In Defense of My belief that Music Should Not be used to Evangelize
Reporting in From Toronto, Timothy Hutama, who is on vacation with a dial up internet connection.
Short note, reason: expansion of previous note
3/24/08
I have received many comments on my little thing on Contemporary Christian Music. One of the main disagreements is with the use of music in evangelism. Thus, I wish to show why I believe music should not be used to evangelize.
I would first like to reiterate what I said about CCM in evangelism:
Taken from original document concerning CCM:
Music is not a tool for reaching the Lost. Music that appeals to Christians should not appear to the lost. Music should be hole, separated for the glorification of God. The world hates God, it is said in the Bible, and so it is logical so assume they hate the music that also glorifies God. And yet many artists state that Evangelism is the primary reason for making the music the way it is. This is WRONG ! any music that appeals to the world must have the gospel message dumbed down enough that it is useless and merely worldly music with “Christ” scattered throughout. Still this is the main reason for CCM and it should not be. If music is in the middle I believe it doesn’t fall under the category of glorifying God but on the side of the world with its now useless message.
Now I would like to explain why I said what I said.
The main point behind all this is the fact that I believe music should not be used to reach the lost and the main subpoint is that the gospel message must be dumbed down enough to appeal to the world. It has already been stated that Religious music doesn’t hit the charts, rather it is music that shows a truth in life. Thus Christian artists seek to make their music acceptable to the world. Take a look at nearly all CCM. I highly doubt any outright says “you need to be saved” explicitly. The Bible says “And you were dead.” (Eph. 2:1 a NASB). One who is dead really cannot understand the metaphors Christians use in their music to describe God. Indeed at times how we act, joyful in the midst of trials, is a mystery to them. Admittedly, since it is the holy spirit that allows us to listen to the word and respond leading us to a choice whether or not to accept the gospel message as truth (I do believe in free will over predestination… but that’s for another time as I am not entirely ready to back up my claims, nor am I entire sure of my belief). However, I do not think this is the norm. Logically such a hidden and complex message would go unnoticed by many.
There is also the point of how these new Christians act after they get saved. While I will not deny that many people say they come to know the lord at these Christian rock concerts how many are actually Christian? God look at the heart but we can only look at what is on the outside. These new Christians rarely change their actions and like the hippies in the Jesus music movement in the 70s, many would not want to go to church. These people, I can only conclude, are not really Christian and in fact taint the name of Christianity by calling themselves Christian.
I believe that the fact that the gospel message must be dumbed down, and the actions of the artists in promoting the music and in extension the gospel portrays a wrong message about Christianity. Thus this wrong message leads to an ineffective tool in showing the difference. I will also have to refer to the other areas of the previous article regarding the neutrality of Music. Can one really imagine singing say “It is well with my soul” to say “Sexyback.” How can one put lyrics, however true they may be, to music that has from its conception been used with lyrics that promote immorality. Thus this music makes a bad testimony for Christ and I say It should not be used in an evangelical manner.
While this may not be entirely Clear this is what I believe of Evangelism and CCM. If you, the reader decide not to agree with I think that is your right and at the least I have gotten you to think as you read this.
I agree with this! When I was in college (a decade ago, now), some of my friends at the Baptist Student Union had a “Christian” metal band. Yep. “Christian” heavy metal. Talk about an oxymoron! (I once heard a preacher say that “Christian rock” makes as much sense as “Christian pickpocket” or “Christian prostitute.” I agree with that.) I asked one of the guys why (because it made no sense to me at the time, and still doesn’t), and he said that he hoped to reach the lost with it. He figured that maybe they would listen to the music because they liked the beat or the sound, and would happen to catch the lyrics and maybe their hearts would be touched. Um, yeah. I thought then, as I think now, that Jesus called people out of darkness, and changed people’s lives. If Christians can have their heavy metal music (which sounds demonic, and you usually can’t understand the words, so who can tell if they are “Jesus loves you” or “I love Satan”) just like the world, and dress like the world, and act like the world, then why on earth would a worldling want to change? If there is no real difference between a person who calls himself a Christian and one who does not, what does that make the “Christian”?
