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Questions about Music...
Some of the most popular questions I receive are about music. They often take different directions like… "is it o.k. to listen to secular music if the lyrics aren't bad?' and… "is it o.k. to listen to Christian hardcore music?" or… "what about Christian bands that don't sing about Christ?" and many more relating to Christianity, music and culture. Because of this I thought it would be good to compile some of the correspondence I've had with other teens. Don't hesitate to send an e-mail if these questions and answers don't really help answer the specific question you have. Then I can add it to the list to help others in the future.
Q: "What do you do if you're listening to something but don't know what it is talking about?"
A: The apostle Paul said in Romans 16:9 "…but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil." If there is something you don't understand it might be something you shouldn't be listening to. Don't forget that every song is a sermon. It's not just pastors who preach, everyone saying something in music is preaching. Unfortunately there are a lot of godless, profane, immoral, and deceptive preachers in music who are influencing this generation. It's important to be careful and remember that the scriptures say that we should be "innocent in what is evil."
If on the other hand it is a Christian band and their lyrics are not clear or they don't make sense then you can ask your parent, youth pastor or pastor to help you understand what they are trying to say in their song. Most the time they include the lyrics in the CD booklet but if you downloaded the song, you may need to find the lyrics online.
Q: "I wanted to know your opinion on metal bands such as Metallica and Anthrax. Does the kind of music I like really affect my morality?"
A: It may not affect your morality if your morality is not based on the word of God. Even those who are without God have their own "morality" based on a set of personal rules.
A Christian doesn't decide what's right or wrong based on their own opinions or the opinions of others but on the truth of scripture. I am aware of the two bands that you mentioned (I used to listen to Anthrax when I was in high school and that was almost 20 years ago!) and I can say without hesitation that the message they are often preaching is against God and the morality that is presented in the bible.
It's not so much the style of music (you can find Christian music with the same style) but the message that is given through the lyrics and lifestyles of the people in the bands. Whatever draws you to bands like the ones you mentioned needs to be exposed to the light of Christ.
The "fuel" that your life receives needs to be from the Lord and not something that just appeals to your flesh. "If you plant in the field of your natural desires, from it you will gather the harvest of death; if you plant in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit you will gather the harvest of eternal life." (Galatians 6:8)
Q: "What about Christian bands that don't sing about Christ?"
A: One of my favorite bands used to be Switchfoot. They wrote uplifting songs but were not necessarily about God. I still like their music but I'm personally disappointed that five Christian guys wouldn't feel it was important to mention Jesus, supposedly the One they have patterned their lives after. I don't think songs always have to be about God or Jesus, but every song a Christian writes should be inline with what is true.
With so much negative, destructive media out there, why not focus on writing songs that are spiritually uplifting. If I'm going to invest negotiable time with listening to something, I'd prefer that it would be something that would strengthen my faith. Neutral music may not weaken our faith but we have traded the opportunity to be strengthened in the process. If we have a choice of listening to something neutral or listening to something that will strengthen our walk with God it seems like the latter would be the wiser choice. Even good things consumed in too much quantity can be bad for us (i.e. I like bananas but if I tried to eat a dozen of them several times a day it might have an adverse affect on me). Use wisdom and moderation but above all purse Christ and have a passionate desire to be like Him.
Another thing about Christian bands that evade the subject of Christianity is whether they are being hypocrites or not? Many of them are on Christian record labels and depend largely on a Christian audience in order to gain popularity. I think anybody that is in the spotlight, especially Christian, have a greater responsibility to show integrity and be a bold witness for Christ. All Christians are called to have a bold witness so why would Christian bands shirk their call when there are so many people at their concerts. On this subject I don't necessarily have any answers but I have a lot of questions myself.
Q: "How can you stop listening to music when you like it a lot?"
A: I'm guessing that you mean music that you realize is bad and you shouldn't be listening to it. There would be no reason to stop listening to music that was spiritually uplifting or harmless unless you needed time to clear your head in order to seek God and give Him more room to speak into your life.
