First of all I would like to encourage you to never criticize or put down others for their actions. We do not want to be like the Pharisees in Jesus’ time. 

Luke 18:9-14
Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

Jesus is very clear in this: 

Matt 7:1-5:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 

Now the Bible does not talk specifically about secular music, as it was not a problem at the time, but it gives us a few guidelines.

1. Phil 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

Questions to ask yourself when listening to certain secular music: Are the lyrics of the song true? Does it have pure message? Is it praiseworthy? The answer is between yourself and your God. God wants us to be wise with what we put in our mind. 

If the songs you are listening to promotes and encourages some sinful actions, you know beyond a doubt, that this song does not praise God, but the devil. We should be very careful with what we listen to. I would encourage you to not listen to music that has swearing or a false message about life. Don’t fill your mind with garbage that can hinder your progress to God’s kingdom.

2. 1 Cor 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Anything you do, do it to the glory of God. This will prevent you from making big mistakes. Does the song you listen to give glory to God? Be honest with yourself. Don’t be deceived.

3. Some people are out there to get rich. What sells the best on today’s market? Sex, vulgar language and self-glorification. What can this lead to? 

1 Tim 6:9-10:
People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 

4. Make sure you can give thanks to God in whatever you do. 

Eph 5:4:
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

I hope these guidelines can be of help to you. Praise to God for saving a wretch like me!

Rob Chaffart To contact me click hereTo contact me click here
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There are certain things that come to bear upon a man, which the devil will use as a set back. Some of these are what we eat, drink and listen to.

Some other things could be what we hear. No wonder the scriptures warn to be careful of what we hear. What we also wear could go to some extent to determine our destiny. It could make up or mar us ultimately. Conversely, what we hear (the sounds) goes a long way to either mold us to break us down.

Music is Music?

Secular music is any organized sound of the world systems. It may or may not be accompanied by words. Music has a relationship with the spirit and soul of man.

Secular music, therefore are such music that has not been inspired by the Holy Spirit. They are music rendered to the glory of man, the devil. They are sung based on human thoughts, philosophy and feelings. They are rendered not in accordance with the Spirit.

What is Christian Music?

Vocal or instrumental sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony. Sing and make music in your hear to the Lord; always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – Eph. 5:19-20. Music played an important part in Hebrew culture; although closely associated with religious worship from earliest times (Gen. 31:27) and was linked with dance (Ex. 31:27). Music and dance featured at feasts (Is. 5:12), vintage festivals (Is. 16:10), marriages and also at funerals (Mt. 9:23). For worship, King David organized a choir and orchestra (1 Chr. 15:16ff). Some psalms were clearly meant to be sung antiphonallyby two choirs (Pss. 13, 20, Ps. 136)

Why Christian Should Avoid Listening to Secular Music

I Thessalonians 5:23 ” May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” NIV

Man is made up of three dimensions. Spirit, Soul and Body. The Apostle Paul was praying a comprehensive prayer here. He was concerned about the three dimensions of man. The believer who gives himself to listening to secular music is polluting his entire spirit and soul. Spirit and soul are important to God and Man. The body does not profit anything. One should nurture the Spirit and the soul with something from the Lord.

If secular music misters to the two aspects of man, the whole of that person is corrupt. Sanctified believers ready for the rapture should nurture their spirit and soul with something that is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Whatever music you release to your spirit and soul will reflect on your body. It is either healing or sickness. I have seen people healed as a result of listening to Christian music. I have been blessed as a result of
congregational music. People have been delivered based on Christian music.

Does my listening to secular music give glory to God?

I Cor. 10:31- 33 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved”

Every believer should see himself as a witness. Witnessing whom? Witnessing Jesus. The day you gave your life to Christ there was a separation. Separation from the Kingdom of darkness into His marvelous light. You are therefore separated from the world, it systems, practices and habits. The scriptures says that we are in the world but not of the world. Whatever we do therefore should bring glory to His Name. Again, you should not cause anyone to sin by your action. Your action may be lawful but not expedient. As long as it is not expedient, you should run away from it.

