Christian Music: From the Pews to Pop

by Megan Flynn

Some people say that worship songs should not be rapped or danced to in concerts, but instead stay within the walls of a church, quietly soothing us once a week. I disagree with this. As Christians, we are called to bring our faith into the world today. There's no better way to do this than through music! Psalm 147:1 says, "How good to celebrate God in song, how sweet to give fitting praise."

I’m sure you have heard a few Christian songs that you've found yourself dancing to or singing along with. When you heard this song, were you embarrassed to tell people that you actually enjoyed a spiritual song? I don’t know many people that openly admit they like Christian music and listen to it often, but I’m sure I’m not the only one. The music is written to make young (and old) believers get involved and sing for their Lord. The lyrics of the songs are sometimes repetitive, but if you listen to a local pop station, all of the songs are just as repetitive, so this isn’t a valid argument against Christian music. The repetition helps the listener have a constant in their life and helps them remember the lyrics to all songs that are similar. The purpose of Christian music is to remind you to bring Christ into your life daily; so if you remember the most important line of a song (that the artist probably repeated at least five times in two minutes), then it is successful.

The youth is the future of the church. So many ideas are aimed at us, but why through song? Many of us turn to music to improve our mood. It helps us understand ourselves and those around us. We actually listen to at least five hours of music in one day; that’s more time than most of us spend in conversation. So, we learn more about the world and the people in it through music than through any other source. If someone believes that Jesus Christ is our true savior, then why not reach us in a way that we are already familiar with? Many artist such as Toby Mac, For King and Country, Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, have broken the barrier between Christian and pop music, making it appeal to all people. All of these artists project their music differently, so the first song you listen to may not be your favorite. If you keep listening you will realize that there is a lot more to this genre than most people think. If you're a follower of Christ, give the music a try; you'll probably like it!

Check out another blog over modern worship music here