If there is music that your really love because the sound or the band or whatever but you realize the message is wrong and does not glorify God then the best place to start is prayer. Ask God to help you live out your convictions. The bible teaches us that God has given us the ability to have self control. We are also told that self control is also a "fruit" of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul says "walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh". So start with prayer and then fast from music for a few weeks (they say it takes 21 days to break a habit or start a new one).
During your fast, spend more time reading the bible and studying the life of Jesus. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to fill your life wherever there are voids and to draw you near to Himself. I recently talked with a 20 year old college student who was convicted about the music he was listening to so he gave it up. Amazingly, he didn't experience regret but a new found freedom that he had not previously experienced. He told me that making that one decision "…changed everything…' and he began growing in his relationship with God in new ways that he previously had not experienced. This is not uncommon for those who heart is loyal to God "…the eyes of the Lord run to a fro throughout the whole earth that He may show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…" (from 2 Chronicles 16:9).
Once in awhile you can find a Christian band that sounds like your favorite band but that alone won't change your heart. I didn't really care for Christian music that much when I was not following Christ. When I did start to follow Christ, I liked some Christian music but I still liked all of my secular bands. When I felt the need to give up some things in order to grow up a little, I wasn't able to find "replacement" Christian bands so I pretty much began to develop a new taste for music based on content rather than production or style.
Q: "What about music that isn't Christian but it is not necessarily bad or dirty?"
A: It's important to use discretion and discernment to make sure the message isn't bad. Often times what isn't "bad" for our culture can be considered bad in the light of the word of God. That doesn't mean there isn't harmless non-Christian music out there, but I would find it difficult to believe that it would be common.
I don't think that all secular music is bad. The song that is sung most often in the U.S. is "Happy Birthday" and as far as I know, it is not a Christian song and I've sung it hundreds of times. I can say that all secular music (if it has words) preaches some kind of message, and most of the time those messages contradict what God has taught us about life, relationships, money, attitudes, etc. (worldview issues).
Once in a while you come across a song that is in line with what God has revealed and even though it may not be "Christian" it still speaks truth (as defined by God and not society). I have a friend that says it like this, "I'm not going to dig through a McDonald's dumpster in search of an edible French fry." Use wisdom and moderation but above all pursue Christ and have a passionate desire to be like Him.
Q: "What about music that is not for or against God but is neutral?"
A: First of all, there might be music that in not necessarily for or against God but we need to discern whether it is compromising in regard to things that God has taught in His word. A band might convey rebellion or family conflict as normative in light of bad family circumstances, or someone might be singing about a sexually immoral relationship, or a song might give the sense of hopelessness and despair through its message. Those don't appear to be "for or against God" but they are against the ways of God and can deceptive.
If music is truly neutral in the sense that it is not against the ways of God and does not convey a message that is compromising then I think you should use discretion and make sure that you are not a stumbling block to someone else. There are many "Christian" bands that don't necessarily have a message that is "for God" and likewise there are secular bands that don't have a message "against God". It would be hard for anyone to give a stamp of approval or disapproval in those situations. That is where the leading and power of the Holy Spirit comes in. He can guide our hearts when we are not sure ourselves. There is no issue too small to take before the Lord in prayer.
Q: "What do you do if you can't avoid negative forms of media?"
A: If you are being exposed to movies or music that is compromising to your faith, don't be afraid to politely ask the people you are around (even if it was a parent) to turn it off or allow you to be excused from the room. The book of Daniel has several stories about young people who refused to go along with things that compromised their faith and how God honored them and protected them. May God give you wisdom and guidance.
Q: "In your presentation you had a picture of an iPod so what's wrong with an iPod?"
A: Thank you for your question about iPod's, I wish I had one! (I have an older 20 GB Archos mp3 player). There is nothing wrong with iPods or other mp3 players but the picture I use is to illustrate the point that we often get weighed down with media instead of running the Christian race that God has called us to run. The big issue is what goes on to the iPod? Does the music glorify God? Many teens are now downloading pornography onto their video capable iPods and there is an increasing number of popular teen shows being offered for download. On the other hand there are many ministries who are producing Podcasts and other Christian content for teens to help them in their walk with Christ (including our ministry).
