I love Christians. You people are awesome. That would be because I love our Savior, and count myself in your ranks. So I hope you’ll all forgive me for what I’m about to say.
I have a big, big quarrel with modern Christian music. We seem to have lost all discernment in our quest to produce “our own” music. Maybe it’s an outworking of this strange need for cultural relevance that I’m always hearing about. Or maybe we’re just products of our environment and haven’t given it any thought. Whatever the reasons for it, when it comes to music, we just steal and sanitize whatever the latest secular fad is, and call it Contemporary. The Christian radio station I listen to from time to time is well-stocked with angst, squeaky, whiney vocals, and self-centered navel-gazing. It’s just like the secular stations, but without the dirty words and sexual themes. This isn’t counter-cultural! This is pining to be a part of it!
I guess we don’t want to leave the culture too far behind. They might think we’re dorks or something.
Why is it that we will put up with absolutely any amount of musical and theological nonsense, just as long as the artist is willing to throw a bone to Jesus in there somewhere? Maybe we’re just too nice to say “nope, that’s not good enough”? I can see that. We are, except for your humble blogger, a nice, uncomplaining bunch of people, aren’t we?
I, however, have had it up to my eyeballs (earballs?) with singers actually whimpering while singing praises to the King. Chris Tomlin, I’m looking at you. Why do you sound like you want to cry? Dude, did He reject you? What has our Savior done to make you so unhappy? Don’t get me wrong! The music itself is tolerable. The lyrics are fine. But the singing! It could be so good, if you just sounded like you understood what the words you’re singing mean! But no, the lovelorn schoolboy voice is what is selling, so it is what we’ll use. Who cares if it makes sense?
And how is it that certain other artists can sing about salvation with those angry guitar riffs in the background? Glad you found such a nice lyric and all, but while you’re glorifying His name with your words, your music sounds like you just want to beat somebody up. Could we get some lessons on mood before writing the next one? Please?
Since I’m on a tear and I’m gonna make somebody mad anyway, let me address some theological confusion, too. For instance: Would you take the place of this man? I like Jeremy Camp. Good music. Fine man, no doubt. But NO! Not only would I not take the place of this man, I’m glad He did what He did! If I had the choice, jumping up on the cross for him would pretty much ruin the existence of the universe, now wouldn’t it? Taking the nails from His hands is precisely what Satan now wishes someone had done, I assure you.
I know the writer doesn’t mean any harm, and I doubt God minds much, since the artist’s heart is certainly in the right place. But this is a silly, sentimental approach to a serious, cosmically important event: the salvation of mankind. But why spend any time thinking about it? It sounds good, so let’s sell it!
That is only one example, and I don’t like to pick on such a good artist all by himself. There are dozens of others I’ve noticed, but a blog post really ought to be short and sweet, and I have laundry to fold. Maybe I’ll edit this post later and throw a few more in.
I have noticed an encouraging trend toward more praise music and less of the stuff that screams “Oh, God, if only the world understood my tortured relationship with you!”, so I’m probably a couple of years behind on this post. Sue me. I’ve been busy. It is, fortunately, not all bad! I hear lots of songs that manage to sound appropriately happy, sad, grateful, or whatever, while still carrying Christ’s message to a lost world. The Newsboys, for instance, had a big part in my salvation.
I’m not saying it’s all bad, and throw out the evil drums. (Oh, the horror! I love drums!) I’m just saying that the ratio of good, thoughtful music to bad, pointless music is way, way off. It’s not just a few stinkers sneaking through. It’s MOST of the music that gets aired. I guess we have fill the silence with something. Can’t “be still and know that He is God” on the radio, now can we? 
What think you? Should we be just a little bit pickier about what we listen to? Or am I, as my husband says, a music snob?
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I think there is something to stop and listen to what you are actually listening too. I tend to focus more on the words that are being sung rather than the way they are singing the songs.
But you are right there is something about the way songs are going to keep up with society. I had a friend who went to church and they were singing “Jesus take the Wheel” . I for one do NOT take this as a worship song. But maybe others do? I don’t know!
