Should We Play Christian Rock?

         Christian and rock music? does it belong in the same sentence?

                       (So, I asked myself))

How could young people blaspheme something as sacred and beautiful as Christian music? God must be very angry and he will surely punish these transgressors.

The hymns we sing on Sunday do not sound anything like rock music. Hymns were written to praise and worship our God and to honor our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, not to dress weird, have strange hair, and jump around and scream out on a stage. And what about all those young people doing the same thing out in the audience? It’s disgraceful.

Raised In The 60’s

So, this is what some old timers think. I know this because (Psst, I’m one of them now). Yep, it’s hard to swallow, me who grew up in the 60’s, me who loves the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Elvis, me who played bass guitar in a rock group and was banished from playing at school functions and some local clubs in Memphis because we were too loud!! However, we were not playing hymns.

Since becoming a Christian several years ago, friends have tried to introduce me to the newer “contemporary” Christian music. I resisted because I didn’t like change (like I said I’m one of them now) but I have been watching many faith-based movies recently which contain some of the newer Christian songs and I had been warming up to the idea a little bit.

Trying To Be More Active

About four years ago I began exercising and eating better. (Bear with me please). It does tie in with the music. I can’t run or jog, but by the grace of God, I have enjoyed walking long distances and even competing in several speed walking events. Walking almost every day back then, I discovered (from a real live track coach) that pacing is one of the most important aspects of running or speed walking. I found his information to be incredibly useful and I use music to accomplish that steady pace. (See we are back to music) I found 130 BPM music to be my best pace (130 beats/steps per minute) but many of the 130 BPM workout/running songs, with names such as “Hot Stuff”, “Bad Girls”, and so on are…well… just not Christian, but recently I discovered “Christian Rock” workout music and better yet found 130 BPM Christian running music!!

So, all this got me thinking. Thinking is what used to get me in trouble, but now my thinking also involves prayer and prayer keeps me out of trouble. I began thinking because at this point I was confused on this music issue. Maybe some guidance was needed, and guess what? I am almost always guided to the Word. The Bible contains all the answers.

Believe It or Not, The Bible Is full of Music and Dancing

Did you know there are dozens of verses in the Bible pertaining to music and dancing? I didn’t realize there were so many and this is just my own limited research (the following verses contain these phrases): Psalms 33:1-3: sing for joy, sing to him a new song, play skillfully. Psalms 81:1-2 Shout joyfully strike the timbrel. Isiah 49: 13 Shout for joy break forth into joyful shouting! 1 Chronicles 15: 27-28 With the singers-with sound of the horn, with trumpets, with loud sounding symbols, with harps and lyres. 2 Samuel 6:14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, Psalm 149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel (drum/tambourine) and harp.

That was just a sample. I was swept away by all the music and celebration in our Bible and it was all glory to God. My mental picture of David dancing with “all his might” reminds me of the saying: “dance as if nobody’s watching” and with David wearing the white linen, maybe even… John Travolta. These Christians were having a great time and they were doing it with the loudest instruments and liveliest dances of the day.

I think most people have common sense and if you are a Christian, you know God would not approve of satanic, filthy, or disrespectful lyrics no matter what the music type.

Music Is Universal Communication

Some music is timeless, and some music is generational. There is a long history of reaching young people through music. Just as there were new Christian singers and bands (back in my day) there are new ones today and it seems to me, somewhat of an explosion of Christian music and Christian rock bands right now.

So, what is the verdict? Is Christian Rock good or bad? First, it never ceases to amaze me how God guides me. It doesn’t surprise me, it amazes me. The Holy Spirit steers me to righteous answers and the righteous answer here is that God wants us to sing praises, dance, and play music unto him. There were no rules as to what instruments, what music tempo, what style music, or how to dress. If the music or dance you love praises God, then I believe God loves it too.