Q: "My daughter is 11 years old and is a Christian but she is a big fan of Eminem. What should I do?"
A: If you discovered that your child was drinking poison wouldn't you stop them and take them to the hospital? If they survived the ordeal wouldn't you teach them to recognize and stay away from poison and you wouldn't you be more careful to make sure there wasn't any poison accessible to them? The first thing that should be done is to rid your house of anything pertaining to Eminem and place a ban on his music in your home. That doesn't really deal with the heart of your daughter but it deals with the issue of parenting. Parents need to set rules in the home and stop allowing toxins like this to poison your children. They need to be protected from harm and them taught how to recognize poison and not consume it. The younger the child the easier it is to train them regarding media choices. In order to deal with your daughter's poisoned heart and mind I would suggest getting some lyrics from a website and then sit down and have a heart to heart discussion about the wickedness of his lyrics. I must forewarn you that if you are unfamiliar with Eminem's lyrics, you are in for a shock. If you are faint of heart I would suggest that you are seated when you read his lyrics. His content is wicked, profane and triple x. In an interview with Rollingstone Magazine, Eminem admitted to personally editing his music so that his own daughter could listen to it. Then he turns around and markets his music to everyone else without editing. I'm not sure how you could even edit some of his songs. The best editing would be at the end of a sledgehammer.
Q: "Don't you think we should be knowledgeable about secular music and movies in order to reach others. I think it's a great way to relate with people about things that they are interested in. If we don't watch TV or go to movies or listen to popular music, how will we be able to relate with them?"
A: Thank you for your comments and question. My heart is to challenge the status quo among Christians, especially those who are in ministry or planning to be in ministry. I have come across many leaders, especially in youth ministry, who seem to be more excited about popular media then they are of Jesus. I find teens and adults who defend their favorite band, movie, TV show, video game, etc. but are they willing to defend the righteousness and holiness of Christ and His call to "in the world" but not "of the world"? Jesus said that His followers would be hated by the world yet we often look for ways to be like by the world while we conveniently neglect the teachings of His which we know would bring offense. I believe we have been called to be the salt of the world and should be able to reach out to those around us with love, gentleness, grace and truth without compromise. Too often the emerging leadership of the church have tried to sanitize the world "compromise" by replacing it with the popular word "relevance". My desire is to encourage leaders who profess Christ to emulate Christ.
I truly appreciate your questions and my goal in challenging you is to test your steel. Your comments are very common on this subject and many times they come from accepted cultural mantras rather than a sincere conviction and well versed study of scripture. That may not be the case with you but it's one of my goals to challenge your people like yourself to think hard and to think well on the subject of media discernment rather than just towing the line of this generation. When our ideas are challenged they will either prove strong or they will prove weak and crumble. That goes for my ideas as well.
I don't think it is necessary to expose ourselves to compromising, sinful or even reprobate messages and images in media in order to relate with the world. Is the world lost? We can relate to that with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Is the world suffering? We can relate to that by sharing with them the One who suffered so they could have life. Is the world full of hate? We can relate by teaching them about Christ who was hated and yet loved the world and forgave the people who crucified Him. Is the world struggling with emptiness? Introduce them to the One who satisfies and those who drink from Him never thirst again. Is the world carrying weight and heavy burdens that leave their souls in turmoil? Tell them that Jesus want them to be yolked with Him and they will find rest for their souls. Do they have questions about eternity? Jesus has answers! Are they wondering about destiny? We are told that we are created in Christ Jesus for good works that God has prepared before hand that we should walk in them! You see, I could go on and on with things that relate to the lost world around us without watching TV, listening to secular music, watching compromising movies or playing the latest video games. Other people in the world can relate to them about those things but they cannot bring them to Jesus. We, as Christians, should give them what the world cannot… the knowledge of Jesus and His desire to give them life to the fullest.