Dedication of some secular music

In my interaction with people as I minister deliverance about in Africa I have heard some musicians confessed that before they release records out for the public consumption, they always dedicate it. To whom do you think the music arranged in their cassettes, albums, CDs, tapes dedicated? Certainly to the devil. I want to believe this. In the church today, we dedicate our lives to Christ and we also call upon God to bless certain things He has given us.

I have had occasions to dedicate our ministrations to God in prayer for the blessing of His people. If this is the practice of the church – dedication, the world has imitated it. Why must you listen to music dedicated to the devil? Why must you corrupt your life with music that is not divinely inspired? It has not source or root from heaven. God’s name is not honored in secular music. The flesh is glorified. The devil is exalted. Ideas of man are being declared. You should not be a link to the devil. 

If you have so linked yourself through listening to secular music having accepted Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you can renounce and refuse to listen to secular music again. Ask God for the grace to do without it. You have alternative.

There is good Christian music you can enjoy. Pick some of these up from Christian bookshops. You will discover that power will come from above as you listen to Christian inspired music. In II Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat won the war against the Moabites and Ammonites through praises.

Conclusion:

Listening to secular music could be a sin because it is not glorifying God.

It is lifting the praise of the devil of up. It is also polluting the temple that God has created. It is counter-productive. God’s spirit cannot strive with any other spirit. The messages in secular music can carry with
them certain demons. This is not supposed to be your portion. Why must you use your money to bring in spirit that will destroy you? It is worldly and deadly to your spirit soul and body!

I John 2:15 -17 declares “Do not love the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the an who does the will of God lives forever.”

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, -if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things – Philippians 4:8.

Blessings!

Rev Debo Adeyemo 
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The term “secular” music is so vast and encompasses anything that does not praise and lift up Jesus Christ and the Gospel, that there is no simple pat answer for such a question. It is a very serious subject, however, that requires a great deal of wisdom, discernment and caution. For even the most innocuous, seemingly innocent music can contain messages and direct one toward a path that leads to separation from living healthy faith unto a path of doubt, double mindedness and shallow, empty “faith.” 

For those of you old enough, remember the music of the 40′s? the 50′s and early 60′s? Now the music seems so feeble and innocuous compared to where we are now in sub-cultural meltdown. But those “rebellious songs” of those generations fed that generation to rebel and act against what they knew was not proper and fitting for Christians to do. Yes, music was a driving force for immoral conduct even back then. And no, immoral sex wasn’t discovered in the 60′s or 70′s. 

It has been a slow path to destruction and utter darkness for this world, but “we’ve finally arrived.” As one band sang, “welcome to the jungle…”

I have been a professional musician/entertainer for over 15 years — I play “secular music as well as worship and praise and “ministry” Christian music. I can testify that my best experiences in seeing Christ touch people’s lives through me is when I was out in “the world” where Christ could get to those people “out there” and speak to them. Again, discernment and a willing vessel for His use.

Now, in these final hours of this world’s existence, one cannot help but see and hear Satan’s overt spirit within the music of this age, with the most vile profanity being broadcast on open air radio directed purposefully to corrupt the youth. What was once only broadcast in innuendo and “code slang” in music lyrics — it honestly cannot get any more perverse, violent and evil than it has already become (i.e. Emimen, Beastie Boys, Death Metal, etc.). Anti-Christ truly dwells and inhabits this music, his “praise” music that leads to hell. As a musician who plays and embraces all styles of music, including hard rock, my spirit is instantly offended by the darkness within the music and message of today. 

I saw an VH-1 interview with a well known group of aging rappers who are now out on tour again — they showed how they “prayed” together before their performance, yet the message they are bringing is vile and profane and lifts up evil, not the Light or life. So, who then are they “praying to?” And by what spirit are they receiving their power? Again, discernment and wisdom.

