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
Don’t disagree with that at all.
you worship a church. I do not. Thus you will never be able to even follow along with my conversation. Your assessment could not be more wrong.
I’ve never defended any church or denomination or church figure who was clearly in the wrong. Never will, because to me, it’s NOT ABOUT THE CHURCH per se - to you, it’s ALL AOBUT the church.
I am predisposed to seeking the truth. You seem predisposed to protecting your church. Quite often, those goals do not line up.
Amen.
No, I don't declare a church. I attend and support a non denominational Bible believing church. But I don't declare that. None of us do. We only DECLARE that JESUS IS LORD. Period. We declare that when Christ, or Paul, refer to "the church" - they are talking about the body of believers in Jesus as personal savior. Some are in "churches" - some are not - some of those "in churches" are and some "in churches" are not. I would submit that just your statement above indicates you have missed something.
I have never felt a moment of love from ANY non-Catholic on this forum ever! EVER!
Maybe that's because you divide the world into two parts: Catholic and non-Catholic. Therefore, you bring this on yourself. You cast the first stone simply by who you are and how you categorize people.
LOL!
We love you just as God loves you.
We just think you are mistaken and thus offer brotherly/sisterly correction as the Bible instructs.
Actually, you haven’t done that at all, not until this post…...
Nope! Bacon with PANCAKES. Sausage with waffles!
Bacon can go with anything it damn well pleases!
There must be hundreds of ways to sing Amazing Grace....the stanzas are written A B A B format. There is the Gilligan’s Island theme adaptation or House of the Rising Sun which was popular in the late 70’s early 80’s. I discovered it could be sung to the tune Edelweiss...(using the “when we’ve been there 10000 years” as the final coda finale). It’s interesting because depending on the tune used... the emotive effects could be either chintzy or quite profound!
PS. Amazing grace: It can even be sung to Dvorak’s symphony...”From the New World”...final movement!
“you worship a church. I do not.”
you have absolutely no idea about which you speak, because ANY Catholic that worships anyone other than the Triune God is automatically EXCOMMUNICATED from the Catholic Church, “latae sententiae” which is a Latin phrase, meaning “sentence (already) passed”, used in the canon law of the Catholic Church.
“A latae sententiae penalty is one that follows ipso facto or automatically, by force of the law itself, when a law is contravened...”
When it comes to the Catholic Church you haven’t a clue.
I repeat Catholics only worship God, if they worship anyone or thing other they are automatically excommunicated and are therefore NOT Catholic.
Ad Majoram Dei Gloriam
anything you say……you go ahead and believe that. You keep defending a temporal entity under some notion of eternal judgement already passed that the temporal entity does not recognize.
I have never felt a moment of love from ANY non-Catholic on this forum ever! EVER!
Maybe that's because you divide the world into two parts: Catholic and non-Catholic. Therefore, you bring this on yourself. You cast the first stone simply by who you are and how you categorize people.
I grew up catholic, attend catholic grade and high school and then read the bible myself. I respect the Catholic Church in many things, but left because of larger disagreements like not excommunicating Pelosi, Kennedy's...., and not teaching what is sin in the pews. I have family members who justify their liberalism by saying Pelosi...Biden are pro abortion pro ssm Catholics. This is why so many Catholics are liberals. The church justifies them by letting them call themselves catholic. These people use the church for cover and the church lets them.
**but Christians better join forces and stand up for one another against the real enemy who is trying to destroy us all.**
Amen!
Have you missed all the Daily and Sunday Readings posts? Love for all there.
Get rid of the Mary stuff and call sin, sin and enforce it’s abhorrence by the body of believers and I’d probably be a happy Catholic. Until the Reformation, if one wanted to know about Christ...you went to Roman Catholic churches or Orthodox if you lived in Eastern remnants of the Old Roman empire. Despite my Protestantism, I am mindful of history, I know what institutions kept the faith alive during the darker, lesser known periods of history.
There you go Salvation: I’m not as anti Catholic as you might think.
I am stating a fact, that is backed up by the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church.
Only liberals do not believe facts.
So offer facts contrary to what I offered in evidence.
AMDG
**if one wanted to know about Christ...you went to Roman Catholic churches **
Still true.
Your response reminds me of the teetotalers comments about Jesus turning water into wine: “That’s one thing I don’t like about Jesus”.
The point here is not what kind of music we like - but what kind of music is pleasing to God.
Expand you mind a bit and imagine God in his glory pondering the musical offering of one of our Christian “pop” singers. What would be your attitude if you found that some of what is offered HE finds pleasing?
Again, nobody really cares what you like - or me for that matter, it’s what honors and glorifies GOD. And if there is a chance that he is glorified by a musical offering where the words are founded in Truth, I for one will not attempt to impose my opinion on another.
Why? There may be those who will miss out on a blessing. Do you want to bear that responsibility? I don’t...
“...left because of larger disagreements like not excommunicating Pelosi, Kennedy’s..”
Pelosi, Kennedy and their ilk have been automatically excommunicated by the Catholic Church, because ANY Catholic that allows encourages or approves of any form of abortion is automatically EXCOMMUNICATED from the Catholic Church, “latae sententiae” which is a Latin phrase, meaning “sentence (already) passed”, used in the canon law of the Catholic Church.
“A latae sententiae penalty is one that follows ipso facto or automatically, by force of the law itself, when a law is contravened...”
And the trick bag for Pelosi is that for her to become un-excommunicated she will have to publicly confess her immoral ways and submit to whatever the Church tells her to do.
never gonna happen
For the Greater Glory of God
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