Some of the most popular questions I receive are about music. They often take different directions like… "is it o.k. to listen to secular music if the lyrics aren't bad?' and… "is it o.k. to listen to Christian hardcore music?" or… "what about Christian bands that don't sing about Christ?" and many more relating to Christianity, music and culture. Because of this I thought it would be good to compile some of the correspondence I've had with other teens. Don't hesitate to send an e-mail if these questions and answers don't really help answer the specific question you have. Then I can add it to the list to help others in the future.
Q: "What do you do if you're listening to something but don't know what it is talking about?"
A: The apostle Paul said in Romans 16:9 "…but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil." If there is something you don't understand it might be something you shouldn't be listening to. Don't forget that every song is a sermon. It's not just pastors who preach, everyone saying something in music is preaching. Unfortunately there are a lot of godless, profane, immoral, and deceptive preachers in music who are influencing this generation. It's important to be careful and remember that the scriptures say that we should be "innocent in what is evil."
If on the other hand it is a Christian band and their lyrics are not clear or they don't make sense then you can ask your parent, youth pastor or pastor to help you understand what they are trying to say in their song. Most the time they include the lyrics in the CD booklet but if you downloaded the song, you may need to find the lyrics online.
Q: "I wanted to know your opinion on metal bands such as Metallica and Anthrax. Does the kind of music I like really affect my morality?"
A: It may not affect your morality if your morality is not based on the word of God. Even those who are without God have their own "morality" based on a set of personal rules.
A Christian doesn't decide what's right or wrong based on their own opinions or the opinions of others but on the truth of scripture. I am aware of the two bands that you mentioned (I used to listen to Anthrax when I was in high school and that was almost 20 years ago!) and I can say without hesitation that the message they are often preaching is against God and the morality that is presented in the bible.
It's not so much the style of music (you can find Christian music with the same style) but the message that is given through the lyrics and lifestyles of the people in the bands. Whatever draws you to bands like the ones you mentioned needs to be exposed to the light of Christ.
The "fuel" that your life receives needs to be from the Lord and not something that just appeals to your flesh. "If you plant in the field of your natural desires, from it you will gather the harvest of death; if you plant in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit you will gather the harvest of eternal life." (Galatians 6:8)
Q: "What about Christian bands that don't sing about Christ?"
A: One of my favorite bands used to be Switchfoot. They wrote uplifting songs but were not necessarily about God. I still like their music but I'm personally disappointed that five Christian guys wouldn't feel it was important to mention Jesus, supposedly the One they have patterned their lives after. I don't think songs always have to be about God or Jesus, but every song a Christian writes should be inline with what is true.
With so much negative, destructive media out there, why not focus on writing songs that are spiritually uplifting. If I'm going to invest negotiable time with listening to something, I'd prefer that it would be something that would strengthen my faith. Neutral music may not weaken our faith but we have traded the opportunity to be strengthened in the process. If we have a choice of listening to something neutral or listening to something that will strengthen our walk with God it seems like the latter would be the wiser choice. Even good things consumed in too much quantity can be bad for us (i.e. I like bananas but if I tried to eat a dozen of them several times a day it might have an adverse affect on me). Use wisdom and moderation but above all purse Christ and have a passionate desire to be like Him.
Another thing about Christian bands that evade the subject of Christianity is whether they are being hypocrites or not? Many of them are on Christian record labels and depend largely on a Christian audience in order to gain popularity. I think anybody that is in the spotlight, especially Christian, have a greater responsibility to show integrity and be a bold witness for Christ. All Christians are called to have a bold witness so why would Christian bands shirk their call when there are so many people at their concerts. On this subject I don't necessarily have any answers but I have a lot of questions myself.
Q: "How can you stop listening to music when you like it a lot?"
A: I'm guessing that you mean music that you realize is bad and you shouldn't be listening to it. There would be no reason to stop listening to music that was spiritually uplifting or harmless unless you needed time to clear your head in order to seek God and give Him more room to speak into your life.
