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I have heard some music of what people today are calling Christian and I am not here to preach on that for if you can’t see or hear the difference then probably nothing will change your mind except a mighty work of grace. Plus, as someone pointed out to me earlier it is none of my business what you listen to anyway. With that said I’d like to ask a question. Take 10 of the most popular modern Christian groups out there and try this experiment.

Pretend you are at the concert waiting for your favorite group to appear and when they appear the personnel line changed a bit without any warning. Instead of the regular musicians they changed. Here is the new lineup:
Lead Vocals - Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
Guitar – the apostle Paul
Drums – the apostle Peter
Keyboards – the apostle that Jesus loved – John
Bass – the apostle James
Backup vocals – Mary and Martha

(Again, this is hypothetical and I would believe the above would not do this anyway but for the sake of the experiment….)

Now, the music cranks up – the group is up there jumping around, waving their arms, and belting it out or however contemporary Christian musicians do these days – Now the question is this: How do you feel at this time as you are watching – are you embarrassed seeing those saints and the God of the universe up there dong that? Now, be honest, it would have to hurt. If you feel comfortable participating in this and see no shame in this performance then fine, that’s between you and God. I, for one, would be saddened and shocked for I couldn’t see the above saints doing such a thing. I could see them singing a hymn together (they did by the way) or even a quietly done, sober-mindedly done, “Amazing Grace” or “When I Surveyed the Wondrous Cross”, etc. But to see them play some of this modern music – I’m sorry – can’t see it. When the persecution starts and the real believers are in the jails after being tortured for their faith the songs that will get them through will not be from POD or the likes – it will be the hymns of old.

Am I saying all modern Christian music is bad – of course not…but you know which ones I am referring to here – don’t try to kid me I played that stuff for 12 years before God saved me.

The point? If you can’t see them singing those types of songs then should you be listening to those types of songs?

May God bless  ;)

King David danced around naked.
Not exactly the way I'd want to praise God, nor would I want to witness that, but it worked for him.

The reason why the old hymns will bring people comfort is because they are familiar to them.

I love groups like Audio Adrenaline, Newboys or- one of my all time favorites- Petra. I also love the hymns such as Majesty, Amazing Grace and my favorite song (hymn or otherwise) is How Great Thou Art.

Wow, Petra?  That's old school.

Yeah, but Petra still means rock!

I see your point but you also have to think about time frames. People had different ways to worship in different times. Obviously it would look funny to see older men in robes jumping around to the beat of a modern christian band. But it realy doesn't matter how you worship as long as your hearts into it and your praising God. I like modern bands but I also love the old hyms it just all depends on how you like to worship.

I would hide my face in shame if that concert came to be, Av!


Well, here's a 15 year old's honest opinion, straight from her heart....

I like the NewsBoys and Audio Adrenaline. They are FUN to listen to, and to dance to, and to walk to, but they don't, for the majority of their songs, belong in church.
And, I must admit, some of their songs are slightly disturbing to me.

I USED to like ReliantK...THEN, this last Sunday, in the teen church building, I saw a disgusting, revolting, OFFENDING music video, by ReliantK.

How these boys can pretend to label their music vidoes Christian is beyond me.

It was set in a nursing home, and when it first started, I thought "Well, it's a band, doing a performance in a nursing home. That's pretty nice."

Then it got sick.
A old man pretended to have a heart attack, and one of the band members pretended to give him CPR, and he hopped up all happy and jumpy...
It showed nurses trying to feed old, sick people, and them refusing in the first part, then the same old, sick people mosh-pitting at the end...
At first the old people just sat on the couches listlessly listening to the mind-jarring rock, then started bobbing back and forth, then started hobbling up to throng around the band..
As she was coming up, a shaking old woman with a walker stepped in a bedpan full of liquid...
The fake heart attack man bit the lead singer on the knee, leaving his dentures in...
An old woman was kissing one of the band members on the cheek...
The old people grabbing at the guitar...
Then they began mosh-pitting, passing the band members on their hands...
Some teenagers might find this funny, but I was on the verge of tears.


It was SICK, and it was PERVERSE.

What angered me the most was that these old people weren't just old. They were infirm, like the people at my grandpa's nursing home.
And at my church's youth building, it was played twice.
And it was by the 'Christian' band ReliantK.

Now, let me go to the hymns...

When I sing a praise chorus, I'm left tired, disgusted, and frustrated.

When I sing a hymn, I FEEL straight and strong like a towering cedar, I feel strength seep into my spiritual muscles. I leave off singing refreshed, strengthened, renewed, and satisfied.

AV, I cannot see Jesus or ANY of the Apostles singing modern Christian rock. And the day they start singing a rock song in church for the worship service, is the day I STOP singing there.
(Goodness! Lately I get started ranting, and I keep going, and going, and going and...)

Well, to each his own...

Love ya all,

)Me(

I happen to disagree with people who call certain rock music "christian" music. I think the song itself is not christian at all, just the rock band is christian influenced or say they are christian. Bands like Kutless or POD, call themselves christians (and they are), but they do not write songs you would praise God with.

"Christian" music is a vague and misunderstood label. A better definition is music that PRAISES God as opposed to modern rock music with christian influences. The "christian" music the topic is refering to are songs WE enjoy and not necessarily something God would enjoy. They may have christian influences but they are not meant to be played in church for WORSHIP. Songs sung in church are for God, not us.

Sometimes I see churches with more of a rock band rather than a christian band. People may be raising their hands up, jumping up and down, and singing their lungs out; but the lyrics may have no words of praise to God. They may believe they are praising God, but they are just pleasing themselves. When we sing, we sing to God.

I thought:
Praise music is singing ABOUT God.
Worship music is singing TO God.

 ???

I see what you're saying, but I dont think it should be that confusing...
When you praise God with music you worship God. Im not sure how praise music and worship music would be different in that case. Maybe they are labels. The most important thing though is what we sing to God. The question is: is God pleased with this worship?

Maybe praise music is a label for music ABOUT God. But is it worthy to praise God with? Not always. I dont think it should be stated that way: Praise music is singing about God / Worship music is singing to God.
I think its better to say: Worship music (or music we worship God with) is praise music; these are songs about and sung to God. /in contrast, music about God may be about God but not fit to be sung to(worship or praise) God.