My husband is on the worship band at church. Most Sunday’s he will ask me how worship sounded. My reply every time is, I don’t know. I was worshiping.
I don’t think you are being music snob, you are just stating your opinion:) and that is just fine. Everyone loves different kinds of music. Should we be picker in what we listen too? I think so, I think we tend to go towards the songs that are what’s “IN” today rather than listening to the message that is being sung.
I agree with you, but I also see some areas you mention that, well, just don’t matter. Before I go on, please know that I in NO WAY mean any offense, just giving my two cents!
I agree with the “contemporary” music issue. My brother, who is not saved, noticed that all the music that airs on Christian radio stations sound JUST LIKE some secular song he knows. And I had to agree. It seems that the Christian artists want to be popular so they mimic the trendy sounds.
However, I have to say, when you mention how they sound, their singing…I don’t really think that matters. They have a singing style, whatever. What I think should be mentioned is WHAT they are singing about. That’s what truly matters. It’s the confession, not the way they sound confessing. And most “contemporary” christian artist don’t REALIZE what they are confessing (if they did, they would sound different!)
Take for instance, Mercy Me- I Can Only Imagine. I greatly dislike that song!!! (I will probably be chastised for that remark) But think about that confession. I can only IMAGINE what it will be like. NO! I don’t have to imagine. Why? Because He is the living God and I have a relationship with Him now!! I don’t have to wonder, because I know Him now!
Just think about how many people sing these songs so mindlessly and don’t realize the confessions they are making day in and day out.
Whether in song, speech, or written word. Our words have power!! So, to conclude my post, er, comment,
I too dislike most christian music. And I think that prayer for GRACE for the artists and those that hear without paying attention to the words, would be a wonderful thing for us to do.
Thanks so much for this post! Most people never give Christian music any type of thought because they think it’s all good, it’s talking about Jesus so it must be perfect. So glad someone out there has the courage to talk about it and be willing to take some flack from others (but not from me!) =)
Hah! Love that “I don’t know, I was worshiping.” I love our worship team, and most of the worship music that’s out there. I just can’t handle the disconnect in sound and meaning sometimes!
Twitter: iamanoffering
August 17, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Hi Cindy,
This is Ryan from AOP but I just HAD to come over and comment personally on this one as music and worship is my number one passion. I think you hit the proverbial nail on the head with this post. Especially with your line: “We seem to have lost all discernment in our quest to produce “our own” music.”
When did the church stop being the innovative force in this world (think New Testament, the printing press, etc.) and become a copycat?
I think you could benefit from two resources that I’ve found extremely helpful and challenging on this topic. Do an Amazon search for the book “Music through the Eyes of Faith” by Harold Best. It will confirm some of what you’ve said and challenge some other parts. It’s a highly intellectual read but well worth it.
I’d also recommend taking a look at Sojourn Music. They are doing some truly creative and innovative things that I think you might enjoy listening to. Take care!
I so agree. Being a Christian is being ChristLIKE. Today’s Christian contemporary music sounds like the world’s music to me sometimes, too. I call it “Rockin’ to Jesus”.
Now, some of it I kind of like. But some of it I can’t stand. I much prefer some simple guitar and old fashioned hymns. Much more my style.
Thanks for the book suggestion, Ryan! I’ll put it on my wishlist and hope someone buys it for my birthday.
Twitter: writingmoter
August 17, 2010 at 2:19 pm
I totally get what you’re saying, I’ve had to switch the radio off a few times because I did not get what they were saying…
But not every song is a worship song. Some songs are just ways that the writer has to express something and then maybe the person listening says, “hey, that’s what I was trying to say”… some songs are about confusion and anger and sadness…
Like Jesus Take the Wheel… that’s totally not a worship song in my opinion… it’s a expression to God and a plea and maybe even a prayer… at least that’s what it was for me!
I agree. Christian music is great (sometimes) and funny most of the time. The thing that bothers me the most is how most Christian music is just a copycat of what’s popular in the “secular” world. I swear I heard a song on my local Christian radio station that sounded exactly like Owl City’s “Fireflies.”
