1. It's not a new issue. Christians have argued about music for a long time. The following have all had those who oppose them in Christian History:
-Singing Harmony
-Singing polyphony
-Organs
-Any instruments
-Any songs that are not scriptures (ie, Hymns)
-Any recorded music at all
-Any music with an emphasis on beats 2 & 4
2. There has always been a spectrum of those who feel that we should be as different from the world as possible, and those who feel we should use whatever method the world will most recognize as a "hook" to attract people. (these are not the only 2 positions).
3. Many will use the verse: "Abstain from every form/appearance of evil." to say we should not do anything that might be percieved as worldy. However, even if you reject that the word is better translated form...The verse simply CANNOT MEAN: "Don't do anything that anybody anywhere might think looks like a sin." ...because that's impossible...Case in point: My previous pastor thought preachers should only preach in a suit, tie, and WHITE shirt.
4. You may not be able to figure out where the idea that guitars, drums, and back-beats make evil music, but the answer comes simply with a stalwart belief in the sufficiency of scripture...quite simply, that God gave us a large book that warns us of many sins...and it says absolutely nothing about forbidding certain types of music. I have no right to come up with more sins that God didn't see fit to speak of...Pants on women, using playing cards, preaching without a tie, playing a drum set, etc.
5. You should be patient with those who feel this way, and use wisdom if you are the one choosing music for your church. BUT, as I said above, I don't think the weaker brother principle means you can never do anything that anyone thinks is a sin, becuase frankly, some people have really wierd ideas about what is a sin.
6. Even a secular artist such as the Beatles or Jimmy Hendrix, when they write a beautiful song, or play a beautiful guitar solo, are expressing their creativity and the image of God, and can be appreciated as such. Wisdom must be used to determine what kinds of secular music you can listen to without soaking your mind with immoral messages from the lyrics.