I am gathering my thoughts, but more importantly, the Scriptures concerning whether or not the Bible says marriage is the calling of every younger woman. I hope to resume that conversation in a couple of days. Another topic that emerged in the comments of the first posts has piqued my interest. This is loosely connected to the subject of legalism and Biblical Womanhood that we have been discussing of late.
While I don’t intend to delve into this topic in much detail, I happened to notice that my guest poster as well as a few commenters mentioned that along their journey they felt compelled to get rid of any and all contemporary Christian music because modern Christian music may not be, well, Christian. In particular, Tammy mentioned that as she tailored her family’s music to more accurately reflect what is supposedly most acceptable for Christians, she realized that by definition they were purporting that anything not written by someone of European descent and/or at least 100 years ago was automatically questionable.
Please don’t misunderstand the direction I’m going in here because in our house, we’ve re-evaluated our music choices often in recent years as we have come to realize that not all music that claims to be “Christian” music is God- honoring or Christ-centered. However, that’s a far cry from insisting that only hymns written in the early 20th century or concertos written by Bach or Wagner are acceptable music for the believer to enjoy. We enjoy a diversity of music genres in our house encompassing everything from Jazz to Classical, hymns, and yes, contemporary Christian artists.
Because I enjoy reading in silence, I’ve never been inclined to put a music playlist on my blog. So I thought I’d share a clip of a contemporary artist that we enjoy listening to. There are several factors that come into play with regard to the types of music we enjoy and why, including age, upbringing, ethnic background, and a host of other factors. But saying that a particularly style of music doesn’t suit one’s taste is, or at least should be, wholly different from condemning said music as “unChristian.” We have two requirements for the Christian music we listen to. One, is that the music must be centered on worship of God rather than worship of man. That should go without saying, but more and more Christian artists are making music that, in my opinion purports to glorify God when in reality all the singer is doing is “praising” God for the good life he or she is enjoying. As if a life of trials is one void of inspiration to give praise to God. The second requirement is that the music be theologically sound. There is nothing like an old hymn to meet this requirement, which is why I love them.
One of my absolute favorite contemporary artists is Cece Winans. She is one of the few today whose music is pure worship and adoration for the Savior. She is becoming a rarity and with each new release I am relieved to hear that she has not gone the way of most other “Christian” artists. I’m sharing her video here.
Share any contemporary Christian artists that you enjoy listening to.
Have a wonderfully blessed weekend!
For contemporary Christian stuff, I like Waterdeep, LeCrae, Enfield, Sovereign Grace Music, Chris Tomlin … and I can’t think of much else, off hand.
But that’s not all we listen to– not by half! We’re into music of all varieties, from Tchaikovsky to classic rock to big band era stuff to modern greats like U2. I love Clapton’s guitar playing, Simon & Garfunkel’s harmonies, Steve Miller Band’s riffs, Regina Spektor’s originality… I love real musicians, of whatever stripe.
Y’all sound like us, Jess. We listen to a lot of different stuff too.
And we also enjoy Eric Clapton’sguitar playing!
My favorites are Sara Groves, Caedmon’s Call, and the OC Supertones (yes, some of my music tastes are stuck in the 90s….but I absolutely love ska music!!)
I haven’t gotten into the swing of things with Christian music since becoming a believer. I don’t know much of it and don’t really listen to any of it, but I would like to change that. Frankly, a lot of it is really bad and it sort of turns me off.
I was an acute music snob before becoming a Christian and it seems like standards are lower in the Christian music community.
To me there are 2 kinds of music, good and bad. There is no one safe genre for the Christian, nor no one totally off limits genre (maybe some sub-genres like death metal).
I like jazz, but there is a hugely wide range of jazz, everything from the blatantly wicked to the downright corny to the gray areas. Like, Miles Davis is a favorite of mine but his music would surely sound different had he not been on drugs his entire life.
Anyway thanks for the video : )
Catherine,
You sound about music the way I feel about books. By the way, we have a wonderful Miles Davis CD in our collection. Did you have to remind me that he was impaired when he played his great music?
