They Said What?

Music has always been a big part of my life.  I often wonder why God chose not to bless me with any musical talent.  But those of us who can't rock still like to listen!  Let me take you down memory lane today, to a time when I was still sporting the mullet, L.A Gear, and some Bugle Boy Jeans.  Petra "Beyond Belief" was the greatest christian rock  you could get on cassette, and I had the chance to go see them in concert at a youth event. 

I had been riding my bike with the neighbor hood gang, telling them about how "rad" this was going to be and to my surprise none of them even knew who Petra was.  Some of you youngsters are thinking that right now.  Christian Rock was just starting to gain some ground in the music industry, and Petra was leading the way.  Some of the best guitar solo's you ever heard from the legendary Bob Hartman.  John Schlitt on lead vocals had a sound all of his own, Louie Weever and his Micky Mouse shirts on the drums, Ronny Cates on bass, and John Lawry on the keys, bringing some crazy techno sounds.

I said follow me to my fellow Huffy bikers and we rode as fast as we could to my house.  I quickly found my favorite Petra tape dropped in the stereo and cranked it.  They were blown away that a christian group could rock so hard.  A great chance to outreach to my un-saved friends through screaming guitars and powerful lyrics!

Lately I hear a disturbing trend in christian rock.  I still hear the screaming guitars, but it is hard to find the powerful lyrics.  The trend to tone down the message is taking over the industry, like the Swine Flu is hitting our schools.  An infectious disease that carries the power to kill, what so many have worked so hard to obtain.  Bands like Petra, Whitecross, and D.C. Talk paved the way for christian artist today.  They faced hatred, from Christians who thought there music was "of the devil" in order to spread the gospel to an unreached generation.  


For these legends of rock and hip hop it was all about the lyrics, it was all about the message.  The guitars and sweet drum beats where just the tool to get the message out.  There are some great bands today, some great lyrics.  However I listen to many songs and I find myself trying to make up a godly message when really I don't think there is one.

Let's not give in to the trend of following cool.  The idea that if we tame the lyrics down we won't offend.  These thoughts do NO good.  We have to stick to the message!  The Gospel!

Romans 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."