I do believe that if the Holy Spirit truly lives and abides in a person, He will react and impress upon us what offends Him and what is pleasant and lovely and edifying to our soul, even if it is not specifically “praise” music, like enjoying the beauty of a sunrise or sunset, or the beauty in a relationship. It is by the Spirit’s discernment that we realize what is good and what is evil despite it’s appearance. 

There is some music out today that is labeled “Christian” but the spirit and attitude of the music and lyric content leave a huge check in my spirit. “Not all that call themselves “Brother” are so.” Again, it comes down to discernment and sensitivity to the Spirit of God. 

However, what of the song, ‘Somewhere Out There’ from An American Tale or, a myriad of beautiful love ballads or other songs that simply sing of life and relationships? What of the great symphonic masterpieces that contain no lyrics but only powerful music? “Evil”? “Sin”? No! Only life in music. Such thinking is simplistic ignorance. Yet many of the masterpieces were condemned by the church when they were first introduced in Austria and in Europe. Again, wisdom and discernment.

Mark Lowenstein 
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Listening to secular music is not a sin, in fact it is very uplifting to listen to other cultures playing their music.

Dave 
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It really all depends on the band or artist. It  also depends on the lyrics and whether or not you  implement these practices into your life.  Although I am a Christian, I primarily listen to  country music. My three favorite artists are Clint  Black, Garth Brooks, and Hank Williams, Jr. Just  because it’s country music doesn’t mean it doesn’t  have Christian-themed lyrics. An example is Garth’s  song “Unanswered Prayers”.  Regardless of whether or not you agree, I will  still respect your decision. 

In Christ, 

J. Patrick Capps 
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I don’t feel it’s a sin but I do believe we should use caution about what we listen to because what goes in us will someday come out. 

Singingbbw3920@aol.com  
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No, not as a rule.  It’s all up to the person listening and His relation to God and people.  Of course we have Paul’s words about what to think on, but if the music  just creates joy, peace, good inspiration or similar, I’d say it’s not a  sin. But there are other things besides sin that are problems in our lives.  Secular music, as well as “Christian” music, can be a hindrance for us  according to Hebrews 12:1. 

Thommy Ohlund, Kiruna Sweden 
 

Should a Christian listen to secular music?

Question:  “Should a Christian listen to secular music?”

Answer:  It is a fact of life that whatever a person allows to occupy his mind will sooner or later determine his speech and his action. This is the premise behind Philippians 4:8 and Colossians 3:2,5: establishing wholesome thought patterns. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says we “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” This is how we allow Jesus to be “the Lord of our lives”. That gives us a pretty clear picture of the kind of music we SHOULDN’T listen to.

Obviously, the best kind of music we can listen to is that which praises and glorifies God. There are a lot of Christian musicians and singers out there, spanning nearly every genre available to the secular market. From there, it is a matter of taste. There is nothing inherently wrong any particular style of music. But if secular music leads you to think about, or get involved in something that does not glorify God – then you should avoid it.

Recommended Resource:  Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music by Mark Powell.

Secular Music Evil?

by Conrad

The ever burning question in many Christians’ hearts is, “Can I listen to secular music?” There is something already wrong with this question. The problem that is inherent in a statement like this is separating music into Sacred and Secular, Spiritual and Non-Spiritual.

I’ll start from the beginning – literally. Only God existed. He made stuff like heaven, angels, the world and cows. He also created music. God created everything to glorify himself (See the Faith section for more). There is not one thing that was created that did not glorify God. Can God make something that does not glorify himself? No. God did not make a sacred and a secular, everything to God was God’s. In God’s universe there is no such separation, all is unified as glorifying to God.

So if I wrote a song about cows and sausages, there would be nothing wrong with that. As a Christian I can write songs about algebra and the circulatory system and meeting girls. God created all those things. Why would it be wrong to sing about such things? I am singing about God’s wonderful creation, and at the same time using a God created medium – music.

