Why is Worldly music(not lyrics) so much better than Christian music?

Hi ALL
I am going to be blunt here and wonder why worldly music on the whole is so much better than Christian music.Music written for worldly songs is much better than music for Christian songs.God obviously likes the music that honours him,that's not in question or his opinion on worldly music.
I have been thinking about it and wonder is it that we have such a narrow subject matter or is it that the world has such a higher amount of musicians.Is it that the world has more full time musicians?
Yours Staff

I think it depends on the Gospel Artists you are listening to... I listen to a Gospel Artist name: Sinach ...she has many anointed beautiful songs that are far better than any worldly music...http://youtu.be/yZeO_8n1lpM... her name is Sinach.

Glory!

pq*

Thanks for that i will check that out,
I guess I mean as whole the worldly music is catchier,varied etc
staff

Hi,
I had a listen to Sinach and the songs are beautiful and I will listen some more thanks.
But what I mean I guess if I compare the music of lets say Abba it is better than that music,if you see what I mean,
Staff

Hey Staff--

I love this question and hopefully it will bring some good discussion.

I can't tell you how many times I have remarked: "Can you imagine if ________________________ (insert band here) wrote and performed worship music?"

I think there are some decent Christian artists but you are correct- what they play on mainstream Christian radio sounds pretty similar and also sounds a lot like mainstream light country or pop music. Not much cutting edge stuff there-- all is very derivative.

U2 has come close to writing worship music (Gloria, Where the Streets have no name")

This may be a tad controversial but oh well- I think Christian bands want to make money and the christian music record companies want music that will be listened to on christian radio stations. so artists conform to a certain style which results in everyone sounding similar. think top 40 pop radio (gag).

I am not sure if there is an "indie" christian music scene; there may be but I really don't know anything about it if there is.

there is an indie gospel channel on itunes.
I am not sure that secular music is that much better. There are many talented artists in both arenas. Greg Volz and Petra, Darrell Mansfield, Glenn Keiser, Phil Keaggy, etc. are all very talented and have done some great music. Delerious was, in my opinion, very good if you like that U2 flavor. Talent is not limited to believers or vice versa. There are many very talented secular artists. I just don't like feeding myself on the message behind their music.

Let me post another question that has the same answer as this one.
There are politicians like Presidential candidates who speak very powerfully that by the end of their speech the people listening get stirred up shouting slogans. For example when Obama was doing his initial electoral speech, the listeners shout the slogans something like 'we can do it'. Why is such result not found when a pastor speaks in church? May be we should ask politicians to deliver Church sermons as well so that people will get stirred up.

The answer is simple. The Politicians do this to emotionally stir up people for self glory. All they want is your vote. It is like casting an emotional spell. But in a Church service we need a spiritual worship and not an emotional one. There are pastors who try to kindle emotional fire in hearers. But such fires rarely produce fruits. Jesus said there comes a time when True believers will worship in Spirit and truth. The problem is more than 90% of today's so called believers do not experience true Spirit and hence they cannot differentiate emotion from Spirit.

Same is the case with worldly music. The purpose of such music is to emotionally touch you. For example a romantic music might encourage your romantic feel and make you show love to a women or man (Who might even be your spouse). But it cannot produce a devine love that will love your spouse even when he/she is angry at you or when they are sick etc. You need a devine love in this case. So worldly music has its place where emotions are valued. In Christian music the importance should be to lyrics because a lyric can only bring reverence to God. Music is to glorify the lyric and not viceversa.

Let worldly music take its emotional route and Christian music take the spiritual way. Let there be no mix. Sadly it will not be a case at all places.

Hi Twayneb,
Can their be a message without words?Is it that we are limited to reverential music? and the world does not have to be?
Staff

Hi Sree,
I think your right that the soul purpose of the world is to effect our emotions.However if you take the music of the song "their is a redeemer" by Keith Green has an emotional content as well.Is it also true if we are limited to spiritual music that we are just limited to reverential music and their is just so much reverential music their can be,so we seem to be replaying the same thing over n over with a limited variety,
Yours Staff

Hey Sree--

Popular Christian music today is designed to stir the emotions. This is absolutely the case.

Now, at its best, this is emotion toward God- worship, reverence etc. But music is designed to bring an emotional response- doesn't matter if it is classical, rock and roll or gospel music. That is what music does. There is a danger in stirring up emotions only-- which is why men like Art Katz warn about the "hyping up" or "amping up" a church service.

I started a discussion on another forum quite a long time ago called "secular songs that seem devotional."

I listen to a lot of music w/o lyrics that to me, stirs feelings of worship and adoration. I don't think that a musician has to be a Christian for this to be the case because all good things come from above.

Listen to "An Ending (Ascent)" by Brian Eno on youtube and you will get a sense of what I mean.

I guess it depends on whether by the term reverential you are referring to a particular stylistic genre of music. There was a time when the church rejected Watts hymns as too great a departure from the great hymns of the faith. It is possible, I guess, for there too be a sort of anointing of one type or another on a particular artist's music. But it is impossible to determine that a particular music style is either Godly or worldly. By analogy, suppose we took that stance where painting is concerned. suppose we deemed pointalism worldly because our is really just a lot of dots on the page and by viewing it very closely one could not make head or tails of the picture. Yet we viewers photo realism as Godly because the details of the picture are maintained regardless of vantage point. We don't view current visual art styles as good or evil, but we do judge the content of the artists work and the motive behind his work as good or evil.

