The Power & Pull of Music

This past Sunday night I had the opportunity to preach a message on the topic of music. You can listen to that message at http://www.southcharlottebaptist.org/.

In her book, Music and Morals, author Kimberly Smith states,, "...There is no such thing as 'Christian' music. There are only two choices for music: moral and immoral."

The "world" very clearly understands that music is very powerful. Just ask Muzak, a business that makes its living because of that power. Just ask any secular artist. Immoral music has a power that easily influences its listeners towards sensuality and rebellion, and influences them away from God.

That is where the pull of music comes in. 2 Timothy 3:1, 13-17 document well the pull of the world which can be seen in its immoral music.

Allow me to illustrate to you the "slide" that has taken place in so called "Christian" music.

Step 1. CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) - Artists such as Amy Grant and others began to popularize CCM which took the sound of the world and coupled it with "Christian" lyrics falsely believing that music (the sound) was amoral or morally neutral. CCM's belief was and still is that any music can be joined with Christian lyrics to make it acceptable and pleasing to God. (This is a Biblically incorrect belief.)

Step 2. CCM (Christ, Community, and Music) - This step began as "Christian" artists began to "crossover" into the world's pop music. In fact, these artists began to be referred to as "artists of faith." This meant that a musician, who gave any type of 'Christian' testimony, could perform Christian music and could also perform secular music. Many would place Taylor Swift, who gives a Christian testimony yet performs secular music, in this category.

Step 3. The slide hasn't stopped with simply taking the world's music and coupling it with Christian lyrics. Now it is a full acceptance, by Christians, of secular, worldly music - lyrics and all. I have on my desk right now a teen, "Christian" magazine with an article entitled, "Music to get you in the Christmas spirit." In this article it not only lists contemporary Christian musicians, but also artists of faith, as well as out-right secular musicians such as Harry Connick Jr. and Kelly Clarkson, former winner of the American Idol.

This same magazine, in tackling the subject of evangelism says, "Honestly, people want 'proof' of the difference Jesus makes. Your life is the proof." How can we prove that Christ has made a difference in our life when they "hear" no difference in our music and even see us accepting their music.?

"Come out from among them and be ye seperate..." (2 Corinthians 6:17)