So why do so many Christians get so upset about a band of Christians not preaching in their lyrics or from stage? Why do Christians say, “They’re just singing about bikes and food, they’re not ministering, therefore its not glorifying to God?” When one thinks like this its shows that they don’t understand that God created one universe – one universe glorifying to God. In this universe both spiritual and physical things all glorify God. But this other view creates a false dichotomy, a false separation. In this separation comes the view of – God is in the spiritual and not in the non-spiritual (the secular). If its not spiritual then it is non-spiritual, that is secular, and secular is evil. And the only things that are spiritual are things like Jesus, the Bible, evangelism, and discipleship. In the secular there are things like bikes, food, physics and cows. Therefore, in this thinking, you cannot sing about the secular and still glorify God.

But if that were the case then that would mean that if other God created things are “non-spiritual” then they are not glorifying to God, and therefore evil. That would mean a “secular” job like accounting is not glorifying to God and therefore useless or evil. That would mean Adam’s God-given task of farming was useless, and Christ’s carpentry was useless. Christ has now been reduced to doing things not glorifying to himself.

You see the evil in splitting God’s world into a sacred and secular? Believing that non-spiritual is useless leads us into thinking that God does useless things. It leads us to think our jobs are useless to God, and that we must trudge through our jobs just so we can get to Sundays, the only spiritual day and therefore the only useful day. Very destructive thinking.

You do not have to justify music and art and cows and food. God made it, its good, its justified.

But that is not to say that music cannot be used for evil.

PART II

Can one separate the music from the band and evil lyrics? The best way to answer this question is with a few examples.

Example #1:
Food is good. But can be used for evil, such as gluttony. The food is not evil, the sin is.

Example #2:
Money is not evil. But idolizing money is. The idolization is evil, not the money.

Music by bands singing about evil things, does not make the musical notes evil, but this is where the example takes a turn. Food and money cannot sin, but bands can. So is it wrong to listen to someone sinning? No. We read in the Bible examples on people sinning throughout; we watch the news and they report on sins (murders, etc.) all the time – and we don’t consider watching that a sin. But with Food and Money, if it makes you sin, you can then fix that part of your life. If music by bad bands causes you to sin, then don’t listen to it. You really can’t do the same with Food or Money (if they make you sin) since you need them to live. But that’s what makes this music thing easier than those, you can live without music, so dealing with this type of sin is easier.

A more extreme example: Satan has said a lot of evil stuff in the Bible. It is not wrong to read his words. Satan’s words in the Bible does not make literature medium or the Bible wrong. Certainly his words are a lot worse than cuss words and anything anyone has ever sung about. Merely listening to evil music (like reading Satan’s evil words) is not a sin. Sin enters when the music causes you to sin.

Conclusion:
If it causes you to sin. Stop listening to it.
And one type of sin is not obeying “Honor thy father and mother,” if your parents have a big problem with it (even if they are theologically wrong about it) you still must honor their wishes. I mean, so what if you can’t listen to some bands, its not like they’re telling you to stop eating.

PART III

Causing Others to Stumble

It was previously stated that things like music and food can be used for good – or can make us sin. Although it might not be a sin to merely hear music not intended for the Christian market, listening to it can cause some to sin in other ways. Disobeying your parents by listening to certain music when you’ve been told not to is a common example of music causing sin. Another example is when listening to music causes others to stumble.

First, I will go over what “causing others to stumble” is not. It is not merely offending someone, or doing something they don’t like. If you hate smoking and your friend comes up and smokes around you, you might be offended and annoyed, but you are not being tempted to smoke. Stumbling involves sin.

The example that the Bible uses is in Romans 14: eating meat sacrificed to idols. The Romans, along with much of the world back then, thought that there were many gods. People would sacrifice meat to these gods, who were represented by idols. But sometimes these people converted to Christianity. Many of these new converts would not know some basic Christian doctrines. In their minds, if they bought meat from the market that the seller had “blessed” to some pagan god, this would make the meat sinful to eat.

Of course, the meat was not evil. God made the meat. Meat is good. But the new convert in the above example did not realize that. He or she thought it would be evil to eat this particular meat. He or she therefore believed it would be a sin to eat it. So, would it be a sin if he or she ate it? Yes. Not because the meat was now sinful to eat, but because the motivation for eating it was sinful. It would be like saying, “God I think it’s a sin to eat this, but I’m going to eat it (and sin) anyway.” That is a sin of rebellion, and not of eating.