If by reverential we mean that which glorifies God, independent of style, then why should Christian music be any worse. I contend that the reason why the world doors not like Christian music is the object of the music, bringing glory to God.

music by its very nature is emotional, no matter the style.

music by its very nature is emotional, no matter the style.

Agreed. The point that I was trying to make is to keep music in check so that we do not take the total emotional route that the worldy music has taken. To me in a Christian song music is only to glorify the lyric, to add some effect to the lyric but not to dominate the lyric or add a different emotion to it.

My conclusion is wordly music has its own purpose and Christian music has its own. There is no need to compare one another. There is no need for Christian music to be influenced by world. But unforturnately it cannot be prevented.

I think the very nature and intent of worldy music is to put a spell on its hearers ,it comes from the flesh and is designed by satan ,the prince and power of the air to deceive and manipulate and provoke the flesh ,and cause addiction,

a douctumentry worth watching called they sold there souls for rock and role is worth the watching ,I think it took 20 years to compile and speaks of the satanic nature of music iv only seen part 1 and part 4 ,,has a good gospel message woven in to the movie

much bible is quoted in this film and constant references as seen through the film ,and many testamonys from stanists and musician's reveal the power behind sound of music

blessings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoBfpP4pMRk

staff wrote:
I am going to be blunt here and wonder why worldly music on the whole is so much better than Christian music.Music written for worldly songs is much better than music for Christian songs.God obviously likes the music that honours him,that's not in question or his opinion on worldly music.
I have been thinking about it and wonder is it that we have such a narrow subject matter or is it that the world has such a higher amount of musicians.Is it that the world has more full time musicians?

I don't have a clue and do not know if I can answer your questions but I've wondered this as well b/c my oldest son is a musician and if the Christian music might actually have challenged him, he might have been interested in playing it when he was younger and played in a church band.

I know, I know that the christian songs are NOT about the music but about Christ but to musicians before they are converted... IT IS about the music!!!

My son (23) plays upright bass / bass guitar and has for 10 years and musically he has no respect for christian music whatsoever; he says he can walk into any church, listen for a minute and play any song because they only have 3 or 4 chords (for bass).

I know Christ can reach down and convert anyone, it doesn't take music but that wasn't the question that staff asked and I was trying to give a perspective from my experience.

God bless you brother!
Lisa

I removed this song lyrics because as Staff said this thread wasn't about lyrics but about music.

God bless,
Lisa

Okay, let's pause and think about this BIBLICALLY.

When someone says that WORLDLY music is better than CHRISTIAN music, that raises serious concerns. What is that person looking for exactly?

If you are looking for something that will simply stir up the emotions, then go to a U2 concern, or an Opera performance, or a concert under the direction of André Rieu.

On the other hand, the Bible tells us what should be the purpose of CHRISTIAN music, that is, in a WORSHIP context: Colossians 3:16 - LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY... Do you see? The purpose of singing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs in worship is to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly, the same purpose than teaching and admonishing one another. But, notice how it should not remain at the superficial level; it should go to the heart.

So, if your concern is to let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, then your primary concern will be about the words being used, and the focus (mind, heart, and emotions) of the entire experience.

You can have really good words, but a "worship leader" that takes the attention away from Christ to himself.

So, who cares what is the style of the song, or the level of performance, or the flashy gadgets... You REALLY SHOULDN'T CARE about that.
RATHER, you should care more about LETTING THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY. That should be the standard whereby you JUDGE whether the song was good or not (at least, in the context of WORSHIP).

I pray that God would glorify His Name by bringing the focus of worship back to His Son, Jesus Christ.

In Christ,
Renoncer

twayneb wrote:

"I contend that the reason why the world doors not like Christian music is the object of the music, bringing glory to God."

the world does like some christian music-- "hanging by a moment" by Lifehouse and "I can only imagine" by mercyme were cross-over hits between christian and secular radio. I also think that part of the reason is that these songs were both pretty good.

But it is also true that both songs could be construed as "love songs" and not only as worship songs.

So, who cares what is the style of the song, or the level of performance…

I am posting some lyrics written by a highschool student as part of her music course requirement. On my request she performed her song for me.

As you read these lyrics are you more concerned about the song's acceptability than the girl's heart cry? Do you find yourself weeping for her and the multitude of youth she represents, or are you standing back like the older brother in Rembrandt's painting of the Prodigal son - tall and rigid, unfeeling, condemning, and emotionally distant. Music is not just about moral correctness but about what its creator is trying to express through the medium of music.

By the way, this is a top student, the kind of teen any parent would crave to have. But look what's under the smiling exterior. How would we have known?

I'm just a package of things
Tied up with intentions
Excuses and dreams
Filling up my dimensions

Hard work and defeat
Width by length by height
I've been squaring my seams
Trying to get it right

Ship me off
Send me somewhere
Send me home
Send me anywhere
'Cause I've been
Searching
For Somewhere
For Anywhere

I'm just a package of things
put me on a plane
It's the only way
to keep me sane

Ship me off
Send me somewhere
Send me home
Send me anywhere
'Cause I've been
Searching
For Somewhere
For Anywhere

Ship me off
Send me somewhere
Send me home
Send me anywhere
Send me home
Send me anywhere