What's wrong with CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) Part 3

It may be hard to really understand the position that I'm coming from if you have not read my blog updates on secular music. So I would ask you to take the time to read them if you have not done so already.

I do want to remind you of a verse, and keep it in mind as you read what is posted here.

1Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Everything that we see, everything that we hear, everything that we do, should be put to the test of the word of God. If it is contrary to God's word, even if it is carrying a Christian flag, should be rejected.

In the last post we said that CCM does not promote Jesus, it promotes the singer, it promotes the music, but that is not the only problem with Contemporary Christian Music. Contemporary Christian Music is not separated from the world.

In 2002 Michael W. Smith and Third day had their 'Come together and Worship Tour'. I have heard, although I could not find documentation, that the concerts would be opened by singing the beatles song "Come Together". I have not seen proof of this, but I do know that there are many other CCM performers that sing secular songs in their concerts.

Holy Soldier Sings Rolling Stones
Point of Grace Sings Earth, Wind and Fire
Jars of Clay Sings Ozzy Osbourne
77's Sings Led Zeppelin.
DC talk Sings Doobie Brothers, Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, REM

The bible clearly teaches against these things.

2Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Isn't it interesting, the CCM singers are saying "come together", but the Bible says "Come out from among them".
Also, the 'Come together tour' by Michael W.Smith and Third Day was sponsored by Chevrolet. What is wrong with this?

2Corinthians 6:14 A Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:

We are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers in marriage, or in business. Now, I do not have anything against Chevrolet, but last time that I checked Chevrolet is not a Christian company. A secular company should not have any part in sponsorship of a "Christian" event. This is only one example, there are many CCM singers whose music is owned and produced by the same music companies who produce songs for Madonna, The Red Hot Chili peppers, and many more.

Also, the bible tells us that we should not copy the world.

1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

If you were to look at the pictures of a secular music group, and a CCM praise and worship group, you could not tell the difference had you not already known. I think that we've established the fact in the updates on secular music that it is not of God, and anything not of God is evil. So why would a "Christian" band want to look like the world when the bible clearly tells us to abstain from this?

Well, the last question brings us to our next point. This is the big argument for CCM. The proponents for CCM say, "we can't reach the world with the old church hymns". I have to admit that they are right here. This world will not be reached by singing church hymns, but this world will not be reached by singing CCM either. Can I ask you a question? When has an important address or message ever been delivered thru song? Let me give you some ridiculous scenarios by they illustrate the point that I'm driving at. Whenever a defendant takes the wittiness stand to speak in his own defence, why doesn't he pull out his guitar and sing his defence? Why doesn't congress put on a Broadway type musical in the house whenever they propose a new bill to be considered for law? What if President Obama were to come to the House of Representatives next year and RAP his state of the union address? All of these scenarios are absurd, why? Because a message of great importance is never delivered thru song. The greatest message that we have to give to the world is the gospel, the word of God, and we deliver that message to a lost world thru preaching!

1Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

We don't sing to a lost world, we preach to a lost world. We sing praises to God AFTER we have been saved, and those songs are not to be sung to the same sensual fleshly beat that the world sings their songs to. We cannot worship God in the spirit, as the bible commands, by singing to music that appeals to the flesh.

The next update will be the final on CCM, after that I will be blogging about Southern Gospel. We will look at the music itself, how it is used, how it affects us, and why we should stay away from it.

The things that I have posted here are only the tip of the iceberg of the information that is available. If you disagree with me, then please search the matter out for yourself, become informed. Don't just form you opinion based solely on your own likes and dislikes. Lets "Prove all things", as the bible says.

What's Wrong with CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) Part 2

So, what is wrong with Contemporary Christian music? Isn't music just music? Does it really matter what kind of songs that we sing? Can't any kind of music be used for God's honor and God's glory? There are many things that can be said, but there are a few key things that I want to look at.

First of all, CCM promotes the "Artist" and the music over Jesus. If you disagree with me, listen to the words of the musicians and singers themselves.

