Chevy's Pedal to CCM Metal

...the friendship of the world is enmity with God...

 

My opinion, when you sound like the world, what's the difference.

I betcha you never hear them sponsor groups like: The Drummonds, The Rochester family, Sound Doctrine, Gregg Nash, etc..

 

I don't necessarily have a problem with it. Unless it was Budweiser doing the sponsorship.

 

Well, it could be argued that Southern Gospel "sounds like the world" since it's roots are in Country Music. If Southern Gospel sold the records of CCM it would face the same temptation.

Regardless, The problem with CCM is that it has become all about image and money $$$$. Oneness Pentecostals Philips, Craig and Dean have found a home in CCM despite their denial of the Trinity. Recently in my area a concert was canceled for PLUS ONE because the ticket sales was not as high as the the promoters wanted it upsetting many. CCM has become drunk with money and I would agree with CCM artist Steve Camp and I believe CCM is bowing itself at the altar of the dollar bill.

 

Let's keep this thread on track. Comment about Chevrolet's endorsement of CCM. Don't let this become another debate about CCM.

Your friendly co-moderator,
Aaron

 

We don't need secular sponsorship. But the sad thing is, many Christians don't sponsor it.

If the name of Jesus goes out, praise be unto God.

 

Veteran Christian musician Steve Camp obviously has problems with it:

CHRISTIAN MUSICIAN CRITICIZES CONCERT'S CHEVROLET SPONSORSHIP
(Nashville, Tennessee-AP) -- Christian musician Steve Camp
is criticizing Chevrolet's sponsorship of the "Come Together and
Worship" concert tour featuring Michael W. Smith, Third Day and
author Max Lucado.
In an open letter to the Contemporary Christian Music
community, Camp complains that "we have now actually digressed to
charging people money to worship the Lord." He adds, "This is not
the place for the world to conduct their business."
Tonight's concert for the Chevrolet-sponsored tour is in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

 

Steve Camp didn't seem to have a problem collecting several thousand dollars and having all his expenses paid back in 1987 when I was on a college committee to bring him in for a concert to raise money for a liver transplant for a person in the community.

He may have changed his mind now, but it is not a recent "digression".

If anything, corporate sponsorship reduces the costs of presenting a concert and can really make a difference in lowering ticket prices.

 

The Chevy mob are just sponsoring the event to try and get the "Christian market" in cars. The funds towards the event would probably just come out of advertising expenses, and be a tax write-off for the company.

In other words, not much like true giving as described by Jesus in Matthew 6:1-4.

Pete

 

Gospel Music Association president Frank Breeden has weighed in on the controversy. Following is an excerpt of his statement on the matter:

"This is a sponsorship relationship our industry can be proud of. After witnessing its planning and execution firsthand, I remain convinced this is a breakthrough for our music. Corporate America has now recognized faith-based entertainment as a primary audience characteristic through which to reach an important demographic, the 20 million consumers of CCM/Gospel music. In the past, this faith-based characteristic was present, but secondary or incidental to the primary target characteristic of race or ethnicity."

For Breeden's entire statement,click here:
http://www.gospelmusic.org/news/GMAil_president's%20statement_11-07-02.cfm

 

Yeesh. Is the rest of the release as steeped in market-speak? Notice:

</font>

• It's an "industry," not "worship" or "ministry."</font>
• It's a "breakthrough" - which, being interpreted, means "commercial credibility."</font>
• It's "entertainment," not "worship."</font>
• Attendees are not "worshippers" or "Christians"; they are "consumers," a "demographic," or a "target."</font>

I don't like to say Steve Camp told you so, but, well, Steve Camp told you so.

 

Baptist Believer,

If I remember right, Steve Camp has confessed that in his early career he did some stupid things and has repudiated them. I believe this change in him took place about 10 years ago. Others such as Charlie Peacock and Michael Card have expressed alarm at the commercializing of CCM.

 

Sure, I understand that, but I think the issue of corporate sponsorship is unrelated to the commercialization of the CCM industry. Frankly, I've never had much respect for the CCM labels and the way they produce music.

If a company wants to sponsor a band or a concert, fine... just as long as the band or concert is not restricted according to content or presentation, or required to endorse the product as part of the presentation.

 

Camp's open letter can be found in its entiretyhere, amongst other places.

His four main points of contention:

</font>

• Charging people money to come and worship the Lord and hear his Gospel.</font>
• Partnering with unbelievers in the work of the ministry.</font>
• Inviting and condoning secular corporations to do their business and trade in the midst of the worship of God.</font>
• Purposely soliciting from non-believers to finance the work of the ministry.</font>

You know, if this tour were being billed merely as a Third Day/MWS concert tour, I'd probably have little to complain about. If Christian football players can be paid to sponsor/endorse/visibly display Nike products, then as far as I'm concerned Christian musicians can do concerts sponsored by Chevrolet.
The problem is that this tour isn't being billed merely as a concert. It's a "worship" experience. A Christianity Today article quotes one of the organizers, Jeff Gregg, as saying:

Even the tour name says as much: "Come Together and Worship."

Looks like Camp has 'em dead to rights on all four points.

[ November 07, 2002, 03:01 PM: Message edited by: Ransom ]

 

It is amazing to me that many say it is a ministry when it has all became about entertainment and money. That is what I find repulsive and hypocrital about where CCM is at today. Can you imagine, a Billy Graham Crusade sponsored by Coca Cola? Check out CCM magazine and notice how all the artists are attractive and cool looking...Why? It is about image and not the substanceI would have more respect for them if they were saying it is entertainment and not Worship.

 

I agree but I think the reason people are upset this time is that they're claiming to be a worship service.

As much as I normally agree that CCM is entertainment and not ministry, I think to advertise something as a worship service and then charge for it is in really bad taste and I think it's precisely the kind of thing that led Jesus to drive the moneychangers out of the temple.

My problem isn't so much with the sponsorship, although I'm not at all confortable with the idea of a corporately sponsored worship service (in addition to being tacky, I think it sets a terrible precedent), but with the charging for tickets.

If this were a regular concert, then I would say "go for it" but for a worship service, I think it's way over the line.

You guys know that it takes an awful lot to offend me but I have some real problems with this.

 

Can you imagine, a Billy Graham Crusade sponsored by Coca Cola?

I can 'imagine' one "sponsored" in a real sense by Jerry Jones' Texas Stadium Corporation. And I can imagine ministries which were supported by Simon's Tannery and Lydia's Purple Outfitters, among other New Testament business concerns. And without "corporate America" few churches or ministries would exist at all in the USA. Most members work for private corporations, and therefore that is where most contributions come from.

Churches/ministries are business in every sense of the word. If it should be otherwise, the place to start is to abolish paid ministerial staffs and let church members themselves take care of everything on a volunteer basis only. The way we do it now-- paid ministers climbing career ladders-- "looks like the world" (to quote one or more posters on this thread). Their services are sold in churches, making churches then a 'market.' And then charging for church dinners which include what some call worship and others call entertainment-- that is a more flagrant form of a 'market'... as well as youth trips or camps, day camps, et al.

As for Steve Camp, he's a Sour Grapes Sam. He wasn't as successful as Michael W. Smith or Wayne Watson, so he turns against the business.

 

I disagree. He was huge in the eighties. Not as big as MWS, but who is?

He was in that same circle as Wayne Watson or Phil Keaggy or Mylon Lefevre, though.