Is Christian Rap or Rock back for the youth? Or is it a tool to save lives?

[TaliOrlando]

Is Christian Rap or Rock back for the youth? Or is it a tool to save lives?

In my view, I think there is a balance. I have seen some rap cd's that have great messages but I have also seen some that dont mention Christ not one bit. I have also seen Cristian rock concerts when they speak about Christ and some that they just start screaming " AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" for like 10 minutes and kids are not being edified.

What do you think? :wavey:

 

[SaggyWoman]

Back? Has it ever left? I listened to Christian "rock" growing up and as a college student. . . loved it. It helped me. I am not much of a rapster, but don't have a problem with Christian rap.

 

[billwald]

Would "stripping for Jesus" be OK if the girl had "Jesus Saves" tattood on her butt?

 

[TCGreek]

Is Christian Rap or Rock back for the youth? Or is it a tool to save lives?

In my view, I think there is a balance. I have seen some rap cd's that have great messages but I have also seen some that dont mention Christ not one bit. I have also seen Cristian rock concerts when they speak about Christ and some that they just start screaming " AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" for like 10 minutes and kids are not being edified.

What do you think? :wavey:

It all depends on what you believe about salvation and how a person is drawn to the Lord.

 

[Joe]

Would "stripping for Jesus" be OK if the girl had "Jesus Saves" tattood on her butt?

 

[tinytim]

I like Ray Buchanon's CD...

It has been edifying to me.

 

[Sgt. Fury]

We need to go to the Bible and see what it says is the power of salvation, and how people are truly drawn to obey the gospel. What any of us "thinks" is really irrelevant if our opinion is out of alignment with the word of God. Then we can ask, "how does _______ fit in with what the Bible says?"

Sgt. Fury

 

[BobRyan]

It is the selling out of the church - to the world.

When the idol of the pagans enters the church - the idol corrupts the church rather than the church cleansing the idol

 

[Rubato 1]

Would "stripping for Jesus" be OK if the girl had "Jesus Saves" tattood on her butt?

I think what Billwald means is (and I know where this leads before even going there, but oh,well) an objective observer may have difficulty watching the modern "Christian Rock" concert in view of Titus 2:11-14 (esp. the part about soberly, righteously, godly, and peculiar). my experience has been that Christian kids do Christian rock because they don't want to be sober or peculiar. I only hazard to walk in this discussion because of verse 15. :thumbs:

 

[Sgt. Fury]

I agree with Bob. Error is not diluted by truth. Truth is diluted by error.

Rom 1:16 tells us that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, and 1 Cor 1:18-21 tells us that it is by the preaching of the gospel that people will be saved.

The ideas that men come up with to make a profit under the guise of "spreading the gospel" are just that - men's ideas. Just like seemingly anything people choose to do for whatever reason takes on an air of godliness as soon as they call it their "ministry". Please.

2 Pet 2:1-3 speaks of the false teachers that would creep into the church bringing false doctrine with them, and leading many away from the truth, even to the point of speaking evil of it. And notice in 2:3, that "...through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you..."

Follow the money...

 

[annsni]

Eh - I've met and I know a number of artists who would be considered "rock" and such. They have hearts for the Lord, are NOT in it for the money and seek to bring Jesus to the people. I'd challenge those who feel rock is wrong because they're money hungry and are evil to let us know if you've ever MET anyone in the industry who's worthwhile. I could easily point to pastors and preachers who are also in it for the money - and I'm not panning the entire pastorship of the world.

 

[Sgt. Fury]

I didn't mean to include every musician either. But the scriptures do not authorize preaching the gospel through music.

I would agree that many "Christian" artists are very sincere in what they're doing, in that they have a desire for people to be saved and hope that what they're doing will help make that happen.

But sincerity is not enough on it's own. We must worship in spirit (sincerely) and in truth (according to God's word).

I could be sincere in my plea that people offer an animal sacrifice to atone for their sins, but it would be for nought because the New Testament does not authorize the offering of animal sacrifices to deal with sins.

Again, I did not intend to imply that all religious musicians and songwriters are only in it for the money. Lots are, but not all. My point, however poorly made, was that music (of any style) is not the way that God has authorized to spread the gospel. Preaching is.

 

[TaliOrlando]

I didn't mean to include every musician either. But the scriptures do not authorize preaching the gospel through music.

I would agree that many "Christian" artists are very sincere in what they're doing, in that they have a desire for people to be saved and hope that what they're doing will help make that happen.

