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Music




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What does the Bible say about music? What is God's intention for music? Is Christian heavy metal rock O.K. or a sin? What about listening to secular music? All of these & much more will be addressed on this page. Please e-mail us with your questions & we will include them on this page. We will also include various links to sites that are relevant to our study of these & other music issues.


Before we get too far into the questions, it should be stated that Christian music is a gift from God designed to give Him praise. There are no simple answers to many of the questions swirling around contemporary and rock music. This page is designed to try to shed some light on the issues that impact all of our lives as believers. In addition to pastoring Crossroads I am also the manager of a Christian bookstore where we are constantly being introduced to new artists, music styles & songs. It is our purpose here to clarify, as much as possible, questions you & others put to us on these matters. We will endeavor to add links that relate to the issues discussed here that will prayerfully aid you in your own personal studies in this area. We will not be as harsh as many, yet more harsh than others. Remember, Crossroads does not officially endorse any of the links on this page.
Please use caution on the links from this page. If your children access this site, please understand that we will be adding links to some very strange music websites to prove some very intricate points throughout our study here. Some links will simply be to sites that promote christian music. Other sites will be included that show the secular rock scene. There will be links that speak out against almost all forms of music, christian or otherwise. On the other hand, there will be links that support christian rock. All sides of the music debates will be included on this page with a detailed teaching from Scripture about the issues discussed. Please use caution & prepare yourself for what you are about to see, read & hear......Oh, by the way, if you are upset that I have placed the pictures of the Devil on this page... I found it on one of the secular hard rock sites.

In today's churches pragmatism is the call of the day. That is the same mentality of most in the christian music field. The thought is something like..."The kids today will only listen to the hard rock music, not the old style hymns or even praise music, so therefore we play this hard rock to reach the kids, after all, we need to do whatever it takes....." That is a lie straight from Hell. It is never alright to justify the rebellious, sensual, worldly, paganistic actions, sounds & beats of rock music just to "reach" the kids of today. Number one, music is not created for evangelism, it is for praise of God. What gets the kids saved is not music, but the gospel. Worldliness in "Christian" music is a result of worldliness and ecumenical tolerance in the churches.
By "rock" music, I do not refer to "contemporary", "pop", or "praise & worship". By "rock" I mean the alternative, heavy metal, hard rock music that is characterized by tons of groups & small music labels. Most of the groups in these types of music styles do not stay around long & move on to other styles or simply disappear off the scene. But they are soon replaced by several more who take it a little more away from Godliness as time goes forward & worldliness infects the church.Heavy Metal Hard Rock music has at its roots paganism, rebellion, satanism & sensuality. As one cannot "christianize" Halloween, one cannot "christianize" heavy metal music. It is interesting that most I have read on or I have talked to who like the heavy metal alternative music in Christianity, also like the secular world as well & see no problem with it & even are so naive to believe that it is simply a "gimmick" like professional wrestling, etc. Not only do they not really believe that , they know better & are simply trying to justify their own rebellion & sin. There is no place in a christian's life for the swill that is produced under the name of "heavy metal Christian music".
I do not know of anything more SATANIC than heavy metal hard rock trash! One of the most recent scenarios I have discovered in the Christian world is that of a group called P.O.D. Apparently they believe it is O.K. to tour with groups such as KORN & STAIND and to appear on MTV. There was a time when decent parents wouldn't let their kids watch garbage like that & now we are supposed to applaud the acts of "supposed" "christian" groups who not only appear on stuff like that but approve of them.If a Christian appears on MTV it better be for a non-compromising "Christian" message. As I looked at the websites of KORN & STAIND I found myself sick to my stomach at how far the church of Jesus Christ has sunk into the lies of the Devil. I never dreamed Christians could become so filled with filth & satanism. I do not believe it is a triumph on the part of groups like P.O.D., but a major tragedy of tremendous proportions. It is truly a sad day in the church of Jesus Christ!!! I wonder how many remember the end result of groups like STRYPER who ended up being a terrible witness for Christ. I wonder how far we will have to stoop into the pit before we begin to smell the stinch!?!
Many refer to Paul's words... "I have become all things to all people" - We will address this & other Scriptures like it in a moment, but it must be pointed out that Paul did not say that he became a prostitute to win the prostitutes, or a drunk to win the drunks, or a homosexual to win homosexuals. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a repentance FROM that lifestyle, not a marriage WITH it! Where are the preachers of the Word & adult parents who will refuse to let this filth go on? I fear they are long since gone. "Hey "brother", its sex, drugs & rock-n-roll!"
As I said before, however, do not be confused at what I am saying. I am not speaking about contemporary or pop or even rock music. I am speaking of the hard heavy metal acid rock that is characterized by groups such as Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Marylin Manson, etc. And then the "Christian" counterparts who mimick groups & "artists" such as this. Today's Christian music scene is characterized by a lack of direction & identity. The artists that are Christian do not know whether they are to be ONLY Christian, ALSO Christian or ALMOST Christian. They have very little originality & very little that marks them as individual artists. The Contemporary scene is basically bland & the Praise & Worship scene is repetitive. Once they find a song that sells, they beat it to death. Much of Christian music is watered down mush with almost no message of Christ in any of it except as a passing mention. As time goes on they will have to decide whether they are wanting to reach believers with various styles of music to praise God, or are they in it for the fun fame & fortune. I believe the dividing line will be praise music that glorifies the Lord & His salvation and then on the other hand others who are more secular in their presentations who have long since stopped trying to promote themselves as a Christian group.
With all of that said, we do not address groups like Jars of Clay, Big Tent Revival, Newsboys, D.C. Talk, etc. There is much wrong with Christian music & no way we can address all the problems there are on this website. I will leave other more detailed questions to you as you send them to us via email. We will include them as answers added as a link to this page at a later date. For our purposes here, lets address the Heavy Metal Hard Rock groups, style and history as it relates to "Christian" music. Lets ask ourselves the question about worldliness in this music, its marriage with the secular, its impact upon youth, its affect upon evangelization as well as other important issues about this style of music. This page is not intended to be condemnatory against any one particular group, as some of the links on this page do. It is our desire to answer the basic questions presented by so many on the issues of music. As we study these issues together, please do not assume that we agree with every quote or observation we may cite here.I do not question the sincerity & salvation of these artists, only their motives &, in some cases, hypocrisy. It is our duty as believers to hold each other accountable & I assure you this page will be filled with tons of links, information & answers.{MORE TO COME}

Miscellaneous Sites on Music

CROSSROADS HOME PAGE - click here
STEVE CAMP's (107 Theses) on Contemporary Christian Music
Dial The Truth (Be careful what you listen to on this site!)
Great Links for Answering Christian Rock
Tons of Links on Christian Music Issues
Welcome to Hell
P.O.D.
KORN
STAIND
Excellent Sermon by an ex-rock drummer (NARROW WAY) - ED LACY
Freedom Ministries

SUPPORT FOR CHRISTIAN ROCK

CCM Magazine
Grammatrain.com

SECULAR HARD ROCK SITES (Informational purposes only!)

Hard Rock Megasite
Heavy Metal Dominion
Rock Links
4 Heavy Metal.com
Hate God Webring