If there is music that your really love because the sound or the band or whatever but you realize the message is wrong and does not glorify God then the best place to start is prayer. Ask God to help you live out your convictions. The bible teaches us that God has given us the ability to have self control. We are also told that self control is also a "fruit" of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul says "walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh". So start with prayer and then fast from music for a few weeks (they say it takes 21 days to break a habit or start a new one).
During your fast, spend more time reading the bible and studying the life of Jesus. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to fill your life wherever there are voids and to draw you near to Himself. I recently talked with a 20 year old college student who was convicted about the music he was listening to so he gave it up. Amazingly, he didn't experience regret but a new found freedom that he had not previously experienced. He told me that making that one decision "…changed everything…' and he began growing in his relationship with God in new ways that he previously had not experienced. This is not uncommon for those who heart is loyal to God "…the eyes of the Lord run to a fro throughout the whole earth that He may show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…" (from 2 Chronicles 16:9).
Once in awhile you can find a Christian band that sounds like your favorite band but that alone won't change your heart. I didn't really care for Christian music that much when I was not following Christ. When I did start to follow Christ, I liked some Christian music but I still liked all of my secular bands. When I felt the need to give up some things in order to grow up a little, I wasn't able to find "replacement" Christian bands so I pretty much began to develop a new taste for music based on content rather than production or style.
Q: "What about music that isn't Christian but it is not necessarily bad or dirty?"
A: It's important to use discretion and discernment to make sure the message isn't bad. Often times what isn't "bad" for our culture can be considered bad in the light of the word of God. That doesn't mean there isn't harmless non-Christian music out there, but I would find it difficult to believe that it would be common.
I don't think that all secular music is bad. The song that is sung most often in the U.S. is "Happy Birthday" and as far as I know, it is not a Christian song and I've sung it hundreds of times. I can say that all secular music (if it has words) preaches some kind of message, and most of the time those messages contradict what God has taught us about life, relationships, money, attitudes, etc. (worldview issues).
Once in a while you come across a song that is in line with what God has revealed and even though it may not be "Christian" it still speaks truth (as defined by God and not society). I have a friend that says it like this, "I'm not going to dig through a McDonald's dumpster in search of an edible French fry." Use wisdom and moderation but above all pursue Christ and have a passionate desire to be like Him.
Q: "What about music that is not for or against God but is neutral?"
A: First of all, there might be music that in not necessarily for or against God but we need to discern whether it is compromising in regard to things that God has taught in His word. A band might convey rebellion or family conflict as normative in light of bad family circumstances, or someone might be singing about a sexually immoral relationship, or a song might give the sense of hopelessness and despair through its message. Those don't appear to be "for or against God" but they are against the ways of God and can deceptive.
If music is truly neutral in the sense that it is not against the ways of God and does not convey a message that is compromising then I think you should use discretion and make sure that you are not a stumbling block to someone else. There are many "Christian" bands that don't necessarily have a message that is "for God" and likewise there are secular bands that don't have a message "against God". It would be hard for anyone to give a stamp of approval or disapproval in those situations. That is where the leading and power of the Holy Spirit comes in. He can guide our hearts when we are not sure ourselves. There is no issue too small to take before the Lord in prayer.
Q: "What do you do if you can't avoid negative forms of media?"
A: If you are being exposed to movies or music that is compromising to your faith, don't be afraid to politely ask the people you are around (even if it was a parent) to turn it off or allow you to be excused from the room. The book of Daniel has several stories about young people who refused to go along with things that compromised their faith and how God honored them and protected them. May God give you wisdom and guidance.
Q: "In your presentation you had a picture of an iPod so what's wrong with an iPod?"
A: Thank you for your question about iPod's, I wish I had one! (I have an older 20 GB Archos mp3 player). There is nothing wrong with iPods or other mp3 players but the picture I use is to illustrate the point that we often get weighed down with media instead of running the Christian race that God has called us to run. The big issue is what goes on to the iPod? Does the music glorify God? Many teens are now downloading pornography onto their video capable iPods and there is an increasing number of popular teen shows being offered for download. On the other hand there are many ministries who are producing Podcasts and other Christian content for teens to help them in their walk with Christ (including our ministry).