How does causing others to stumble come into this? It comes in when you, a stronger Christian who knows that eating meat sacrificed to idols is okay, cause the weaker Christian to sin by eating that meat in front of them, tempting them. If they eat it, you are causing them to sin, and by causing them to sin, you are making them stumble.

Music, movies, alcohol, etc., are things that could make other Christians stumble. What is Paul’s command in cases like those? It is to refrain from eating (listening, watching, drinking) in front of the weaker Christian.

Conclusion: We have to be cautious with our motivations and actions. Even the best of things can make us sin (e.g., reading the Bible might make us prideful). We must be careful not only for ourselves, but also for those around us. As it says in Romans 14: 15, we must act in love. So, don’t just go around making weaker Christians listen to your music simply because you think it’s okay – because it is now you who is sinning by not acting in love.

What Makes a Song, A CD or a Band Christian?

From Kim Jones,
Your Guide to Christian Music / Gospel.

Does Jesus have to be mentioned a certain number of times to qualify?

One of the questions that I’m asked most by readers, family and friends is, “Is ______ a Christian song/band/album?” Since Christian music has many different styles (rock, pop, country, rap, metal, inspirational, praise and worship, reggae, blues, celtic, etc.), it truly is the only genre’ of music out there that is defined by its lyrics; however there is more to it than just the lyrics. The band or artist that is making the music and that person’s beliefs have to come into play somewhere in the equation. Doesn’t it?

While a non-believer could sing “Jesus Loves Me” without their throat seizing up, chances are good that someone who doesn’t believe isn’t going to make music about Jesus. So what about the believers? Does the music that a believer makes have to mention Jesus or God a certain number of times in any given song or album in order for it to be classified as “Christian?” What about songs done by believers about life and the problems that we all face? Since becoming a Christian doesn’t mean that you’re no longer going to have to ever face any type of hardship, difficulty or temptation, it’s a given that Christians are going to have problems in life like everyone else on the planet.

If a Christian person or band writes a song about a life issue, but they don’t mention Christ, does that mean that the song isn’t Christian? Does having a “Christian world view” mean that every Christian artist is going to be so perfectly mature in their faith that the first answer to every problem is going to be Jesus?

And what about the artists that feel like they’re being called to take the music to the masses outside of the church? Where do they fall in the grand scheme of things? On the one hand, singing “Jesus this and Jesus that and Jesus said” to a group of people who don’t know or accept Jesus might not go over well, so more ambiguous lyrics may be the way to get your foot in the door. On the other hand, if you’re calling what you’re doing music ministry, defined by most as …

• Using music as a tool to reach the lost for Christ and to help fellow Christians go further in their own walks.

or you’re calling what you’re doing evangelism, defined in the dictionary as …

• Zealous preaching and dissemination of the gospel

then how can you be ministering or evangelizing if you’re not mentioning Christ?

Do bands like those have an obligation to go to step two once they’ve gotten their foot in the door or are they simply being used to plant seeds that God will direct someone else to water?

Since going to work for About, I have seen both types of bands.

1. The band who uses their music/lyrics to do ministry – teaching and edifying – and they are quite open about who/what they’re talking about in their lyrics. Examples – Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Jonah33, Todd Agnew. These bands/artists are sometimes considered to be “too preachy” and “unable to reach the unsaved” because “if someone doesn’t know Christ, they won’t listen to someone singing about Him.”

1. The band who crosses more into the mainstream/secular world, “taking the medicine to the sick.” They don’t hide their faith, but they don’t spell it out in their lyrics and end up with veiled references to Jesus. Examples – Flyleaf, Admiral Twin, Switchfoot. These are the kinds of bands that people frequently ask about because they can’t tell by listening to the music. For the record – I got to spend some time with Flyleaf this year and Lacey Mosley and the guys talk about their faith in a more outspoken way than just about anyone else I’ve ever met!