I’ve never been much of a music connoisseur. I grew up listening to my dad sing southern gospel quartet music which often started out with beautiful harmonies and ended the members competing to see who could yell “Jesus!” the loudest. My ears can take a lot.
Glad you liked the video. I became a fan Mrs. Winans years ago when she put the story of the woman in Luke 7:37 to song. You are one of the few readers who know some of the details of my past and story so the song touched me and we have been buying her CD’s ever since. I think you might enjoy it (since I know a bit of your story). If you’re interested you can hear it here:
Sounds like Catherine and I have a similar story.
I didn’t grow up in the Christian subculture and I wasn’t exposed to contemporary christian music at all. i find it interesting tht there are whole groups of Christians that say this category isn’t Christian enough, as I find that most of my Christian friends and fellow church members were raised with the opposite presumption: that they would ONLY listen to “Christian” music, which typically means this genre.
I confess that, as Catherine, as a bit of a music snob (or at least, just someone with specific tastes) I have a very difficult time finding any “Christian” music I enjoy,with the exception of just good old fashioned hymns or gospel performed live with a proper band or acapella. Most of the music on my playlist are secular artists that I enjoy musically and do not find offensive lyrically (of course since becoming a believer 8 years or so ago many of the folks I used to listen to had to go by the wayside because of lyrical content or what they were promoting as a band).
There are a handful of Christian artists I do enjoy, however, and I am glad to plug one that is up and coming and just getting some bigger notice. they are from Canada, their name is NewWorldSon, and they are a real band that plays real roots/funk/gospel fusion and I truly enjoy them. Here is a link to one of their videos:
What I like about them is that as well as Christian fests and churches they play bars and secular jazz and funk fests and they are totally sold out for Jesus and make no bones about it. Dig them.
I also like Mike Ferris, who was a secular artist and got saved a few years ago and now sings for Jesus. His first album “Salvation in Lights” is greata, he’s got sort of a southern blues/rock sound. Here’s a clip:
Good discussion!
We like the Winans siblings, too! Selah, Watermark, Caedmon’s Call, Paul Baloche, and the Gettys are some household favorites. We also love the Passion hymns CD that features Chris Tomlin and others, and I grew up listening to lots of gospel music.
Outside of the Christian music realm, I love jazz, vocal and instrumental -Miles Davis, Chris Botti, Herbie Hancock, Harry Connick, Jr., Ella Fitzgerald. My iPod features some eclectic offerings -eighties hits, classical music, soundtracks… I love music. =)
I’m looking forward to reading your upcoming article about singleness –that’s definitely a soap box of mine. I refrained from commenting on the last article, but I’m still very interested to see what you’re going to share. I look forward to mulling over your musings, as always!
My all time favorite is Michael Card. His lyrics just lift my heart, mind, and soul to worship. He also nails so many of the paradoxes I love in Scripture. He also is so humble. No flash, no spectacle. Pure love for God…
Jasmine,
We like Miles Davis, too, and my husband recently discovered Chris Botti, and I like him a lot.
I do look forward Monday to your input on my post concerning marriage and singleness.
My fave is Casting Crowns. They are awesome. I also enjoy Kutless almost as much. We listen mostly to Southern Gospel though.
I used to believe that CCM and even Southern Gospel were wrong too. I missed out on lots of great music, that is for sure.
