Is Christian Radio Still Christian?  Part 3

I mentioned to you in previous posts about a cool and hip radio station in my area that promotes itself as ‘Christian’ but there is rarely ever a mention of God, almost never a mention of Jesus, and never any teaching or preaching from the Bible. Something there is plenty of, however, is VERY STYLE-HEAVY music, and lots of it.

They have a short sound clip that says “Way FM, where the message is in the music” that runs every so often. To that I say, “Oh, really?” You cannot even make out many of the words to these style-driven rock songs much less make out a discernable message.

Anyway, today I want to talk about something I heard this morning. They were using Jesus’ name somewhat casually (in my opinion) and playing a game where a caller would ask Jesus a question. The set up was this. You are on an elevator and Jesus gets on and shows you his Galilean drivers license (their words, not mine).

Now, the revealing thing is what I will talk about next. Several silly or inconsequential questions were asked, then came a revealing question/answer. A caller said they would like to ask if hell is eternal or if it is merely a metaphor for destruction. The DJ said he also wondered if hell meant that people just got immediately destroyed and never had any knowledge of anything else for eternity…? Duh, what?

I wonder if the DJ has ever read the Bible. It has much to say about hell but it never mentions the theory postulated by the DJ and caller.

This is what I was fearing all along about this type of ‘Christian’ radio. They are not really Christian, they are just nice, appealing, and tolerating. They may even be of the heretical emergent/emerging philosophy. They apparently are not aware of the Bible or worse, just do not believe it so they replace its truth with their theories.

If a Christian is asked a question about Biblical concepts, that person is to tell the whole truth. God does not need for us to repackage Him in order to make Him relevant to today’s culture. God is relevant. Today’s culture is lost.

How does God reach the lost world? Through His word and His Spirit. If we suppress His word, we are being disobedient to Him. Can anyone show from the Bible how anyone came to Christ in any other way except being chosen and surrendering to Christ through believing Him and His teachings? How did the church form in Acts? The chosen people responded to the gospel message. The ‘modern’ idea that we coax and placate someone with lies and half-truths until they ‘make a decision’ is preposterous.

I seek to call out 88.1 Way FM due to its lack of Biblical adherence. Their house is built upon the sand. I pray God will expose them and give them the opportunity to repent and become useful for His purpose. In their vernacular, I would like to say, “sha, dude, check out the Bible. It’s Awesome. It has killer details about some heavy truth. To miss out on it would be gnarly.”

(This is not the first such quasi-religious shananigans I have heard from them. This is the best example I have encountered however, so I chose to use this one. Please compare their approach to what the Bible teaches.)

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What kind of  worship is  acceptable to the Lord?

 The Scriptures have much to say on that very issue, for instance: “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (Psa. 29:2), and, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him” (Psa. 89:7).

David Cloud attends and interviews young woman at a “Christian” rock concert.

With pounding, ear-splitting music as the backdrop, I brought up that the Scriptures command that the Lord be worshiped with reverence and also “in the beauty of holiness.” I asked them if Rock the River music fits that description. The young women confidently explained to me that “it depends on who you are as a person. Like, some people love this. And you have to worship as you do, and they have to worship as they do.” But I asked again, “Is this music reverent?” Again, the god “I” was put forward as the ultimate authority in such matters. “I think it’s awesome . . . I think it’s perfect . . . I think for them that’s reverent. For you it might be different . . . for them it’s how they get it all out.” Reverence, I was told, is different for everyone. And what of holiness? “I think it’s how you view it.”

Such is the ignorance and such are the resulting beliefs that allow, and seduce, young evangelicals into the “Christian” rock culture which is anything but Christian and into a worship of God which is really a frenzied, heathenish worship of another christ, with another gospel preached, and all of this by another spirit, not the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 11:4).

Honestly, is there anyone harder to shop for than a teenager? Caught up in the life and death drama that always accompanies those teenage years, coupled with the stress of attempting to define themselves as both individuals and Christians, today’s teens are under a lot of pressure. It’s important to find a gift for them that will help them become the men and women of God they’re going to be.

Don’t flinch, it’s not that bad! With the wide variety of Christian gifts available on the market today that’s not as hard as it sounds!

Even if your teen doesn’t go to a private school, chances are they’ve still got a standard uniform they wear when they’re with their friends. The ever popular t shirt and jeans is a fail proof ensemble for most of today’s teens, and with trendy Christian t shirts and babydoll tees you can let them keep their “hip” sense of fashion while still making a statement about what they believe! There’s a whole line of Christian tees available for today’s teenager, with such deep and meaningful messages as “Satan is a Nerd“, “God Rules” and the ever popular, “God’s Girl.”