One song that makes a good example of this has the following lines …

the different stars tonight
will somehow fade the same
and all the tears we cry
tell us we’re made the same
and when we fall aside
let’s hope we fall in place
we built our different lives
but they all break the same
- From Mute Math’s self titled, 2006 release

As a Christian, I can see a Christian perspective there, but would someone who wasn’t saved see it? I was called in to referee an argument about this very song. The Christian said it was about all of us being God’s children, and even after we’re saved, and things are different – we’re still no better and no more loved by God than the unsaved. The non-believer said it was about racism – doesn’t matter the color of your skin – we all bleed red! I believe that people hear and see based on where they’re at a a particular time in life. So will someone who is seeing things with a world view see even so much as a Christian flicker? Shouldn’t that be a factor?

There is now a third type of band … the band who has both type 1 lyrics and type 2 lyrics, yet they are adamant that they are not a “Christian band.” Last summer Mute Math sued their parent label, Warner Brothers, in order to get themselves off of the Word label since they don’t want to be considered a “Christian band.” The suit was just settled in August (2006).

So what does make a song or a band Christian?

Vince Lichlyter of Jonah33, Jontez and V3say …

Since I don’t have the end-all answer as to what is Christian and what isn’t, I asked artists and people in the industry their thoughts. No one person can give a definite answer, since only God has that, but my hope is that this piece will help you find your own answer.

Vince Lichlyter of Jonah33

I think that it’s important to remember that Jesus didn’t just preach 24-7. He had relationships, and I’m sure that he spent many unrecorded hours with people simply talking to them. There is no way that christians can decide how or when God can use something. It’s not our job to save people. It’s our job to use the talents that God has given us to the best of our ability. It’s our calling to love God, and to love others as much as we spend time loving ourselves.

The Great Commission says to “GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES” and you can’t do that in a single song.

That is done through your life and your relationships. My opinion is that the Christian music industry, in their gallant effort to make a dollar off of the name and power of Jesus Christ, has somehow brainwashed the masses as to what exactly “makes” a Christian song. There is no such thing as a Christian song. There is only music and words that God has gifted his children with that are used to draw others closer to Him. How that happens is up to the Holy Spirit. Let’s drop the assumptions and allow the Holy Spirit to do the work of the Father for crying out loud.

Jontez

The first thing is never to catagorize a band by it’s name, record label, musical style, or appearance in terms of their spirituality. We sometimes think that just because we’re on major Christian label that automatically makes us a Christ-like artist. Or if we’re on a major mainstream label that makes us a complete pagan. That makes about as much sense as me saying I’m a Walton because I work at Wal-Mart. The truth of the matter is that spirituality can only be measured by His spirit. God alone verifies whether or not I’m a “Christian” artist. For some “artists” music is only a job while other artist take ministry as their only call in life. Both are fine and necessary.

I dare say that most of the readers here do not work for a christian organization or a church. Most of us work for secular America where we interact with non-christians everyday. So just because I am in this world, doesn’t mean that I am of this world. However, that applies to us on both levels. Just because I work at the church next door doesn’t mean my heart is right with God.

My point is simple. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. If you want to judge a song as to whether it’s ok for you to listen to then read the lyrics, but go deeper than the what you read. If you hear a song saying “I love my wife, I’ll do anything for my family, we can make it…,” then if you read your Bible you would know that these are all biblical principles. Nothing about those lyrics are against the Word of God. If you hear a song that invites or promotes worship within yourself unto God, then this also is biblical. Ask yourself, does this song or band promote God’s undeniable Heart. Matthew 5:8 states “blessed are the pure in HEART, for they shall SEE GOD.” There’s something to be said about the HEART and it’s ability to SEE GOD. I hope you get that one. The correlation between the two are very significant. So to answer your question in simple english, judge the heart of the song or the band.