Q: "My daughter is 11 years old and is a Christian but she is a big fan of Eminem. What should I do?"
A: If you discovered that your child was drinking poison wouldn't you stop them and take them to the hospital? If they survived the ordeal wouldn't you teach them to recognize and stay away from poison and you wouldn't you be more careful to make sure there wasn't any poison accessible to them? The first thing that should be done is to rid your house of anything pertaining to Eminem and place a ban on his music in your home. That doesn't really deal with the heart of your daughter but it deals with the issue of parenting. Parents need to set rules in the home and stop allowing toxins like this to poison your children. They need to be protected from harm and them taught how to recognize poison and not consume it. The younger the child the easier it is to train them regarding media choices. In order to deal with your daughter's poisoned heart and mind I would suggest getting some lyrics from a website and then sit down and have a heart to heart discussion about the wickedness of his lyrics. I must forewarn you that if you are unfamiliar with Eminem's lyrics, you are in for a shock. If you are faint of heart I would suggest that you are seated when you read his lyrics. His content is wicked, profane and triple x. In an interview with Rollingstone Magazine, Eminem admitted to personally editing his music so that his own daughter could listen to it. Then he turns around and markets his music to everyone else without editing. I'm not sure how you could even edit some of his songs. The best editing would be at the end of a sledgehammer.
Q: "Don't you think we should be knowledgeable about secular music and movies in order to reach others. I think it's a great way to relate with people about things that they are interested in. If we don't watch TV or go to movies or listen to popular music, how will we be able to relate with them?"
A: Thank you for your comments and question. My heart is to challenge the status quo among Christians, especially those who are in ministry or planning to be in ministry. I have come across many leaders, especially in youth ministry, who seem to be more excited about popular media then they are of Jesus. I find teens and adults who defend their favorite band, movie, TV show, video game, etc. but are they willing to defend the righteousness and holiness of Christ and His call to "in the world" but not "of the world"? Jesus said that His followers would be hated by the world yet we often look for ways to be like by the world while we conveniently neglect the teachings of His which we know would bring offense. I believe we have been called to be the salt of the world and should be able to reach out to those around us with love, gentleness, grace and truth without compromise. Too often the emerging leadership of the church have tried to sanitize the world "compromise" by replacing it with the popular word "relevance". My desire is to encourage leaders who profess Christ to emulate Christ.
I truly appreciate your questions and my goal in challenging you is to test your steel. Your comments are very common on this subject and many times they come from accepted cultural mantras rather than a sincere conviction and well versed study of scripture. That may not be the case with you but it's one of my goals to challenge your people like yourself to think hard and to think well on the subject of media discernment rather than just towing the line of this generation. When our ideas are challenged they will either prove strong or they will prove weak and crumble. That goes for my ideas as well.
I don't think it is necessary to expose ourselves to compromising, sinful or even reprobate messages and images in media in order to relate with the world. Is the world lost? We can relate to that with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Is the world suffering? We can relate to that by sharing with them the One who suffered so they could have life. Is the world full of hate? We can relate by teaching them about Christ who was hated and yet loved the world and forgave the people who crucified Him. Is the world struggling with emptiness? Introduce them to the One who satisfies and those who drink from Him never thirst again. Is the world carrying weight and heavy burdens that leave their souls in turmoil? Tell them that Jesus want them to be yolked with Him and they will find rest for their souls. Do they have questions about eternity? Jesus has answers! Are they wondering about destiny? We are told that we are created in Christ Jesus for good works that God has prepared before hand that we should walk in them! You see, I could go on and on with things that relate to the lost world around us without watching TV, listening to secular music, watching compromising movies or playing the latest video games. Other people in the world can relate to them about those things but they cannot bring them to Jesus. We, as Christians, should give them what the world cannot… the knowledge of Jesus and His desire to give them life to the fullest.
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