I have a little bit of a different story. My parents were products of the Jesus Movement in the late 60′s/early 70′s. They like to sit around fires and sing Keith Green songs with the guitar (still to this day). The got married, moved to NM to become missionaries to the Navajo people and then my dad started the one and only Christian radio station in the Four Corners area. Being a bit of a hippie, my dad liked different music. He’d have concerts with Keith Green, Petra (the OLD Petra), Larry Norman, DeGarmo and Key and many other not-so-acceptable Christian musicians at the time. OH and play the likes of Steve Taylor on the radio. “They” forced him to take Steve Taylor off the radio when he came up with the song “I blew up the clinic real good.” Even though the title is controversial, if you listen to the lyrics it’s not. So anyway, when I got older the quality of Christian music was uh…lame, so I turned to alternative secular music. Violent Femmes, REM, Jane’s Addiction. Sounds wholesome, eh? When I got married, between Del and I we had almost 400 secular CDs and we got rid of every single one of them, because we felt that having kids required a higher standard. Do you know how depressing that was????? Plus the Christian pop music so popular is just not my thing. I’ve been slowly finding some gems. On the top of the list is Jars of Clay. Holy cow!!! Their music is perfect. Sara Groves is really good. And on the totally-off-beat side: The Danielson Famile. Very weird, specific taste music but they obviously love God!
http://www.jarsofclay.com/
http://soundsfamilyre.com/musicians.php?artistID=1
http://www.saragroves.com/
I must admit I teared up watching that video : )
I have very eclectic tastes in music and am especially found of classical music, but if we’re talking Christian music in particular, there are quite a few artists we enjoy in our home.
I grew up on a steady musical diet of Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Carmen, Twila Paris, and the Imperials, among many others. As embarrassing as this is to admit, I’m still quite a fan of all of them, including the Imperials. Sarah and I were listening to “Oh Buddha” earlier today. lol. There was also a lot of Gospel music played in my home growing up. Our church used to share a monthly praise service with a black gospel church just across the city limits in Detroit and all of us *loved* their joyful and exciting style of worship. Some of the ladies in the church taught me how to use a tambourine properly for worship purposes.
During my preteens and teens I was a huge fan of the Newsboys, Rebecca St. James, Avalon, and Casting Crowns and also enjoyed some music by Third Day and a few local Christian artists I knew in the Atlanta area. The song “Not Ashamed” by the Newsboys was very inspiring to me in sharing the Gospel message during my teens and Rebecca’s songs and message about purity were inspiration as well. Cademon’s Call is wonderful as well. I was actually listening to one of their songs when my water broke with Sarah.
And I cannot forget the musical talents in my own family. One of my younger cousins is the lead singer for a Christian band that goes church to church now and we’re big fans of his music in our house. Some of us more than others since Sarah would like to marry my cousin someday.
My grandfather is also quite the musician. He has a gorgeous tenor voice and recorded music at our family’s old church back in MI that is always on heavy rotation here. His rendition of the Lord’s Supper and Amazing Grace are among my favorites and were the two songs he sang at our wedding.
My parents, sister, and I were also big fans of Amy Grant until her umm indiscretion and then my parents banned all of her music from our home as they didn’t feel she was a good example for young Christian girls to be exposed to any longer. She was the first artist I saw in concert and her music was a part of every Christmas until the Day of the Purging as my sister and I call it.
How did I forget to add Michael Card to my longwinded comment! My parents had all of his albums and my childhood was filled with many of his songs. Rich Mullins, the Marantha Singers, and any others too.
Also, for Scripture memory for the kids, these are my favorite cd’s:
http://www.seedsfamilyworship.net/
Ha! too many links and the spam filter eats your comment
I love that video! What a rich voice she has.
I find that I tend to prefer individual songs over artists. I enjoy the rollicking, fun feel of Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Remembering You.” I like Mark Schultz’s “I Have Been There” — some beautiful, lyrical examples of God meeting people wherever they are. Sixpence None the Richer’s rendition of “Beautiful Scandalous Night” never fails to catch at me in the best of ways. Third Day singing “Show Me Your Glory” always gives me a good, cold chill, and Avalon’s “You Were There” does likewise. I love Robin Mark’s “Fortress” and his “In the Beauty of Holiness” as well — I catch myself singing both of them quite often.
Also, while she’s not a Christian artist Heather Dale’s rendition of “Ave Maria” — indeed, her entire Christmas album — is a staple in my house every winter. I find her voice quite powerful and very pure.