Amy Grant
"What we're trying to do is take Christian principles and make them understandable. Even if it doesn't say Jesus, it doesn't matter. . ." (Rolling Stone, June 6, 1985 p 10)

Amy Grant
"I'm a singer, not a preacher, I'm not looking to convert anybody." (Los Angeles Times, 5/4/84, pg. 2-c)

Rich Mullins:
"I'm really sick of all this heavy-handed Christianity. Musicians take themselves too seriously. They should have more FUN, and they should stop preaching unless that's what God has called them to. If I want to hear a sermon, I'll go to church, thank you." (CCM magazine, April, 1987, p. 12)

Jason Martin of Starflyer 59

"A lot of bands, the reason they get so turned off, is because you have to put the word 'Jesus' in every line. . . That's why so many bands get almost anti-Jesus in their lyrics, even though they're Christians." (HM, Mar/Apr 97 p. 21)

Here's what a secular reporter in the Birmingham News wrote after watching a Michael W. Smith concert:
"If you weren’t familiar with Michael W. Smith’s standing in the world of contemporary Christian music, you might attend one of his concerts and come out none the wiser." (The Birmingham News, Feb. 12, 1993 p. 5c)

Smith's album, Change Your World, has 2819 words — Jesus occurs — ZERO!
Michael W. Smith's album, I’ll Lead You Home, has 2046 words — Jesus occurs — ZERO!
Michael W. Smith's album, Live the Life, has over 1100 words — Jesus occurs — you guessed it — ZERO!

"His concerts draw hundreds of thousands of fans each year, mostly teenage girls who scream out their AFFECTION FOR HIM non-stop throughout. . . . To his fans, Smith is the absolute greatest there is, BAR NONE . . ."

Who is being glorified there, Jesus, or Michael W Smith?

The Bible clearly teaches us that the songs that we sing should bring honor and glory to GOD!

I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing PRAISE to thy name, O thou most High. Psalm 9:2

Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we SING and PRAISE thy power. Psalm 21:13

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my SONG will I PRAISE him. Psalm 28:7

PRAISE the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise. Psalm 33:2-3

In the song by Rebecca St. James "You make me come alive", the words are so vague, as most CCM is, that you're not sure if she is talking about the Lord or her boyfriend!

Within the last month I have visited many of the websites of CCM "Stars", here are just a few of the ones that i looked at;

Janet Paschal
D C Talk
Michael W Smith
Steven Curtis Chapman
Phillips, Craig and Dean
Amy Grant
4th Sunday
Jars of Clay
Rebecca St. James
Point of Grace
Chris Tomlin
Toby Mac
Mercy Me
Darlene Zchech
Newsboys
Starflyer 59

None of the sites had the plan of salvation, none of them! It was all about promoting THEIR CD's, THEIR concert's, join THEIR fan clubs. Do you think that John the Baptist would have a fan club if he were around today? No, John the Baptist would say, "He must increase, but I must decrease". John 3:30

So I would say that the first thing that is wrong with CCM, is that it promotes the singer and music, instead of God.

What's wrong with CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) Part 1

The last three blog updates I gave you four simple reasons why I believe that secular music should not be a part of a bible-believing Christians musical library. We talked about how the music of this world is Satanic, Sensual, Sinful, and Sacrilegious. One only has to do a minimal amount of research to see that these points are true.

But even after looking at all that is wrong with secular music, I would listen to that, before I would listen to CCM, (Contemporary Christian Music). Why?? Because at least they are being honest about what they are singing. They are in it for the money, the sex, the drugs,the fame, and they are not trying to hid that from you. Sad to say that there are a lot of CCM ENTERTAINERS that are in it for the same reason, but under the guise of a "music ministry" for the Lord. Now, having said that let me say this. Not every single CCM PERFORMER is out there for the wrong motives (although most are) but their method is still wrong, no matter what their motives are.

Did you know that there are well over 500 scriptures that talks about music? God is very interested in the music that we sing and listen to.

