Miniature Media

This makes me mad. A Christian album put out by Chanticleer, was written by 5 different composers, two of which included songs dealing with their personal backgrounds of a branch of Islam and Judaism. These songs were inpired by Islam and Judaism. I think all we need for inspiration is Jesus Christ, but maybe they don’t understand that. Better yet, this Mass will be performed in Christian churches throughout California.

Perry Noble’s blog today was pretty incredible. I actually almost cried, but that’s beside the point. Either way, if you are too lazy to go and read his blog, he talks about playing football the last time his mom was able to see him before she died, and how the whole game was for an audience of one. He then equated that, of course, to how we should live our lives with an audience of one. It just kind of restates what I’ve been trying to say for a while now. The only person that matters is God, his opinion is all that matters. Everything we do should be to glorify Him, in a spirit of worship, and if the songs we sing are geared towards an audience other than God, it will be obvious to those out there listening, and perhaps that spirit of worship will spread to the listeners. On the other hand, if we play music that is geared towards an audience of men (and women), it will reflect. Who the heck cares exactly what the words are? If it is pointing at Christ, He recognizes that and i seriously doubt he cares how good or bad, soft or loud it is, instead He sees the state of your heart.

Or can they?

The playlist:

Who I am Hates Who I’ve Been- Relient K
Permiscuous Girl- Nelly Furtado
Because of You- Kelly Clarkson
I Can Only Imagine- Mercy Me
Baby Got Back- Sir Mix A Lot

Interesting. I think they’ve decided on the money. Whatever will bring money to their station is what matters. Not that I blame them- they never claimed to be working for the cause of Christ, but don’t use a Christian song to make your money. Besides it just doesn’t make sense to sing about how much you like big butts right after you sing about seeing God face to face- I’m pretty sure the experiences don’t compare whatsoever, so they don’t need to be sung about on the same station.

While talking to a friend a few nights ago, I came to a realization. We were discussing the fact that everything leads you either towards Christ, or away from Christ, and that there is, in fact no middle ground there. As we had this discussion, I began to think about what goes on in my head when I listen to some of my favorite bands. I began to realize that for the most part, I don’t think about God when I listen to their music, but instead I listen to “My girl’s Ex-boyfriend” (Relient K) and think about my own past (and laugh on the inside), or I hear “Oh, gravity!” (Switchfoot) and think of…well just how much I don’t like the song, but that’s beside the point. The point is that I am not being pointed in the direction of Christ when I listen to these songs. If I, as a Christian, do not hear these songs and think about Christ, then surely an unbeliever will not! So this brings up another question for myself, a personal decision I must make: If I was created to worship God, and if this music is not pointing me the direction of God, should I listen at all?

A perfect example of that fuzzy area that some of these bands are hanging out in. In an article on Billboard.com it says this:
“The Beautiful Letdown, their Columbia/RED debut, dropped in spring 2003; it represented the quartet’s full evolution toward a more accessible mainstream sound. The album eventually went double platinum on the strength of constant touring and the radio hits “Dare You to Move” and “Meant to Live.” It hit number one on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart, and number 16 on the Top 200.”

In this video on YouTube, members of Switchfoot talk about some of their songs. If you notice, they hint towards spirituality, and even mention it a couple of times, but never say that they are a Christian band, nor do they say anything about God in general. For a band who had a number one album on Christian Charts, they sure don’t have much to say about Christianity.

An age old controversy…ok well maybe just since Christian music began to make it’s genre known. What does Christian Music sound like? Is it hymns and pianos and organs? Is it hardcore screaming at the top of your lungs? Is it incredible electric guitar solos? Is it boy bands or is it church choirs? Is it fast or slow? Can you dance to it? Should it be made to sound more worldly to reach out?
Music shouldbe used to worship, to edify. There isn’t a particular sound that has to do this. It does not have to be a church choir, or an organ, or a piano, or hymns, alhtough these things are wonderful. You can worship with praise songs that have a little guitar in them, or that have a rock sound to them. Part of the purpose of CCM is to point people to Christ through music that they are interested in. Everyone doesn’t like hearing choirs sing or listening to a pipe organ blair “Holy, Holy, Holy”. As I said these are good things, if that is what instruments some peoplec choose to use to worship and glorify God, but they aren’t the only avenues.
I don’t, however, think that “music” where you can’t understand a thing that is being said because of the screaming, or the rapping is necessarily the best way to get the message across. I don’t have a problem with Christian rap (if there is such a thing) as long as the words are clear, and it is clear that the artist is rapping about God, rather than drugs or sex or whatever else rappers sing. I also can’t think that screaming music (what I like to call “angry music” is edifying or glorifying. I have to admit, I am somewhat a fan of bands like Thousand Food Krutch and other “screamers”, but bands like Underoath, and Demon Hunter, or even Thousand Foot Krutch are sometimes just a bit too intense for me to understand how this could point anyone to Christ. I can’t say it doesn’t happen, but I can’t understand it.
No one has a definite line between good music and bad music but my final answer is as Barry Landis, a record producer for several major Christian Artists, stated “I want it to be a reminder of God’s love for all of mankind and that our music should be made to appeal to everyone.”

Oh, and just for the record: I really like hymns. I sing them every Sunday in church, and many days I would much rather sing hymns than praise songs by Chris Tomlin or David Crowder. But as I said yesterday, I suppose that’s another topic for another day.

Switchfoot, P.O.D., Lifehouse, Evanesence, Any Grant, and Relient K. A short list of some of the bands that have crossed over from Contemporary Christian (CCM) to secular music. Now, another one has been added: NeedtoBreathe. But this band is a bit unique–it got its start on secular radio and then crossed over and is being played on Christian stations. 18 weeks later, the band is at number 7 of the Billboards top 20 Christian Songs. Mercy Me, another unique example, has their roots planted in Christian Music and this most likely won’t change. However, they became quite popular when their hit “I Can Only Imagine” was played over the airwaves from secular stations across the nation.
But why do artists do this whole crossover thing, anyway? Possibly because they think that if they can get their foot in the door of CCM music, it will be easier to become recognized and once they crossover, it won’t be as hard to find a label to sign them. If this is the case, i don’t know that their plan will work much longer. CCM is a fast growing industry and is becoming more and more competitive. Perhaps these artists should find a different route.
On the other hand, why are CCM radio stations playing secular music? Maybe the music has uplifting lyrics, or lyrics that point to Christ in some way, but was that the original intention? I think CCM stations are trying to find ways to gain listener support, especially through younger listeners and if this is how they can gain that needed support, then this is how they will do it. But is that right? Well, I suppose that’s a topic for another post.