Terry, I grew up in a home of music snobs. I was exposed to nearly everything…and very good stuff. However, when I dedicated my life to Christ at a very young age…I started noticing things. What you sing..it affects you. The lyrics, you are saying them, singing them. For instance, some Beatles lyrics use actualy witch spells…etc. If you actually really read lyrics, it can really enlighten you. Just think of what you are repeating over and over again. Think of today’s music and how it has almost a mind control hold over how people look, act, think, dress etc.
My personal problem with many “Christian” artists is two fold…one, many are not actually “Christian” and just went into that genere because they couldn’t make it anymore in the other genere….and I am tired of the whole “God is my boyfriend” stuff. And yes, I am also sick of when they praise fest turns into a praise fest of the artists talents.
As for race and time music comes from, I don’t think it matters as long as it glorifies God.
Many Blessings
Ace
Nathan Clark George!
I loved reading all the comments – great tips on some new artists to check out!
So does this view of what is “appropriate” Christian music impact what you all find acceptable for corporate worship during services? My husband and I have had some lively discussions about this, as I’m beginning to feel convicted that some of the songs used for worship do not actually have praise of the Saviour as their focus. I’m interested to hear some different perspectives!!
Thoroughly enjoyed, Shelly. Thanks!
The name of the song is actually “At the Cross.” We used to sing it all the time in the little Baptist Church I grew up attending.
I’m really enjoying this topic, Terry, as it as an almost daily discussion in our home because all of us are such avid music lovers. I thought that I’d mention that in the beginning of our music fast this year, we had three basic criteria for choosing what we would listen to in addition to the “givens” of hymns and classical music.
As our fast drew to close, my family and I made several discoveries/conclusions:
1. Music itself is a powerful medium. Songs and tunes can lie dormant in our subconscious mind for years and resurface when we least expect it. This is why we should be careful about what we allow in our homes and hearts, not just for ourselves, but for our dear children, the weaker brethren.
2. Different music genres have different effects on different people. I admittedly have a love for the music of the ’80′s (Earth, Wind & Fire -gasp!!, Simply Red, The Gap Band, etc.) mostly because those songs transport me back to a time when life was carefree; my parents were still happily married; and my dear dad would inevitably put on one of those hits everyday, grab my mom or myself by the hand and start gettin’ down right in the middle of the living room floor! Conversely, my uncle who is recently saved after decades of hard and sinful living, refuses to listen to those tunes because they bring back memories of his past lifestyle. This is why my husband and I have a problem with much of the contemporary Gospel and Christian rap music of our day…because those styles are reminiscent of our lives before Christ. So for us listening to them is like taking a trip down memory lane and according to Phil. 4:8, we’re not even allowed to think on those particular things.
3. Each believer needs to learn to exercise his powers of discernment when choosing music. We found that we had to take our choices artist by artist, and then song by song. The “safest” route, I’m sure, would be to just say “hymns and classical only,” but then how would our children learn to seek God for themselves and His direction in this and other lifestyle choices.
Like you, Andrea, I have favorite songs, as well.
Often however, I run across one edifying, delightful and uplifting song by an artist, bought the CD, and the rest of the album was drivel.
I actually don’t have any other favorite artist, as it were, besides Cece Winans, and that only because her music is consistent.
I really love kari jobe, especially Revelation song which is scripture singing.
Anything that talks about God’s character/goodness and praises Him as opposed to just a chorus focused on us is good in my opinion.
I really enjoy music of all types and often come across songs that speak volumes when words fail to express my feelings.
Often however, I run across one edifying, delightful and uplifting song by an artist, bought the CD, and the rest of the album was drivel.
I’ve had this happen and finally realized I probably shouldn’t be wasting my money on cd’s anyway. Personal conviction–not a “Biblical Womanhood” issue
Trying again with a pared down list of links
There are very few Christian music artists to which I would claim brand loyalty. But, I would have to say that Michael Card is hands down my favorite. Can’t think of anything I’ve heard from him that I didn’t find at least thought provoking. Very skilled musician, as well.
