On Christian Music

I have been an avid listener to what is known as contemporary Christian music (CCM) for about 18 years. I have worked in the industry now for 6 years, albeit on a part-time basis. As an encouragement and faith-strengthening device for the person who has already made Jesus Christ the center of their life, CCM is very effective. As an outreach to the unchurched and non-Christian, I would say that CCM is only moderately effective. Don't get me wrong, I know of many people who have attended a CCM concert or event who accepted Christ on the basis of what they experienced, however I would say that would be the exception rather than the rule. The vast majority of people park their radio on a CCM frequency only after they become a Christ-follower.

A very high percentage of the songs are aimed at encouraging and uplifting the believer in some facet of the Christian walk. Several years ago, however, a band came along and "threw down the gauntlet." They went a slightly different direction with their lyrics. With their very first release, Casting Crowns posed a very pointed question, "If we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching-- why aren't His hands healing-- why aren't His words teaching...?" The song was their first in a long and ever growing line of hits. But the song strikes a powerful blow at the church, an institution that has, in many respects, become stagnant. I say that as an "insider." When we are really honest with ourselves many of our churches have adopted more of a country club mentality rather than a biblical, body of Christ mentality.

Casting Crowns followed up with several others such as, What If His People Prayed and Does Anybody Hear Her. When you consider the previous assertions that Christ-followers are the ones listening to CCM, in my view, we need more songs which shake us to our core and challenge us to once again be the kind of church that Christ would be proud to call His own.

For this reason, I am very excited about the fact that next Tuesday, August 28, the latest Casting Crowns album hits the shelves. It is entitled, The Altar And The Door. The album addresses the challenge of taking the things that go on inside the church, at the altar, and translating that to a lost world when we walk out the door. Now I am not stumping for Casting Crowns, nor am I getting any kickbacks (although I may check and see if I can work that out;). I would be plugging any group that understands the precarious position of the church of today, and has the guts to address the issues in song.

You can check out a preview of the album by viewing the movie below. Enjoy and God bless you today.