Should a Christian listen to secular music?

[Cathgirl]

I only listen to worship music, for one simple reason. It's the music I like best. I believe you can listen to any music you want as long as it doesn't lead your lifestyle down a destructive path. My personal opinion. I love the uplifting message and feeling I get from singing and listening to worship music (I sing it on a stage in church). It's amazing.

 

[onenarrowdoor]

I listen mostly to secular music.

I've always taught our children to evaluate media choices by asking themselves a series of four questions:

1. Does it pass the Phillipians 4 test?

Is it true? Is it honorable? Is it just? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it commendable? Is there any excellence? Is there anything worthy of praise?


2. Does it pass the Galatians 5 test?

Does it exhibit, glorify, or incite the works of the flesh, which are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, either in thought or in deed?

Or does it exhibit, glorify, or encourage the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control?


3. Does it pass the 1 Corinthians 8 test?

Even if it's something God grants us the liberty to enjoy or engage in, would our doing it cause a weaker brother or sister in Christ to sin or to stumble in their walk with Christ?


4. Is it an idol to you?

If it's something that failed the three tests above, would you give it up? If so, then what would your attitude be about giving it up? Would you be glad to give it up, knowing it doesn't glorify God, isn't conducive to growth in Christ, and could cause a weaker brother or sister in Christ to sin or stumble in their walk with Christ?

Or would you give it up grudgingly or not give it up at all? If so, then it's an idol.

What an excellent post.

 

[Texas Ranger]

A lot of Christian rock sucks. I think most of it is just a poor copy of the secular equivalent. There are no Christian bands that are as good as Van Halen, Kiss or Metallica. So why waste your time listening to second best?

 

[stan1953]

A lot of Christian rock sucks. I think most of it is just a poor copy of the secular equivalent. There are no Christian bands that are as good as Van Halen, Kiss or Metallica. So why waste your time listening to second best?

Have you ever heard Big Tent Revival?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxKXXhjfnWA

 

[South Bound]

A lot of Christian rock sucks. I think most of it is just a poor copy of the secular equivalent. There are no Christian bands that are as good as Van Halen, Kiss or Metallica. So why waste your time listening to second best?

In all fairness "as good as KISS" isn't really raising the bar very high.

I was involved in a ministry that did concerts up and down the East Coast, as well as the Creation Festival. I'm really struggling to think of any of the artists we worked with who could hold their own against secular competition.

The only one who comes to mind is Stephen Curtis Chapman. Not my style of music, but he was very good. I remember the big band at that time was Petra and they were just awful.

Julie Miller, who, of course, went on to fame and notoriety as a secular singer and songwriter, really caught a lot of people's attention and she was very good. Meet Julie Miller is one of the few Christian rock albums I enjoyed and, nearly twenty-five years later, still holds up.

I worked with da at Cornerstone. Wasn't such a big da fan, but their previous incarnation as Daniel Amos was very good. Other than Randy Stonehill's Thirst album, that's about all I can think of.

Almost forgot Guardian. The only problem with Guardian is that they were a couple of years behind the trend. But five or six years earlier and they would have fit in well.

Mostly, though, I've found CCM to be made up mostly of artists who were never challenged in any way, who never grew up performing behind chicken wire, who never had to win over a hostile audience, who never had to earn their chops.

 

[South Bound]

What an excellent post.

Thanks. As somebody pointed out, it's a hard standard to be consistent with, but it's a discipline and it's really changed the way my kids listen to music and make media choices.

 

[Hammster]

I listen mostly to secular music.

I've always taught our children to evaluate media choices by asking themselves a series of four questions:

1. Does it pass the Phillipians 4 test?

Is it true? Is it honorable? Is it just? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it commendable? Is there any excellence? Is there anything worthy of praise?


2. Does it pass the Galatians 5 test?

Does it exhibit, glorify, or incite the works of the flesh, which are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, either in thought or in deed?

Or does it exhibit, glorify, or encourage the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control?


3. Does it pass the 1 Corinthians 8 test?

Even if it's something God grants us the liberty to enjoy or engage in, would our doing it cause a weaker brother or sister in Christ to sin or to stumble in their walk with Christ?


4. Is it an idol to you?

If it's something that failed the three tests above, would you give it up? If so, then what would your attitude be about giving it up? Would you be glad to give it up, knowing it doesn't glorify God, isn't conducive to growth in Christ, and could cause a weaker brother or sister in Christ to sin or stumble in their walk with Christ?

Or would you give it up grudgingly or not give it up at all? If so, then it's an idol.

I don't think this can be improved upon. Great wisdom.

 

[believenolies]

I grew up listening to John Denver's music. For many years though I stopped listening for a variety of reasons. Then a couple of years ago I started again, and realized how much I'd missed it. I can think of no other artist whose music brings me so much peace and a sense of uplifting. He wasn't perfect, as no one is, but I would rather listen to his music than anyone else that I've heard so far. Just my personal preference.

 

[russianorth]

Nothing compares to Sammy hagars van halen or bryan adams summer of 69 also some of def lepords stuff is good too. But I also really like thousand foot crutch the art of breaking.

Kiss is not all that.