Kathy
I think you are _-=_WRONG_=-_ if you would take the time to listen to ccm for 1 hour a day you will see that it can spread the gospel.Second of all, it depends on the author- some try to appeal to the world and some appeal to only Christians – ex. Christians find Chris Tomlin appealing while a non-beleiver would have notthing to do with his music while Skillet or TFK spread a slight message and people may be questioned about this and search for more eventually going up to more “religious bands” such as from skillet/TFK to yearning for more and starting to listen to kutless and eventually some more God inspired authors such as Rush of Fools or relient K to eventually Third Day, Casting Crowns or Chris Tomlin which practically _-=_SAY_=-_
The Gospel. I remeber when I was in 12th grade my friend gave me a CD for a birthday present – the band was Skillet -I listened to them and liked them. I asked him about this because i knew all he listened to was Christian songs. He told me that Skillet was a Christian band and i began to yearn for more. He brought me to church one time and during worship they played this song – All My Praise – by the band Selah. The one phrase – “You have promised you will not abandon so I shall not fear” spoke to me. I told myself that I should be saved because he will not abandon me in my darkest times so then and there from a CCM song I was saved which is why CCM IS NOT A USELESS MESSAGE TO THE WORLD. You also said that many people claim to be saved through CCM but do not show it quote: many people say they come to know the lord at these Christian rock concerts how many are actually Christian? In the missionary school I attend there are 27 People willing to serve the Lord in foreign countries that were brought to Him through the power of CCM. This is the reason I personally believe that CCM spreads a powerful message to nonbelievers as well as to believers young and old that are thirsty for more. As I said before- If you take the time to listen it will speak to you.
ahm, first I go to a church that uses CCM in worship services, therefore it is illogical to say that I have no experience with CCM.
I beleive somewhere I had said that God can work though any means, even secular songs, even the words of a politician, the events in one’s life. God can choose to work though anything if he so chooses.
CCM however, I believe does not generally fall under the category of Christian music, rather it a moral music (for a more accurate term). It can show christian ethic without proclaiming christianity. This is a complete difference from just 50 years ago when christian songs always spoke of God and was not merely moral music (of course back then if any artist sold half of what is sold today they would get ostracized by the rest of the people)
By your argument one could also so “secular music is not a useless message to the world” since God can work though anything.
It will also in the end depend on culture, if one takes rock music with the conception that it has dirty lyrics and then goes to a “clean” concert, they are less apt to think of good than bad. If God can speak though anything then what is the point of Christian music?
It is entirely for the point of worshiping God, not evangelism. There is not one point in the bible where music is used to spread the gospel, rather it is to show one’s love towards God. Thus to say that music should be used to save people is a contradiction.
thus stands my argument in conjunction with the preceding article
Look, you’re using inappropriate lexicon to make your argument. CCM is “Christian Contemporary Music”. That is by Christians, for Christians.
Music used to evangelize. Wow. That is what I do as a missionary. Not with CCM. With music written for that purpose. Whatever pseudo theoretical argument you might use, I have a dozen experiences that would tell me you are mistaken to say that God doesn’t want Christians to impact people where they are.
On the day of judgement are you really going to expect to say “look at how good I am God, I never played a song that related who you are to someone who didn’t understand who you were.” and God say “Good, I only ever wanted sound waves to exist for people to write worship songs for me. Good thing you didn’t misuse audio devices to spread the gospel”
On this same argument we shouldn’t even TELL people about Jesus because every syllable we utter has a note attached to it, which is clearly musical, and music can only be used for worship, according to your argument.
“I simply say, the cross must be raised at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am claiming that Jesus WAS NOT crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap, at a crossroads so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. At the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble, because that is where He died and that is what He died about and that is where churchmen ought to be and what churchmen ought should be about.” ~George McLeod
By the way, its spelled “whole” not “hole”.
(I actually no longer like the way this is written but to rewrite the entire thing takes too long)
Please stop twisting my words and assuming things like the person before you.
You are right, God can use music to affect people, I have said this. People can get saved though music, I have also acknowledged this. However, what i did say was that CCM should not be used to evangelize. Yes, music can be a tool in evangelism, however, it should not be the primary means of evangelism. However, if music of “christianity” can appeal to the world, where is “Biblical separation?” Christian music is not something that should be used to evangelize, yes it may be a tool, but not the sole or main tool to evangelize or present the gospel. You also miss the main point. The main point was to show that christians should not emulate worldly music standards to evangelize.
Music has several characteristics that define a piece as music, rather than noise. By your argument static is music. However, static lacks any of the parts that make up music (rhythm, melody, meter, et cetera) Thus with that being taken into consideration, everyday talking is not music as it lacks a melody, and sense of composition (or a limited sense in comparison to music) to name a few of the missing parts. What you are doing in your argument is saying “f” is part of some profane word, but then ignoring the fact that f is also in the word “fabulous.” One part of music present does not make music, one part of music does not make music good or bad, it is a combination of elements.
Also not is not a pseudo-theoretical argument, it is not even a theoretical one. It is a serious argument prompted by many Godly people before me, and the same argument opposed by many Godly people before and around me (yes church that uses CCM so generally its not accepted… makes for good debates though).
i hope the above defence makes sense and clarifies some matters on what I believe for you.