RE: Contemporary Christian Music....

New to the music forum, are ya?

 

I'm almost AFRAID to get involved in this one. BUT...

When you listen to CCM, can you tell who they are singing to? I remember when Amy Grant REALLY was a Christian singer. She starting having A LOT of what they called "crossover" songs. They played the her songs on the rock stations and the "Christian" stations. It's like people had a choice they could be thinking about the Lord or their boyfriend when listening.
I don't think that all modern Christian music. But, if you can't tell who your singing too what good is it.

God is not the author of Chaos and a lot of the so called "Christain Rock" insites chaos. I don't mean the kind where people are beating each other or rioting. I mean the chaos inside your heart. Does the music bring you peace and closer to the LORD? David played his harp to calm Saul, not bring the house down.

I've seen Christian videos and with some of them look just like MTV. That's not Godly or Christlike. We are called to be separated from the world. Sitting on the fence between the World and the LORD is not.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John 3:16:
I mean like Michael W. Smith and CeCe Williams, Paul Baloche, John Tesh..... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Those guys are way too pop for my tastes but I've got to admit, Michael W. Smith is very talented.

It's pretty rare that I listen to CCM but I do like Randy Stonehill, Whiteheart, Daniel Amos, Steve Taylor, Rick Cua, The Choir, Buddy Greene, Rick Elias and early Julie Miller.

Mike

http://www.keylife.org

[ January 02, 2002: Message edited by: Smoke_Eater ]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Love43:
I'm almost AFRAID to get involved in this one. BUT...

God is not the author of Chaos and a lot of the so called "Christain Rock" insites chaos. I don't mean the kind where people are beating each other or rioting. I mean the chaos inside your heart. Does the music bring you peace and closer to the LORD? David played his harp to calm Saul, not bring the house down.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Actually, yes. There are many Christian songs God uses to speak to me and bring me peace.

"Breath of God", "Hymn", "Don't Cry For Me", "Love Will Find You" "Farther Along", "Were You There", "God Grew the Tree", "My Love Will Follow You", "I Will Follow" and others among them.

Mike

http://www.keylife.org

 

I tend to listen to and enjoy a wide variety of CCM music, extended back to when the Jesus Movement in CCM first started.

It has ministered to me.

 

John 3:16 said,

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> What I don't understand is why so many people think CCM is rock. It is not rock. It is the best Christian music around. Those old hymns are boring to listen to. I like variety <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, really CCM is Rock (or at least much of it is) but might be called Redeemed Rock. Calling it rock is not really a bad thing though many anti CCM's view it that way. There are many good groups that I like such as Switchfoot, Petra, Point of Grace, Caedmen's Call just to name a few.

Don't stop listening to the old hymns. Most CCM music is like Dorritos or Oreos...great to snack on but not something you would want for Thanksgiving Dinner. Most CCM songs lack theological depth while most Hymns have a more meaty theological depth than CCM. Balance is the key. I personaly also like Bill Gaither's Billy Graham Homecoming CD pt. 2 that has a mixture of Southern Gospel, CCM and Black Gospel. Variety is good!

 

I listen to CCM. I've read a couple of articles denouncing it...those articles ALSO denounce "Southern gospel, with its beats that rival CCM." Alas, I go to an African-American, southern church, and Southern, hand-clapping gospel is about all I get at church. So between church and home, I guess I'm in bad shape.

(Edited to clarify "Southern Gospel")
--Odette

[ January 01, 2002: Message edited by: Odette ]

 

Give me the old hymns anyday. Boring? Never. And I also like southern gospel. But no music can take the place of the Word.
I guess there are some sincere CCM groups out there, but most sure don't look very Christlike. Just my thoughts.
Susanpet, VA

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by susanpet:

I guess there are some sincere CCM groups out there, but most sure don't look very Christlike. Just my thoughts.
Susanpet, VA <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I thought the Bible said that man looks on the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. Maybe we should try that.

Mike

http://www.keylife.org

 

Worship wars -click here

 

I love some of the old hymns, but also many of the new. Rich Mullins' songs are some of my favorites. I also like Newsboys and Geoff Moore. I know it's kind of old and don't know if any of you know it, but one of my favorites is "Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music?" by Geoff Moore and the Distance.