Not sure of their size? There are hundreds of options out there in the Christian Gifts department when it comes to picking out trendy Christian jewelry. Teens who scoffed at the thought of wearing Great Aunt Mary’s traditional gold cross necklace will love the fun wooden and leather bracelets proudly proclaiming, “What Did Jesus Do?”, and with a whole line of contemporary rosaries out on the market it’s easy to find one that your praying but ever fashion conscious teen will be proud to carry with them. Earrings, bracelets, collars, anklets, rings…today’s Christian jewelry designers have got it all, making it easy for you to find the perfect accessories for your teen.

What about a book? Contrary to popular belief, even in the face of the Internet, audio books and television today’s teenagers do still know how to read! Christian books and e-books can make a fantastic gift for your teen, letting them share the heartaches and trials of young men and women just like them in the teenage years when mom and dad don’t know anything and giving them something and someone to relate to. There are Christian books for teens on every subject under the sun, so no matter what your teen is struggling with there’s a fun piece of literature designed especially for them.

If they’re going to be blasting their music anyway, why not give them something worth blasting? There are many fantastic contemporary Christian rock music and pop bands today, from well known voices like Avalon, DC Talk and the Newsboys (just play “Breakfast” for them once and watch their eyes light up!) to newcomers pureNRG and Hillsong United. Each of these bands takes the important messages of peace, hope, love and faith taught by the Bible and combines it with a trendy beat that’s guaranteed to appeal to your tween or teen.

Imagine, music pounding out of their radio that you enjoy listening to along with them. Positive proof that with God miracles really do happen every day!

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Just about every day within the past few weeks I’ve managed to find a new favorite song. I’m what some people might call a promiscuous music lover. I hop from song to song as the feeling arises and though I may state loving a song or album on one week, by the next I’m on to the next shiny disc–and yes, I still like purchasing CDs, I need liner notes. Anyways, that is neither here or there in this post. The song I discovered today is Skillet’s “Better Than Drugs”. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the group, as I was mere days before listening to their album “Comatose”, they are a Christian rock group who sounds kind of like Good Charlotte (in my humble opinion). Anyways, their CD is one that is totally rocking my face off, much like Decyfer Down’s was last week. So the song, “Better Than Drugs”, is all about how Jesus is better than, well, drugs. I loved the song so much when I heard it that I had to replay it about 5 times in a row.

“You’re better than drugs, your love is like wine, feel you comin’ on so fast, feel you comin’ on to get me high. You’re better than drugs, addicted for life, feel you comin’ on so fast, feel you comin’ on to get me high.”

In thinking about the song some more, I started thinking about the things that I believe God is better than. I could easily say drugs, but I’ve never tried drugs so that’d be unfair–this is not to say any of the members of Skillet have, but I’m gathering that their target audience is tempted by drugs more than me.  

So what do I think God is better than? Cupcakes, Tostitos Bite Size Tortilla chips, vintage dresses, plantains, cheeseburgers, broccoli, books, Gossip Girl, The Game, anything on television really, my Blackberry, my insecurities, this blog, my best thoughts, my worst days, the list is endless. Would it be too trite to say he’s better than everything? Because he is.

What do you think God is better than?

I went to school in a legalistic environment that constantly complained that the idea of Christian rock music was ‘worldly.’ Naturally, these people had their misguided agendas and simply wanted to destroy Christianity with their personal world view. Funny thing is the statement about Christian rock music sounding ‘worldly’ is so far from the truth. In all reality, I would say that 10 percent of today’s Christian rock bands actually have talent to rival secular bands. In my opinion, 90 percent of today’s Christian rock bands would never be able to cut it in the secular industry.

Two weeks ago the Gospel Music Association held its annual award ceremony, which is called the Dove Awards. Think of it as a lower quality version of the Grammys. The pre-show was broadcast online live for everyone to see. However, the webcast constantly had a glitch in the show. Every 30 seconds or so the show would glitch out. They kept saying via a chat room that they were working on the glitch. However, it was never fixed. So here we are watching a low quality show in a tiny window (it would not allow you to maximize it to full screen). This past February, I watched the pre-show for the Grammy Awards. It was well produced and broadcast online. The broadcast came through perfectly and it was crystal clear in full screen mode. Where is the problem here? The Christian music industry cannot compete with the secular music industry.

If we are to be Christ to the world, shouldn’t everything we do be done in excellence?

