more up tempo beat.
Seniors get left out.
Old gospel tunes have depth, they just need to be modernized with up tempo, blue grass and C & W beats where possible. This gets rid of the draggy stuff that is hard to sing to, much less listen to. Then you have those choir directors who want to do 6-8 verses of a song. When the 3 main ones would be enough.
You have to think how long you keep your congregation on their feet, Seniors don’t do well with long standing hymn services.
This is some of the music I listen to on a USB stick in the car, or Tape, or CD at home.
The Old Love Letter, The McKameys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgC1-5WciFE
Alan Jackson “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqOjJJjE_Gw
He set me free
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRvGI1kWkZ8
Where the Timbers cross
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOT5z2arQzc
Note the difference between the 2 songs. First is the original, second is the more modern version.
Gathering Flowers for Master’s Bouquet (Hank WMS Sr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0zQEBlgnjI
Master’s Bouquet - Dennis Keasling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQSXBcjrGP4
More up tempo, a little Jerry Lee tweedy added in.
Great Speckled Bird
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6KtUuQLYJs
Lo, the conflict of the ages is upon us today,
And the armies are assembling all in battle array;
Are you numbered with the faithful, one of God’s loyal few,
Who have sworn Him full allegiance? can He count upon you?
Refrain
Have your eyes caught the vision?
Have your hearts felt the thrill?
To the call of the Master do you answer, "I will"?
For the conflict of the ages, told by prophets and by sages,
In its fury is upon us, is upon us today.
Catch the vision of a lost world going downward in sin,
While the Master’s great commission long unheeded has been;
See the children of the kingdom joined in heart and in hand,
Pressing forward in the struggle to redeem this fair land.
Refrain
See the Church of God awaking and with glorious zest
She is laying on her altars now her noblest and blest;
T’ward the final consummation we are hastening on,
And the time for loyal service will forever be done.
Refrain
I’m not a fan of Amazing Grace either. I find it sappy and sentimental. But music, much like beauty is in the eye of or ear of the beholder.
I thought they changed it to "Pass the Loot."
I am not a big Amazing Grace fan either. Give me Great is Thy Faithfulness and The Gift of Love , etc and I am fine. But I like the modern music, too.
Self-centered, like about half the Psalms. Are those too contemporary, too? De gustibus non est disputandum.:)
Amen! The grand old hymns were like mini-sermons. They had a theme, a purpose, and a point. They were crafted to not only be harmonious but to appeal to the ear’s natural sense of meter and rhyme, and strove to use the right words, not just any words. In contrast, many modern Christian songs seem to start with a tolerable tune, to which words are applied without regard to ear appeal. Then, running out of originality, they repeat the same stanzas again and again and again. I dread when our worship leader introduces another “new” tune.
Here is an example from Casting Crowns of a song that I think badly misses the mark:
Jesus, Friend Of Sinners
Jesus Friend of sinners we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus friend of sinners the truth’s become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they’re tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I’m so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided
Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours
I know of no scripture that would support the idea that the world is rushing to Jesus, or that mentioning sin and the need to repent gets in the way. In fact, I find far more discussion in the Bible about our need to repent and turn away from sin than I do on the idea that sin is a minor point for God.
How can we call on folks to repent if we ignore what sin is? Yet how often do you hear anyone in the church or in CCM even mentioning sin, let alone hammering ANYONE for sinning? Yet Casting Crowns seems to think we are too negative, and that if we just accept people and ignore sin, they will come rushing to Jesus.
They may come rushing to a message like that, but they will not find Jesus or life.
Where Jesus Is, Joey and Rory Feek
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1aPBxQJtgY
This is the type song you mean. It has a lot of depth in it. But this is not an ordinary pair of singers, they live a Christian life. But do C & W more old style. This is off their Inspirational Album. Ms Joey just had her first and last baby girl Indiana Boone, then it was discovered she had cervical cancer and had to have a complete hysterectomy and do the Chemo thing. Indiana is a Special Needs baby. She will go on tour with them when they resume it.
Hammering Nails
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkTzE1g3Zfc
Then you have Merle Haggard doing Amazing Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFrrpvrMkyQ
“Self-centered, like about half the Psalms.”
A large amount of CCM is based on Psalms and the Psalm used is usually credited.
You mean like Jonah, Abraham, or King David (just to name a few)?
Curious, what songs/hymns do you find acceptable? What do you sing?
The only awards for music Elvis received were for his Gospel Albums. It didn’t matter how popular his songs were, and still are, his gospel was his BEST music.
Milky White Way
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqMiURGCCgI
Like Page Lingua or O Salutaris ?
PANGE .. not Page.
…so I assume my little quip was over your head? I mean, if not, your response was astonishingly weak.
You have to understand Grace and mercy before you can consider it.
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