But sincerity is not enough on it's own. We must worship in spirit (sincerely) and in truth (according to God's word).

I could be sincere in my plea that people offer an animal sacrifice to atone for their sins, but it would be for nought because the New Testament does not authorize the offering of animal sacrifices to deal with sins.

Again, I did not intend to imply that all religious musicians and songwriters are only in it for the money. Lots are, but not all. My point, however poorly made, was that music (of any style) is not the way that God has authorized to spread the gospel. Preaching is.

Hello!! One thing that I have always wondered is how important music is to God and how can music deliver a person from evil and stuff via praising and worshiping Christ. On 1 Samuel Chapter 16 Verses 14-23 we see that a distresing spirit from God was troubling Saul and David came and played the hard and when he would do so the sounds would cause Saul to become refreshed and well and the distressing spirit would depart.

A Distressing Spirit Troubles Saul

14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”
17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
18 Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.”
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. 21 So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. 22 Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.

I am sure many tried before David to play that harp but nothing happened because they didnt have God on his side but since David did, it made Saul well right?

 

[Sgt. Fury]

Yeah, I'm not sure what was going on there. Music soothes the savage beast, I guess. A couple things to keep in mind, though, are that:

1. David was not delivering the gospel of Christ,
2. This took place under the Mosaic Law,
3. This is not something we see repeated in either Old or New Testaments.

Under the NT, the music commanded through the apostle Paul must be able to teach and admonish (Col 3:16) as we speak to one another (Eph 5:19). There is simply no musical instrument but the voice that can do this.

Additionally, the congregational singing commanded under the NT is done among Christians, who have already responded to the preaching of the gospel. While it is true that doctrine is referred to in many hymns, very few if any encompass the facts, promises, and commands of the gospel of Christ.

On the other hand, many sermons contain all of these elements, instructing the lost on how to be saved, and the saved on how to remain faithful.

 

[D28guy]

Sgt Fury,

"I didn't mean to include every musician either. But the scriptures do not authorize preaching the gospel through music."

They dont "authorize" the preaching of the gospel through a microphone, either. Do we do away with microphones?

The scripture says "let everything that as breath, praise the Lord."

Musicians have breath.

And God certainly approves of praising the Lord with Musical instruments...

"
Psalm 150


1 Praise the LORD. [a]
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD."

Do you approve of "praising the Lord" with music, as long as the gospel isnt included?

And for the record, most contemporary groups that I have seen share the gospel with words during the time in between songs.

God bless,

Mike

 

[menageriekeeper]

Hmmm, another thread with someone nitpicking what might be sin instead of worrying about what IS a sin.

Let me just say: Christian rock/rap, bleck. CC and Southern gospel are more to my taste.

Now let me say this:

Isa 55:11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

If the Word is going out, the form it takes is less important than the result it will bring and the results are NOT our responsiblity.

 

[rbell]

Under the NT, the music commanded through the apostle Paul must be able to teach and admonish (Col 3:16) as we speak to one another (Eph 5:19). There is simply no musical instrument but the voice that can do this.

Sorry...incorrect interpretation (your interpretation is sounding mighty Church of Christ-ish).

If you're going to be consistent, then no singing at all would have to be your practice...because singing isn't mentioned. It says nothing about "singing," so thus by your logic, we can't do it.

 

[rbell]

I didn't mean to include every musician either. But the scriptures do not authorize preaching the gospel through music.

I would agree that many "Christian" artists are very sincere in what they're doing, in that they have a desire for people to be saved and hope that what they're doing will help make that happen.

But sincerity is not enough on it's own. We must worship in spirit (sincerely) and in truth (according to God's word).

I could be sincere in my plea that people offer an animal sacrifice to atone for their sins, but it would be for nought because the New Testament does not authorize the offering of animal sacrifices to deal with sins.

Again, I did not intend to imply that all religious musicians and songwriters are only in it for the money. Lots are, but not all. My point, however poorly made, was that music (of any style) is not the way that God has authorized to spread the gospel. Preaching is.

Is preaching central to worship? You bet. Is it an essential way to communicate the Gospel? Yup. Is it the only way, e. g., is God limited to it? Nope. See Romans 1:

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

If God can reveal Himself through creation, then that in and of itself takes us beyond the spoken word.

 

[Sgt. Fury]

Creation is sufficient evidence to prove that God is, but we cannot learn how to be saved from nature. Only the word of God can tell us that.