Remember that episode of South Park where Eric Cartman starts a Christian rock band? Remember that ‘hardcore’ band that Cartman encounters at a Christian music festival. They are standing there in apparel that attempts to make them appear as typical ‘rockers.’ They give some rhetoric about how they play Christian metal with inspirational lyrics mentioning their hardcoreness. Cartman looks at them and makes the most profound yet sarcastic yet true statement that I have ever heard. “Yeah, you’re real hardcore..”

This past Friday night we went to see the band Skillet play live in Greensboro. We had second row pit tickets (we could touch the stage if we wanted to). Skillet’s portion of the show was great. Their performance was amazing. I got in trouble for filming the show with my digital camera. Coming soon to youtube? Skillet has a sound that is unique. They are talented. Like the other 10 percent of decent Christian bands, Skillet gets airplay on secular radio stations. Everytime I turn on 106.5, the closest modern rock station to me, I hear a Christian band like Skillet, Flyleaf, or Demon Hunter. Hardcore Christian bands like underOATH and Norma Jean are invading secular culture by being invited out on tours like Ozzfest and Warped Tour. They are also receiving airplay on MTV2 and FUSE. Mat Kearney, who is an excellent Christian song writer, is currently climbing the mainstream pop charts. So where is my story/rant going here?

The band who opened the show simply goes in the category of the 90 percent of Christian bands who totally blow chunks. I will not mention them by name. They are a somewhat local band with a recording contract. I won’t even ask what tone deaf label signed them. They sounded as if someone put every popular nu metal band in a blender and turned it into a bunch of gooey mush. Riffs and progressions were ripped off from bands like Korn, Linkin Park and Seether. It was horrible. They even threw in key and tempo changes that absolutely made no sense. They were simply a loud band making a loud noise. Oh, but it gets worse. Their lead singer’s voice was so clean! He sounded as if he belonged in N’sync! Now, a hard rock band needs a good front man. A hard rock vocalist should sound as if he has lived a little. I am not saying that every hard rock band lead singer needs to be addicted to meth and have 3 STDs. However, if you are going to front a band even if it is a Christian band you need to be able to rival the voices of those hard rock bands currently leading the charts.

Now I am sure I will receive hate mail because of this blog. I am sure this particular band has a supportive fan base (a fan base consisting of mostly high school girls) who will probably be offended at my honesty. I know musical taste is an opinion but there is no denying it when someone truly lacks talent. Again, let me restate my previous thought: ‘If we are to be Christ to the world, shouldn’t everything we do be done in excellence?’ I do not think that this band writes songs nor performs their work with excellence. That is that.

The Christian music industry needs to end. There is nothing wrong with Christians being in a band and marketing themselves to the secular market. This would force bands, even Christian bands, to hold themselves to a higher standard of excellence. This would also force Christian youth to understand the world around them rather than locking themselves in a Christian culture world filled with Christian music, magazines, television and movies.

Let me leave you with a quote from Rob Bell on the subject of Christian music:
“It is possible for music to be labeled Christian and be terrible music. It could lack creativity and inspiration. The lyrics could be recycled cliches. That ‘Christian’ band could actually be giving Jesus a bad name because they aren’t a great band. [...] I was playing in a punk band a few years ago, and we were playing clubs and bars and festivals and parties. People would regularly ask us if we were a Christian band when they found out I was a pastor. I always found the question a bit odd. When you meet a plumber, do you ask her if she is a Christian plumber? [...] Music already is worship. Music is praise. Music is sacred. Music is good. Creation doesn’t need a label to make it sacred or acceptable of blessed. When God made the world, God called it ‘good’. Now obviously anything can be corrupted and desecrated and used for purposes other than those which God intends, but making music is sacred enough. Paul [The Apostle] put it like this: ‘For everything God created is good.’” (Velvet Elvis pages 84 & 85)

“We Live” Video on You Tube.

Partial lyrics from Superchic(k)s “We Live”:

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love
We live, we love, we forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love

Waking up to another dark morning
People are mourning
The weather in life outside is storming
But what would it take for the clouds to break
For us to realize each day
Is a gift somehow, someway
And get our heads up out of this darkness
And spark this new mindset and start on with life cuz it ain’t gone yet
And tragedy’s a reminder to take off the blinders and wake up
(to live the life)
We’re supposed to take up
(moving forward)
With all our heads up
Cuz life is worth living

It’s nearly a month now since the death of the pioneer of Christian Rock music Larry Norman. I’m too young to experience his music at first hand. But, i have been educated about the 70’s era of Christian music by Journalist and presenter Mike Rimmer, who presented three tribute shows to the man. You can still here Mike’s tributes on the Cross Rhythms website by clicking here. Click on the radio console and view Mike Rimmer’s podcasts from the 26th, 27th and 28th of February.

If you’ve never heard of Larry Norman before these shows are well worth a listen