Gospel Artists Collaborating with Secular Artists...Thoughts?

[Handmaid for Jesus]

OK - I will give you 2 scenarios:

1 - On "Lady Madonna" and "Get Back" the Beatles brought in Gospel Keybordist Billy Preston. Preston also recorded and toured with the Rolling Stones.

Preston was a secular artist before he became a gospel artist, and he collaborated with many legendary secular artists. Somewhere along the way, he met Lord Jesus before he died. From my perspective, that is a good thing.He was secular when he collabed with the Beatles.

2 - on his 2nd solo album "Love Broke Through," Gospel guitarist Phil Keaggy brought in secular bassist Klaus Voorman and secular keyboardist Larry Knectell.

Your comments?

Praise the Lord!

 

[faroukfarouk]

Gospel artists collaborating with a secular artist is nothing new, but in light of seeing mainstream gospel artists such as Tasha Cobbs and Fred Hammond, who are doing collabs with secular artist have raise a concern of where in music we draw the line.

I understand that people have to may move to broaden the base and generate income to support things, but does this compromise with our ministry? Are we to support it or to have discernment?

I think that art could be here defined in its broadest sense, really.

Sometimes art is part of a ministry. Sometimes it is part also of a business. A rock group may be both, for example.

I think what you're saying is that if a Christian rock musician feels himself/herself to be primarily ministerial rather than for profit, then s/he should join together with other Christians.

Maybe similar arguments could be made for Christians in other forms of art ministries which may also function as businesses. For example, Christian tattoo artists may want to consider carefully who they want to team up with, right? Do you think your expressed considerations can also apply more widely like this?

 

[salt-n-light]

I think that art could be here defined in its broadest sense, really.

Sometimes art is part of a ministry. Sometimes it is part also of a business. A rock group may be both, for example.

I think what you're saying is that if a Christian rock musician feels himself/herself to be primarily ministerial rather than for profit, then s/he should join together with other Christians.

I mean in general, we should be striving towards things that are not compromising our walk with Christ as Christians.Being a Christian means the lives we live is a ministry.Business can be hand in hand, but should never come above that.

Maybe similar arguments could be made for Christians in other forms of art ministries which may also function as businesses. For example, Christian tattoo artists may want to consider carefully who they want to team up with, right? Do you think your expressed considerations can also apply more widely like this?

I think it gets even broader than the tattoo artist scenario. Art is an outlet, a tool, and a way to express ministry. But art is not ministry. I've realized that through more of my studies of the word, and this insightful video of a sermon on the topic " Is music worship"? One of the things that I find even I do is place art as ministry, which puts too much emphasized in how the art is presented to others. But art is just a reflection of one's worship.

The scripture came to mind "....they that worship Him, must worship Him in Spirit and in truth"(John 4:24).So worship in its core really is the condition of the heart. It's personal. It's not there to please man, but it's us personally expressing gratitude and reverence to God.True ministry or true worship is intelligent and intentional. So the art from a Christian should just be a fruit of that. It's not a "let me do this art and put it out, and God will reach out to them", it's an intentional " This is how great my God is" that is backed up by your knowledge and relationship with God.

So just like marriage, who people form bonds with in their art is just as crucial. Art, if its true ministry, would reflect people that have the knowledge and relationship with God. That's my take.

Here's the video of the sermon:https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/80-428/is-music-worship

 

[faroukfarouk]

I mean in general, we should be striving towards things that are not compromising our walk with Christ as Christians.Being a Christian means the lives we live is a ministry.Business can be hand in hand, but should never come above that.



I think it gets even broader than the tattoo artist scenario. Art is an outlet, a tool, and a way to express ministry. But art is not ministry. I've realized that through more of my studies of the word, and this insightful video of a sermon on the topic " Is music worship"? One of the things that I find even I do is place art as ministry, which puts too much emphasized in how the art is presented to others. But art is just a reflection of one's worship.

The scripture came to mind "....they that worship Him, must worship Him in Spirit and in truth"(John 4:24).So worship in its core really is the condition of the heart. It's personal. It's not there to please man, but it's us personally expressing gratitude and reverence to God.True ministry or true worship is intelligent and intentional. So the art from a Christian should just be a fruit of that. It's not a "let me do this art and put it out, and God will reach out to them", it's an intentional " This is how great my God is" that is backed up by your knowledge and relationship with God.

So just like marriage, who people form bonds with in their art is just as crucial. That's my take.

Here's the video of the sermon:https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/80-428/is-music-worship

Yes, I do agree with your very thoughtful comments, I think. First and foremost, worship is Godward, and 'in Spirit and in truth'. It must be.

Art can also be testimony. It can also be God glorifying in testimony.

So maybe it can reach out beyond strict definitions.

For example, can you appreciate good, God glorifying lyrics? can you appreciate hard rock? If so, ministry from a Christian rock group can edify.

So for example, maybe these can sometimes be combined.

Again, for example, can a verse of Scripture or Christian fish symbol <>< be God glorifying testimony? Can you appreciate such testimony? If so, then one can understand how for some Christians a tattoo artist vocation can be meaningful.

(I guess there are a few logical developments and extrapolations there, which I hope seemingly link together reasonably?

You might or might not think so; different Christians might have varying impressions. But I agree that all worshipful activity needs to be founded in the Word and be 'in Spirt and in truth'.)