Psalm 150 says to praise God with every instrument. The Psalms also say in many places to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

Yes, much of the current so-called christian music isn't necessarily christian, but it is better than listining to much of the secular music out there. And there are many songs that are just a beautiful and uplifting as any hymn. Besides, every hymn was contemporary once, too.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John 3:16:
What I don't understand is why so many people think CCM is rock. It is not rock. It is the best Christian music around. Those old hymns are boring to listen to. I like variety... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I am afraid it is you who does not understand what Contemporary Christian Music is. Contemporary means "at the same time as." CCM is music which is popular with the world at the same time it is being used in the church. True CCM represents a confusion of the secular and the sacred. Of the things of God and the things of the world. Ezekiel alludes to this in 22:26, "Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them."

In my opinion, a person could only find the old hymns boring if they find Grace boring.<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Amazing Grace <LI>Grace Greater Than All My Sins <LI>Only a Sinner Saved by Grace <LI>Wonderful Grace of Jesus[/list]Of if you find the sacrifice on the Cross boring. <UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>And Can It Be <LI>At Calvary <LI>At the Cross <LI>Kneel At The Cross <LI>Near The Cross <LI>The Old Rugged Cross <LI>When I Survey The Wonderous Cross[/list]Or if you find Salvation boring. <UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>He Is Able To Deliver Me <LI>Jesus Saves <LI>Once For All <LI>Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus[/list]If you find the old hymns boring, your are going to hate Heaven! <UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Face to Face <LI>Just Over In The Glory Land <LI>On Jordan's Stormy Banks <LI>Sweet By and By <LI>When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder <LI>When We See Christ[/list]

[ January 02, 2002: Message edited by: Thomas Cassidy ]

 

Variety is difficult in any religious system.

Students of Christian history find that as the Holy Spirit pours out the new wine, many find it almost impossible to give up the old wine. "The old is better".

Do you know where your wineskin came from, and how old it is? I was talking to a friend last week about wineskins, and had this thought. A wineskin has a finite life; that is, it lasts for a time, but not forever. It's like if a wineskin had been passed down for 100 years, and a lot of value was kept attached to this old wineskin. The wineskin was new once, but now it is old, and cracked, and broken. It won't hold wine any longer. So, you are in the line to receive it, and your father gives it to you, in a ceremony. A lot of sentimental value is attached to this old wineskin, but you're thinking how nice it would be to get a new wineskin.

Each generation has those who want to receive new things from the Holy Spirit. There are "old" things that never really become old. That is, the Cross, God's love for us, etc. But how we do chruch, the songs we sing, the clothes we wear, are subject to change. Some can receive the new, while keeping the good that is old. But some cannot receive the new.

So there is tension. It is this way today, and it will always be this way.

Enjoy the music the Lord Jesus gives you to enjoy.

 

. . .About 10 years ago, I had the chance to take part in a seminar on worship that was given at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago. Pastors and music directors from Ohio to Chicago and points in between came. every aspect of a worship service was covered in this 2 day conference. We gave a seminar and workshop on comtemporary music and gear in worship. others gave presentations on performance of classical styled music, organ, a new hymnal, and seminars for the pastors as well. That Sunday evening, everybody who gave a seminar participated in a worship service where EVERY style of music was represented. It was presented in the form of a worship service where we took the "congregation" from the common area of the temple (more contemporary music) to the outer courts and all the way to the "Holy of Holies."

every style of music had it's place inthat service. We had a communion service as well. I can tell you I have never felt the presence of God as profoundly as I did that evening. We were all moved to tears. The musicians taking part and the "congregation" of pastors and music directors, and they represented churches and music of every style. Some of the material might not have been everybody's "cup of tea," but we all came with a spirit of unity and support of everybody else that, with grace, put up with differing styles of music and God honored it definitively for us! It was more about the spirit of unity and one accord than about any one style or the other.

It was at that point that I stopped worrying about any "style" of worship. I wil always look at content and theology of the song, and I will take into account any person's strongly held conviction, but I am not convinced there is a Biblical mandate for or against any particular "style" of music outside of each person's experiential context.

. . .now, I think "Come and Go With Me To My Father's House" is just a dumb song. . . sorry. . .

Oh, and if you find the hymns to be boring, just pick up one of the books on them and read their lyrics without the music and the story behind their writing. I can almost guarantee you will find something there that will cause you to appreciate some of them much more.

Brett

 

John and Cassidy,

Some CCM is rock but there are many different kinds of CCM. Rock, pop, jazz, R&B, folk, country, etc.

Not all CCM is rock, just as not all mainstream music is rock.

I don't listen to CCM (or, at least, very little of it) because they don't make it in a style that I like.

I'd like to find an alt.country/Americana/No Dperession band in CCM. I don't think there are any out there but if there were, it would be hard to think of them as "rock".

Mike

http://www.keylife.org

 

Thomas Cassidy, you must have the same hymal our church uses. Great songs you listed!
Susanpet