Phil Keaggy and David Phelps are evidence that the “fluffy-no-talent Christian-music-artist” picture is not monolithic.
http://onmysoapbox2.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/contemplating-christ/
http://onmysoapbox2.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/churches-of-revelation-intermission/ (first video)
Recently discovered Andrew Peterson and really have appreciated his music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF9At0og8bE&feature=PlayList&p=E40A1E9153F61073&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=88 (he’s not actually singing this one, but I thought it was a beautiful, and far more accurate, picture of Christ’s birth than many standard Christmas songs)
Keith Green has always been a “favorite artist”. Amazing life story, too, concerning his conversion and eventual conviction about being a paid Christian “performer”.
Don Francisco wrote a lot of folk “ballad” type songs. Don’t care for his voice, but his stuff is often spot on in it’s message
The message of Casting Crowns’ music is usually worth the listen, even if the style doesn’t appeal
http://onmysoapbox2.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/a-lot-on-my-mind/
Classical harmonica is always fun
http://onmysoapbox2.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/you-gotta-listen-to-this/
While secular contemporary music no longer really appeals, I do have to admit to enjoying Celtic Woman and Enya and the occasional Weird Al parody still can still crack me up (sorry–I guess I’m not all that pious). And, um, Veggietales Silly Songs ….
Sorry about all the linkage to my own site–it was the fastest access to some of the videos.
A favorite hymn
I’m actually with you on the CD purchasing issue, Heather, but I have a couple of favorite artists that I support their minstry in that way. I might buy 2 CD’s a year?
Christian music radio stations have such a variety of music (and rightly so) that when I’m in a listening mood I like to have something that I know is consistently good music. I actually prefer classical when I’m inthe car alone (very rare, of course) and music from the lady in the video I posted and linked to when cleaning up the house (not rare at all!)
No worries on the links, Heather. I know that you post a lot of worship music video links.
On the secular music front, we tend to steer clear of mainstream stuff and more toward instrumentals, like Miles Davis’ jazz that I mentioned earlier. Just feels safer, you know? Wierd Al is pretty funny, isn’t he?
I think that’s wonderful to be supporting the ministries of people you truly believe are honoring the Lord with their work. Musicians and singers are as capable of bringing the word of salvation to listeners as are preachers and overseas missionaries, IMO. I did finally get to listen to the video you posted. Beautiful song!
Phillips, Craig and Dean also have some really good songs. And NewSong. And the Martins. And the Gaither band. I guess whether one likes certain Christian groups depends a lot on personal taste and even mood. I enjoy upbeat songs while cleaning, because they keep me moving. But other songs are definitely meant for reflective contemplation…
I do know what you mean about instrumentals feeling safer. I like occasional jazz and big band stuff.
Weird Al (blushes). The guy actually is talented, despite the foolishness. Some of his stuff is pretty funny, but needs to be navigated with discretion, like nearly everything else in life.
I’ve had that same CD-disappointment experience as well, Terry. It’s one of the reasons I love the option afforded by many digital downloads to purchase song-by-song, rather than investing in the entire CD. So much more economical, both in terms of finances AND time spent listening.
I love that song… Love it so much that I used it in my wedding. My bridesmaids walked in on that song.!!! I just had to share! LOL
Graci had a better week Thur & Fri!!! Praise God!
I really struggle with music at church. I think the songs should focus on praise of God and I’m just not sure they all do. I get uncomfortable. Plus the church I go to is like attending a concert every week. They’re talented for sure, I just don’t know where to draw the line. I think the music should draw you in to worship, not alienate you into just listening and going, “Wow, these folk know how to sing!”
Mostly, I listen to music that helps keep me calm! LOL!:)
I love hymns, big band, jazz, classical, 80′s, *some* contemporary worship music, Third Day and occasionally Switchfoot when I’m in the mood for it.
I just caught up on all of your latest posts. Good stuff. Wish I had more time to comment and get in on the conversation.