What happened to the art in music? As Christians we worship the Almighty Creator and yet we can’t be inspired to create something original? Something’s wrong with that.
The Jeremy Camp song…don’t like it. at all. Oh…and my husband & I call Mark Schultz “the guy with sometimes bad theology” because he says God is the universe in one of his songs…not true.
I’m a big John Michael Talbot fan, myself. While some “contemporary” Christian bands sound remarkably secular, I would prefer my 16 y/o DS listen to them as opposed to ( oh I don’t even know any contemporary secular groups) Metallica or someone like that.
We are to “be in the world, but not of it.” However, there is HUGE pressure to conform; just harder for some to resist than others.
Jessica, I was going to include that Mark Schultz song, but I wasn’t sure I’d heard it right. So that really is what that says? Eeeeesh.
For the cutting edge in church relevancy, check out http://www.alittleleaven.com/ , the museum of idolatry. Some CCM bothers me when I don’t think that they’re being respectful or appropriate when addressing the Savior. Once in church, there was this praise song that mentioned rainbows or something and it really weird-ed me out. I can’t worship while wondering if what I’m singing is Biblical, it really throws me off. The disingenuous nasal whiny pleading way of singing is to CCM what the grimace was to heavy metal.
Twitter: iamanoffering
August 18, 2010 at 9:25 am
Jessica, you might have actually heard “Fireflies.” That artist is a Christian himself but his music is getting played all over the place, including Christian stations.
That’s another issue with this as well, is when people get mad at folks like Owl City or Switchfoot for embracing their music being played on secular radio. At least they’re innovating in that space instead of copying artists in that space to create “Christian” music. And they’re in a unique place to minister directly to people who need to hear the Gospel the most. We must be discerning on both sides. Some “Christian” music isn’t Christian at all.
Twitter: MutheringHeight
August 18, 2010 at 10:28 pm
LOL, I’m totally out of this conversation…I never really listen to the radio!
I don’t know Christian music well enough to comment with any kind of authority, but I have noticed that there used to be 2 services with traditional music in my church to 1 with modern music. Now it’s the reverse and the modern music services are full to bursting.
blueviolet, the modern services do appeal to a lot of people. I like them, too, and our church has an up-to-date “worship team” just like most of them. I love the way they do it at our church. They’re very careful to choose real praise and worship, rotate leaders so everyone gets a break sometimes, and no one gets the “lead singer” ego-trip. Sometimes they even throw a hymn in there for the old fogies like me. I prefer the old ways, but it’s not so bad, I guess. I don’t have a quarrel with modern styles, just the complete lack of thought most musicians on the radio put into the message they send.
Thanks for dropping by!
Twitter: CoasterCritic
August 19, 2010 at 11:31 pm
Great topic Cindy! I’ve been listening to Christian music for 15 years. I even used to watch ZTV and have a CCM magazine subscription. I may have a different take than some of the other commenters here.
First, I don’t really get the ‘copy cat’ knock on CCM. It is called ‘contemporary’ for a reason. The name would lead me to believe that the music will sound like today’s music. If you want a completely set a part or holy sound then Gospel / traditional church hyms would be the way to go. If you’d like to see more originality, well popular music by its nature can’t be too original or unique because then it wouldn’t appeal to the masses. People, Christian and everyone else, are all drawn to a particular poppy, bland (in my opinion) sound. That’s just how it is.
Second, I completely agree with Ryan’s comment about ‘cross-over’ artists. A few of my current favorites Mute Math, Flyleaf & Thrice. They sound ‘secular’, whatever that means? Or should I say they’re on secular labels and get mainstream airplay, but they are delivering the message to the people that need to hear it the most. Like Heather Cook said there are times when artists aren’t making worship music. Sometimes there are just songs about a Christian sharing their faith.
I sang in a Gospel choir, like you Cindy Newsboys (along with DCTalk and PFR) were a big part in my salvation, and I like the mainstream bands with Christian band members and messages. So I can appreciate the full spectrum. Of course each Christian has their own preference when it comes to where your tastes fall on that spectrum.