 

[faroukfarouk]

Preston was a secular artist before he became a gospel artist, and he collaborated with many legendary secular artists. Somewhere along the way, he met Lord Jesus before he died. From my perspective, that is a good thing.He was secular when he collabed with the Beatles.

Praise the Lord!

Some ppl would say that because he did some things with the Beatles, then anything else he did in music cannot be God glorifying in testimony.

Some ppl would say - for example - than any musician who uses hard or soft rock cannot be God glorifying in testimony.

Some ppl would say - again, for example - that, however much conviction goes into a faith related tattoo, anything that comes out of a tattoo parlor cannot be God glorifying in testimony.

(Maybe you can guess that I don't necessarily agree with theses lines and developments of thought.)

 

[salt-n-light]

Art can also be testimony. It can also be God glorifying in testimony.

So maybe it can reach out beyond strict definitions.

For example, can you appreciate good, God glorifying lyrics? can you appreciate hard rock? If so, ministry from a Christian rock group can edify.

So for example, maybe these can sometimes be combined.

Art is a form of testimony, which it would be testifying with the person's knowledge and relationship with God. The defining factors are not there to be strict, but to keep us in alignment to the Word.

So the example of Christian Rock group, the lyrics and music will evoke different things to different people. That's why some will like it, and some won't. Like me, I wouldn't initially go towards Christian Hard Rock. Do I deny that there are songs in that genre that reflect true worship? Of course not. Worship is not genre-based.The worship is not in how beats are arranged, nor its contingent on who responds to it or not. The worship is based on the artist's relationship and knowledge of God. The choices they make in portraying that then if they are conveying their testimony, their art then becomes all the more important.

So it can edify, yes, but how they choose to edify is gonna tell me about their heart. If the heart is in Spirit and truth, it will show, no matter if I'm interested in the genre or not. Do some genres make it harder to do that? Yes. And it's up to the person how much they are willing to risk the message for the sake of the art and vice-versa.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I think it gets even broader than the tattoo artist scenario. Art is an outlet, a tool, and a way to express ministry. But art is not ministry.

On the other thread you mentioned about tattoos becoming self-glorification; so were you thinking in terms of the wearer or the tattoo artist?

Sometimes people can get carried away to a set of wrong priorities, I know; but I guess also there is a sense in which a Christian artist in whatever field will understandably seek to do well what s/he does to the glory of God.

 

[truckerdan]

Gospel artists collaborating with a secular artist is nothing new, but in light of seeing mainstream gospel artists such as Tasha Cobbs and Fred Hammond, who are doing collabs with secular artist have raise a concern of where in music we draw the line.

I understand that people have to may move to broaden the base and generate income to support things, but does this compromise with our ministry? Are we to support it or to have discernment?

We are to have discernment in everything that we do.
It seems to me what it boils down to is motive. Is the motive of the singers to be ambassadors of God's Grace, reaching for the searching; or is their motive to entertain take precedence over Giving God Glory. We do not know a person's heart but God does. The main thing is whatever anothers' reasons; the only real choice is to trust God, and follow how the Lord leads.
With that in mind, God has been known to use unbelievers, frauds and charlatans to His Glory and our benefit; The history of the Jews; and even the Sacrifice on the Cross bears the Truth of that. And we know God will not be mocked; that His Word never returns void; And whether in pretense of in fact God is Glorified. In that we can give thanks.

 

[faroukfarouk]

the example of Christian Rock group, the lyrics and music will evoke different things to different people. That's why some will like it, and some won't. Like me, I wouldn't initially go towards Christian Hard Rock. Do I deny that there are songs in that genre that reflect true worship? Of course not.

So do you think you can / could learn to appreciate the challenge of Scripture based lyrics delivered through the powerful medium of Christian hard rock? (e.g., Disciple has some powerful, Biblical lyrics).

 

[salt-n-light]

So do you think you can / could learn to appreciate the challenge of Scripture based lyrics delivered through the powerful medium of Christian hard rock? (e.g., Disciple has some powerful, Biblical lyrics).

Nope. God doesn't need mediums, He needs vessels.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Nope. God doesn't need mediums, He needs vessels.

I guess that the word medium could simply be expressed 'style'.

Put another way, Is Scripture based communication restricted to traditional style music?

 

[salt-n-light]

I guess that the word medium could simply be expressed 'style'.

Put another way, Is Scripture based communication restricted to traditional style music?

There's no restrictions, but discernment is required.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I think it gets even broader than the tattoo artist scenario. Art is an outlet, a tool, and a way to express ministry. But art is not ministry.

A thoughtful comment; I guess one could say that the way ministry and witness are presented can include faith based ink, right?

 

[Lulav]

Your witness to the GOD you love and obey comes from the way you walk out your life, not something printed on your body or clothing article.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Your witness to the GOD you love and obey comes from the way you walk out your life, not something printed on your body or clothing article.

Oh I do basically agree, indeed. Paul speaks of the 'inner man' to the Ephesians, which is the spiritual dimension which needs to be cultivated in the Christian faith.

(At the same time, faith based ink has been proven to be a conversation starter; but its very,very much secondary to the vital walk of faith.)

 

[Sierra Franklin]

In every decision put Jesus first and everything else goes awesome!