Christian Music: God Honoring?

To me music is a very powerful thing.  Sometimes it makes me feel, think, and act. Music can deliver a powerful message to masses of people. What better way to preach the message or tell others of God's love in such a powerful way, than with a song that they can stick into their CD player, walk around listening to on their MP3 player or drive around listening to on the Radio? Even KLOVE radio boasts that people get saved by listening to certain songs on their station.  

Unfortunately today our definition of "Christian" music has begun to include songs that are not God honoring and in some cases are very worldly, and are instead just considered "nice" and without cuss words. Yes, it is good to give your kids something to listen to without cuss words, but that doesn't mean it should be classified as Christian. Being a Christian is more than just using nice or  appropriate language... it's about being saved by Grace, about loving and honoring God with all your heart and with all your actions.  One would think then that to be considered 'Christian' music, that the song should in some way reflect Christian values, biblical messages, Christian struggles, or something about God.

I'd like to give you a few examples of "Christian" music that is God honoring, and not God honoring.

First lets start with two God honoring songs below. Included is the lyrics and videos:

This song is taken from the WOW Hits 2008 CD. "Tears of the Saints" by Leeland. Listen to video below and see lyrics below video.

1)



Lyrics: There are many prodigal sons
On our city streets they run
Searching for shelter
There are homes broken down
People’s hopes have fallen to the ground
From failures

This is an emergency!

There are tears from the saints
For the lost and unsaved
We’re crying for them come back home
We’re crying for them come back home
And all your children will stretch out their hands
And pick up the crippled man
Father, we will lead them home
Father, we will lead them home

There are schools full of hatred
Even churches have forsaken
Love and mercy
May we see this generation
In it’s state of desperation
For Your glory

This is an emergency!

Sinner, reach out your hands!
Children in Christ you stand!
Sinner, reach out your hands!
Children in Christ you stand!

And all Your children will stretch out their hands
And pick up the crippled man
Father, we will lead them home
Father, we will lead them home

This song is obviously "God" honoring for numerous reasons: First it talks about reaching out your hands to help those in need, and not only in need of help physically, but also spiritually. It is a definite call to all of us to lead the "prodigal sons" of this world, back to Christ.

According to Jesusfreakhideout.com "Leeland Mooring says it was a Sunday afternoon during a quiet devotional time that he sensed what he calls a presence of God. “I was playing piano, just worshiping, and I asked in prayer, ‘God, just give me your heart for the lost.’” It was a hope to feel the longing God feels for people struggling to find their way. “And then I started crying—it was as if God gave me a little glimpse of his heart,” Leeland continues. “‘Tears of the Saints’ came out, and it’s about how for every person who is out there lost there is probably about five people praying for them.” More, the track illuminates the vision the band has for its ministry. “We want to see kids saved,” the songwriter affirms. “What’s awesome about this song live, is how it touches people,” bassist Jake Holtz adds. “The Lord is just blessing people. You can see change coming across their faces. It’s nothing we’re doing. God’s just working through us with this song.”I would say that this song is 'God honoring' or 'Christian' because it takes it's lyrics from principles out of the Bible and conveys a message from the Bible to believers and non-believers alike.  A non-Christian would listen to this CD and be able to distinguish it from a secular song right away.

2) Another Christian song that could be considered "God" honoring would be East to West by Casting Crowns.



Lyrics:

Here I am Lord and I’m drowning, in Your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me, I yearn for peace and rest
I don’t want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind
Keeps me awake tonight
I know you’ve cast my sin as far as the East is from the West
And I stand before You now as though I’ve never sinned
But today I feel like I’m just one mistake away
From You leaving me this way

Chorus:
Jesus can you show me just how far the east is from the west
‘Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been
Rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
‘Cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day, the war begins
Endless reminding of my sin
And time and time again
Your truth is drowned out by the storm I’m in
Today I feel like I’m just one mistake away
from You leaving me this way

I know You’ve washed me white
Turn my darkness into life
I need Your peace to get me through
To get me through this night
I can’t live by what I feel
About the truth Your word reveals
I’m not holding on to You
But You’re holding on to me
You’re holding on to me

Jesus You know just how far the east is from the west
I don't have to see the man I've been
rising up in me again
In your arms of Your mercy I find rest
cause You know how far the east is from the west
from one scarred hand to the other

**---------------****------------------**
And now let's take a look at a few songs found on Christian CD's that are not very God honoring, if at all:

(This song can be found on the WOW hits 2008 CD) Hawk Nelson - The Show

1)

Everywhere i go its all being taken
pick me up a book about new sensations
take me to a place with no frustration
back it up before i lose my patience

Here we go lets take them to the show wo-oh
come on turn on your radio wo-oh
lets go take them to the show wo-oh
come on turn up your radio

Call me on the phone or two way pager
won't be coming home so see ya later
you can keep your cars and your jet black hummer
you won't see me again until next summer

Here we go lets take them to the show wo-oh
come on turn on your radio wo-oh
lets go take them to the show wo-oh
come on turn up your radio

Come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright
come on if your feeling, if your feeling alright

Yeh yeh yeh yeh

Here we go lets take them to the show wo-oh
come on turn on your radio wo-oh
lets go take them to the show wo-oh
come on turn up your radio
here we go lets take them to the show wo-oh
come on turn on your radio wo-oh
lets go take them to the show wo-oh
come on turn up your radio

Its a party
come on ya'll
do you feel good
oh oh feel good
clap your hands
its a party come on yeh yeh yeh yeh

Now, not that the above is a bad song, or that it speaks about bad things (although it does speak a lot about living to feel good (something sinners do rather than living to be fulfilled by God) it says nothing whatsoever about God, His message, or being a Christian. I can not see a single thing that makes this song a 'Christian' song, so I find myself asking, what is it doing on an all Christian CD?  Just because it's written by a group of Christians doesn't mean that the song itself is a Christian song.  If a non-Christian listened to this song, how would they know it was Christian?  They wouldn't, and if someone told them this was a Christian song, they might think, "Ok, so Christians believe it's good to go party all night and not come home..."


2) This is a song from the CD: Nothing is Sound by Switchfoot, a CD I bought in a Christian store in the Christian music section. "The Blues" by Switchfoot:

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