V3

We would say that yes, Christian music is the only type of music out there defined solely by lyrical content, because when you talk about Jesus in your music people automatically look at it as being Inspirational, Gospel, or Christian music. However, Christian artists/bands shouldn’t have to have obviously Christian lyrics in order to be called a “Christian.”

Being a Christian is all about your relationship with God! You could have great “Christian” lyrics and not be a great example of what a true Christian is like. Every song doesn’t have to be preachy. Some songs are just about life, but if someone professes to be a Christian then they have a responsibility to make sure that they reflect Christ in everything that they do including the lyrics that they write.

The bottom line is that people are going to say what they want to say and label things how they want. God gives different people different ways of ministering and if what they are saying lines up with God’s word then it’s all good.

As for us, we don’t know what makes our music “Christian” – all we know is that we are Christians that make good music; in which we honor God and hopefully reach people in ways they can relate to and lyrics that inspire them! – V3

Julie Fuller, Vince Wilcox and Austin Cline say …

Julie Fuller

Really I’m not sure what the answer is myself. This is just me thinking out loud.

“What makes a band Christian?” would be their walk with Christ and the example they lead. I would rather them sing clean lyrics and lead by example in behavior than sing “obviously Christian lyrics” and live like the devil.

What makes a song Christian? Obviously the “correct” answer would be any song that would glorify Jesus Christ and point the way to Him. But could it also be a song that just happens to be written by a Christian artist from a Christian viewpoint? I don’t know.

Sometimes it’s just hard to label everything. The songs on the CD that I am getting ready to release may not be considered, out there and in your face, “Christian songs” and they may crucify me and label me a heretic.

What I do know is I am a Christian artist that wrote these songs filtered through the lens of faith.

Vince Wilcox of VanLiere-Wilcox Management

Our management company, VanLiere-Wilcox, works with NewSong, Todd Agnew, and Nate Sallie, among others. Our experience is that each artist needs to understand their own calling and equipping. They also need to understand the business that their record labels are in. Some artists are called and equipped to minister to the church, others are aimed at the mainstream. So it is with labels as well. Different labels often have very unique—and often varied–sales, marketing, and distribution models.

We need to understand our own callings, respect the callings of others, and help each another build the Kingdom accordingly. You wouldn’t necessarily criticize a medical missionary for not preaching enough, nor would you readily criticize a pastor for not offering medical treatments during a worship service. Their calling and equipping are different, but equally valuable when offered in obedience and humility.

Finally, we want to suggest that these discussions about what constitutes a Christian song, a Christian artist, or a Christian label are somewhat off the mark. A Christian is a follower of Christ. Therefore, only people can be “Christian”…not music, not radio stations, not record labels, not magazines or websites. Let’s reserve the adjective “Christian” for its highest use: a person who has been transformed by the blood and Spirit of Christ.

Austin Cline – About Guide to Agnosticism & Atheism

When I think “Christian band” and “Christian music,” I assume that the music will contain at least some overt Christian messages – messages about Jesus, salvation, God, etc. Maybe not every song would contain such message, but at least a majority would.

Now, that’s probably not something I want to hear. I don’t read explicitly Christian books, go to explicitly Christian movies, or listen to Christian radio. The books, movies, and music might be very good, but I’m not interested in the genre. I also don’t read romance books, listen to romantic ballads, or go to romantic comedy movies. Those books, songs and movies might be very good, but I’m not interested in the genre.

Side Note – I had a couple of Stryper albums when I was a teenager. I was a Christian at that time in my life and even then wasn’t interested in “Christian” music, but I overlooked that with Stryper because I liked the music part enough.

I don’t think that a Christian band is necessarily “obnoxious” or beating people over the head with fire and brimstone. However, I would be rather annoyed if I discovered that a Christian band was going under some other genre. It’s not because I’m afraid of hearing Christian messages, it’s simply false advertising. Would you be happy going to a movie and only finding out after it started that it was a Western (or just pick some other genre that doesn’t interest you much, but doesn’t offend you)?

Most people don’t want to be surprised at the genre of music they listen to or movie they are seeing. They really don’t like getting the impression that someone has deceived them in order to sneak a particular message, content, or genre to them without their realizing it.