Eph 5:19 speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

The bible is very clear that the songs that we sing should be Psalms, Hymns, or Spiritual Songs. The music that we sing these songs with should be spiritual, not fleshly.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Just because someone does something under the banner of being Christian, doesn't make it "Christian".

Matthew chapter 7
21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works and in thy name done many wonderful works and in thy name done many wonderful works and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

As I started researching these things I was surprised to find out that Fanny Crosby wrote secular songs before she got saved. After she was saved this is what she had to say about music.

"Sometimes I need to reject the music proposed for my songs because the musicians misunderstand that the Fanny Crosby who once wrote for the people in the saloons has merely changed the lyrics. Oh my no. The church must never sing it's songs to the melodies of the world." (Danny Castle, video "What's Wrong with Christian Rock")

We will not get to the main points of the subject at hand until part 2, but to close out this first update I want to copy and paste an article that I read about the CCM group D.C. Talk. it lays good ground work for the updates that will follow.

"Christian" Rap band D(ecent) C(hristian) Talk are currently at the forefront of another wave of "crossover" in the BILLION dollar-a-year Contemporary Christian Music industry.
Founding member Toby McKeehan says he and the other Talkers aren't in it for the money though:
"We didn't get together to be stars. We share the same call - to use the stage to let people know about Jesus."(1)
At $35,000 per show, that's one expensive stage!(2)
The three members of DC Talk met at Jerry Falwell's Lynchburg, Virginia university in 1987. For those who may not know, Jerry Falwell is perceived to be one of the most conservative Baptist voices in America. Here's what Dr. Jerry thinks of his "boys";
"During Toby, Michael, and Kevin's tenure at Liberty University, it was obvious to me that God had great plans for these three young men and their powerful program."(3)
God's plan must have "misfired" somewhere, because according to Terry Watkins, director of in Alabama, DC Talker Kevin Smith was kicked out of Liberty for a "drinking" problem!(4).
Like many, many "Christian" Rockers before them, DC Talk have had enough of the stuffy confines of the "Christian" music label, and long to break out into the "real" music world;
"Smith, WHO LISTENS MOSTLY TO SECULAR MUSIC, would like to see DC Talk expand its vocabulary. 'NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE ABOUT GOD. We're getting into being able to speak about our personal lives and our public lives, that kind of stuff, without constantly throwing in the church,' he says."(5)
But wait a minute! I thought the original goal was to use the stage to tell people about Jesus. Funny how things change as time goes by, isn't it? This band has now fallen so far, they even open some of their shows by performing the old Beatles' song, "Help". For those who don't remember, the Beatles were atheists, Communists, Christ haters and God mockers. If DC Talk think they're serving God through this kind of music, THEY'RE the ones who need help!
DC Talk's newest release is called "Jesus Freak," and leader Toby McKeehan starts some concerts off by screaming, "WELCOME TO THE FREAK SHOW!"(6)
There's just one problem, Toby. My Lord Jesus Christ is not a "freak." He is the only begotten Son of God (Philippians 2:9-11).
"Jesus Freak" was directed by an Englishman named Simon Maxwell. Here's a little history for DC Talk fans: Maxwell broke into the secular Rock video industry in a big way by directing the "Closer" video for the satanic and vile band, "Nine Inch Nails". (NIN have made a video showing a monkey crucified to a cross). DC Talk WERE WATCHING ONE OF NINE INCH NAILS' VIDEOS, and LIKED Maxwell's style. Their management then contacted Simon Maxwell at the Underground in Los Angeles, and hired him to do the "Jesus Freak" project.(7)
It's also interesting to note that "Nine Inch Nails" singer Trent Renor is producing an album for another Satanic secular band called Marilyn Manson - whose leader is associated with Anton La Vey of the Church of Satan! What a wicked thread ties all these liars together!: La Vey supports Manson, who uses Reznor, who uses Maxwell, who directed the biggest video DC Talk ever ever made.