Differences in Christian music

[Feldew]

Alright, I've been told before that some music is more Christian--in its purest definition of Christ-like--than others. Some bands that actually take parts from the bible and such and are purely worship, and others that are basically just about God. I suppose these two would be examples of what I've heard:

YouTube - ‪Days of Elijah (Worship Video w/ Lyrics) HD‬‏

YouTube - ‪MeWithoutYou - Paper-Hanger‬‏

The first as an example of worship--more Christian I suppose, and the second just as a song that's about God but not actual worship.

Where do you draw the line between music about God and music that's truly worship to Him?

 

[Free]

I'm just curious as to why you want to draw a line.

 

[Feldew]

Because it's more important to worship and praise God in song than it is to listen to music that sort of alludes to God. Just like it's more important to go out and harvest wheat than to think about doing it.

 

[Free]

Because it's more important to worship and praise God in song than it is to listen to music that sort of alludes to God. Just like it's more important to go out and harvest wheat than to think about doing it.

I draw the first line at bands or artists that don't mention God at all in their biography, wherever that may be. Then I draw a line at those professing to be Christian but don't mention God or allude to him in their lyrics.

Other than that, I don't separate worship music from other genres of Christian music, since worship music is just that, a genre. Actually, I don't care for a lot of the new worship music out there as it really became the "it" thing to do for many musicians in the last several years. It seems to me to be about money and not truly about worship.

Whereas other genres of Christian music often deal directly with life as we experience it as Christians. Some have very strong lyrics and some not so much. For me it matters that they profess Christ and that it is obvious in their lyrics.

 

[Mark62]

I have a few issues with Christian music and trying to divide them into worship and other and giving one more Christian "cred" is in my view a pointless exercise.

I come from a church where there is a lot of focus on the words. Some songs are not permitted because of either theological issues with lyrics or not being God focussed enough. With this kind of thing in mind, a lot of more contemporary Christian songwrters are choosing to use actual Bible verses as lyrics. Laudable on one hand but very hard to sing for the average John Doe in the pews who cant scan the half the words of verse 2 easily.

The structure of these sort of lyrics have roots in more recent rock music where rhyme & rythm have left lyrics altogether with lyric sheets looking more like a conversation or newspaper article than a musical poem (eg Matchbox20, Incubus).

Whatever happened to the Charles Wesley school of Christian lyrics?

I tend to put Christian music into two categories: Music I enjoy listening to and music that I would want played in my church.

It doesn't doesnt matter if it's songs about the sinful human condiiton from a Christian perspective (Switchfoot's Mess of Me) or a beautiful song of thanksgiving and prayer (Aaron Keyes' Psalm 62), both are equally laudable if they help any of us in daily walk.

 

[Free]

I have a few issues with Christian music and trying to divide them into worship and other and giving one more Christian "cred" is in my view a pointless exercise.

I come from a church where there is a lot of focus on the words. Some songs are not permitted because of either theological issues with lyrics or not being God focussed enough. With this kind of thing in mind, a lot of more contemporary Christian songwrters are choosing to use actual Bible verses as lyrics. Laudable on one hand but very hard to sing for the average John Doe in the pews who cant scan the half the words of verse 2 easily.

The structure of these sort of lyrics have roots in more recent rock music where rhyme & rythm have left lyrics altogether with lyric sheets looking more like a conversation or newspaper article than a musical poem (eg Matchbox20, Incubus).

Whatever happened to the Charles Wesley school of Christian lyrics?

I tend to put Christian music into two categories: Music I enjoy listening to and music that I would want played in my church.

It doesn't doesnt matter if it's songs about the sinful human condiiton from a Christian perspective (Switchfoot's Mess of Me) or a beautiful song of thanksgiving and prayer (Aaron Keyes' Psalm 62), both are equally laudable if they help any of us in daily walk.

Well put.

 

[Classik]

Because it's more important to worship and praise God in song than it is to listen to music that sort of alludes to God. Just like it's more important to go out and harvest wheat than to think about doing it.

Lol! I go with that.

 

[Feldew]

It doesn't doesnt matter if it's songs about the sinful human condiiton from a Christian perspective (Switchfoot's Mess of Me) or a beautiful song of thanksgiving and prayer (Aaron Keyes' Psalm 62), both are equally laudable if they help any of us in daily walk.

That's a really good point. Thank you. :3

 

[Vic C.]

I have a few issues with Christian music and trying to divide them into worship and other and giving one more Christian "cred" is in my view a pointless exercise.

I come from a church where there is a lot of focus on the words. Some songs are not permitted because of either theological issues with lyrics or not being God focussed enough. With this kind of thing in mind, a lot of more contemporary Christian songwrters are choosing to use actual Bible verses as lyrics. Laudable on one hand but very hard to sing for the average John Doe in the pews who cant scan the half the words of verse 2 easily.

The structure of these sort of lyrics have roots in more recent rock music where rhyme & rythm have left lyrics altogether with lyric sheets looking more like a conversation or newspaper article than a musical poem (eg Matchbox20, Incubus).

Whatever happened to the Charles Wesley school of Christian lyrics?

I tend to put Christian music into two categories: Music I enjoy listening to and music that I would want played in my church.

It doesn't matter if it's songs about the sinful human condiiton from a Christian perspective (Switchfoot's Mess of Me) or a beautiful song of thanksgiving and prayer (Aaron Keyes' Psalm 62), both are equally laudable if they help any of us in daily walk.

Aah, a man after my own heart! Unfortunately, today's churches (some anyway) lean towards the seeker friendly approach in an attempt to attract a younger membership.

I say, let God do the drawing and let us present the new members with good ol' solid Hymns and worship songs. What I've noticed is, when I do the choosing for a particular Sunday and I choose Southern and Country Gospel songs like, Are you Washed in the Blood, I'll Fly Away, Bless That Wonderful Name, Soon and Very Soon, etc., the entire congregation (even the children) is very reactive, in a positive way. When some more contemporary songs are played, it looks and sounds more like a concert, with the younger people singing and the older people just sort of in a dead gaze.

Not good. I say let the newer, younger people get to know the Real Stuff.