Consider this – imagine that there is a genre known as “Muslim music” or “Buddhist music” which conveys messages promoting Islam or Buddhism. Now, what if a band that should be so categorized tried to avoid that label so that people would listen to their music without realizing what the content was until after hearing it? How would Christians react? OK, obviously Christians are diverse and reactions will be diverse, but I think you know what I mean: a lot of Christians would complain very strongly. They’d have a valid point.

Doug Doppler and Jade Sholty Say …

Doug Doppler

1. As Christians, we have to have Faith that God speaks to each of us about our gifting and how it should be used to further the Kingdom. If we were all made the same, then one size would fit all, which it certainly doesn’t (thank God)…
2. We are by God’s grace all walking with him, but no two people walk at the exactly same pace, much less groups of bands. There is only one U2 (all brothers in the Lord for those not in the know) and so on…
3. God uses each of us in His own divine fashion, sometimes when we don’t realize it. His hand is in and upon everything…
4. “Lead us not into temptation” – To criticize is to judge. To praise and pray is God’s way. If we wish a band might use their anointing differently, we might would be better off praying for clarity in our own minds as to the reasons, and not to judge, which is by our flesh our first instinct.

Fortunately through Christ Jesus, we have been reborn NOT by the flesh, but by the Spirit. I am sure that Jesus loves each member of each of these bands just as much as the next, and for us to put our judgement before his love is dangerous territory to move in…

1. Then there is the business. Be conscious of he decisions you make and insure that God is at the helm, and not your ego. If you decide to move in the secular with your Faith “hidden” be prepared for the enemy to attack you in the places he attacks secular bands – evilof all forms of seductions. When you sing songs of praise, you are carrying the Ark in an obvious way and in that bodlness comes a covering that is Divine. When opearting in the secular, that covering is in my opinion quite different. You are God’s messenger in a way that opens you up to attack by virtue of the kind of audience you seek. The enemy will use those who surround you to inflate your ego, and the business will tell you it is about the “you” and not about HIM. This is a dangerous space for man/woman to operate in. That said, we have to work outside of the Church to reach the unsaved and bring them into the body. Paul had to be sent out. Just be sure that when God chooses you to send out, you do so in Faith that He has chosen you for your capacity for humility in the face of an industry that is about everything but that…
2. There are Strat players and there are Les Paul players. If we play, write, sing, and worship with Jesus and gratifying him in our hearts, not matter how or where, we are fighting FOR and not against the Kingdom, and he will Bless your life for doing so with a clean heart. By giving us flesh, we know when our flesh is operating outside of that paradigm, and through and by the Glory of God we will be (and are) forgiven for the times when we forget it is about Him and not us – if we truly repent. Not to contradict myself totally, there is one size that fits all in this regard. We are all made of flesh, and as such our temptation to honor ourselves and not Him will always give us the need to find our way back to the Lord when we fall short in these areas. Praise be to God and his Divine nature of Forgiveness and through our flesh having created our need to seek Him and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Doug

Jade Sholty

Hmmm, that’s a tough one. My initial instinct would be to say that the very name “Christian” in “Christian band” says their lyrics, whether veiled or not, support Christ and His mission. How up front they want to be with that is up to them, whether it’s in all their songs or just some of them. If I purchased a CD from a band who labeled themselves as a “Christian” band though I’d expect to be hearing about Christ somewhere in those lyrics.

Then there are the mainstream bands who have Christian members. Their lyrics might be about anything without mentioning Christ specifically. However, if they really are “Christ” followers, I suspect their beliefs sneak out in places throughout their lyrics, whether they mean for them to or not. After all, we all write and talk about the things that excite us. Music is no different.

I believe God needs and uses all these different avenues to reach a greater audience. Some people practically ‘preach’ with their songs, others just plant small seeds to get people thinking. God made us all different and uses it all for His purpose in the end. We need to leave room for all the differences and be careful that we don’t start playing judge, trying to decide if one type is better than another.

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