“And Lord, help us to focus on our eyes on that which honors you, to turn away from all that offends your name.  Amen.”

As the youth pastor finished his prayer, he put out the challenge to hundred or so young men and women gathered around the campfire.  “The time has come to get rid of all that is distracting you from going after God with all of your heart.  No more fooling around with secular math books and math teachers.  It’s time to take a stand for Jesus.  I want everyone to gather your secular math books and meet me down by the lake.”

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Christian music must die.
 
Last week I made the above statement, which may have been shocking or puzzling to you.  My point was not that Christians need to stop making music, but that the concept known as “Christian music” needs to die, that the sacred/secular divide that has been created between “Christian” artists and “secular” artists is artificial and not Biblical and needs to be destroyed.  I argued that instead we should heed the words of Paul, who wrote in Philippians 4:8 – “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable– if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.”  I believe we should celebrate truth and beauty wherever we find it, whether or not it comes from someone who calls themselves a Christian, and be wary of those things which subtract from your life or lead you away from the truth.

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Christian music must die. 

“What’s that?” you say.  “Isn’t Christian music more popular than ever, selling more CD’s then ever, having a greater impact on the secular music scene?”

All that may be true, but I still believe that the time has come for Christian music to die.

“But what about Carman?”

Like I said…

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This past weekend, a new movie came out based on the birth of Jesus called The Nativity Story.  Perhaps you’ve read some reviews of it in the paper or on-line – the response seems mixed, with some hailing its authenticity and how deftly it handles such a well-known story, while others criticize it for having all the substance and excitement of a Hallmark card.  So what do I think?  I just can’t believe it took someone 2 ½ years after The Passion of the Christ to put out another Biblical movie!

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