what is christian music?

[the_sam_man87]

tell me what you think christian music is

 

[Jesusfrk4life77]

a kind of music that glorifys God! DUH! jkjk! itz a great was to praise Him and Christian rock is a great way to have fun 2! haha!

 

[swingnscream]

Christian music, is music that is performed by artist who are christians and want to use their talents as a ministry or as a tool to build up Christ kingdom.
I think bringing glory to God is something they do through their hearts and lives. Although, many times in writting music their hearts get poured out into the songs or performances of the songs, making them into worship. But in the overall, I think the musical aspect of Christian music is really just for us, the ppl to encourage us along [more or less], and that leads us closer to God and into worship.

just another thought opinion there. Enjoy,

 

[stratosaurus]

Any kind of music that glorifies God, gives Him the praise, worship & honor.
There is no limit to the 'style' as long as it does the above.
now that is not to say that everyone that does Christian Music is a Christian.....that's a whole different subject.

 

[psychoceramic]

too add my two cents....

what those that typed before me said is good enough for me!!!!

praise and worship is devoted to God and to get the Children fo God to a higher plain/levle to worship and praise God.

the rest is used to edify the people.

my two cents...
in HIM,
psycho

 

[zao77]

christian music is music that is produced by "christian record labels"....... for a person to put any religous label on music i think is wrong. if you think about it any music that could be uplifting toward our lord and is on a "secular record label" is often considered secular not christian. why is that? one thing i don't understand is why there are separate types of labels to begin with. christian and secular? they both are identical except one has a religous agenda and the other doesn't. they both make tons upon tons of money. music is music ... there is no difference between "christian music" and "secular" music.... they all have the same purpose and that is to express their feelings and make money while doing it.

 

[swingnscream]

christian music is music that is produced by "christian record labels"....... for a person to put any religous label on music i think is wrong. if you think about it any music that could be uplifting toward our lord and is on a "secular record label" is often considered secular not christian. why is that? one thing i don't understand is why there are separate types of labels to begin with. christian and secular? they both are identical except one has a religous agenda and the other doesn't. they both make tons upon tons of money. music is music ... there is no difference between "christian music" and "secular" music.... they all have the same purpose and that is to express their feelings and make money while doing it.

I understand thought there, I've wonder that one back & forth alot too. But a huge difference in the music [secular & Christian] is the artist and their agendas.
Secular artist say their music is just for entertainment and they take no responsiblity for any influence it may have on their listeners and fans. Christian artist [commonly] say their music is a ministry, and that they hope ppl can relate to the words and the message and see that there is a better way and something real that doesn't fail [which would be Jesus Christ].
So since music is just something the create, it's a reflection of the artist heart & life, and that only should make a pretty big difference between Christian music & secular music.

btw, I'm not trying to say secular music is "evil", it's just not the best thing you can be transmitting into your soul & mind.

 

[zao77]

I understand thought there, I've wonder that one back & forth alot too. But a huge difference in the music [secular & Christian] is the artist and their agendas.
Secular artist say their music is just for entertainment and they take no responsiblity for any influence it may have on their listeners and fans. Christian artist [commonly] say their music is a ministry, and that they hope ppl can relate to the words and the message and see that there is a better way and something real that doesn't fail [which would be Jesus Christ].
So since music is just something the create, it's a reflection of the artist heart & life, and that only should make a pretty big difference between Christian music & secular music.

btw, I'm not trying to say secular music is "evil", it's just not the best thing you can be transmitting into your soul & mind.

i understand what you are trying to get at but you can't generalize artists agendas like that. you can't say that every secular artist agenda is for entertainment puposes just like you can't say that every christian artists agenda is to portray their heart and life into every song. you will have entertaining christian artists with catchy lyrics that have the agenda of entertainment with a christian twist. and you will most of the time have secular artists that have the heart and soul agenda as well.

this has unfortunatly brought me to the topic of why praise and worship music is so plastic. you have a big group of people and they sing songs that have been around forever(thus eliminating the need to write their own) and they record it in less than an hour or they just hit the record button at a concert and plop it on a cd. now tell me where is the "heart and soul" in that. once again music is music.

 

[stratosaurus]

i understand what you are trying to get at but you can't generalize artists agendas like that. you can't say that every secular artist agenda is for entertainment puposes just like you can't say that every christian artists agenda is to portray their heart and life into every song. you will have entertaining christian artists with catchy lyrics that have the agenda of entertainment with a christian twist. and you will most of the time have secular artists that have the heart and soul agenda as well.

this has unfortunatly brought me to the topic of why praise and worship music is so plastic. you have a big group of people and they sing songs that have been around forever(thus eliminating the need to write their own) and they record it in less than an hour or they just hit the record button at a concert and plop it on a cd. now tell me where is the "heart and soul" in that. once again music is music.

There is a MAJOR difference in the CONTENT of the lyrics. Christian music will never go outside the realm of morality which the Bible teaches. Secular music has no boundaries. However, there are secular artist that set their own boundaries, but secular music, itself, has no moral boundaries.
I think you're getting hymns & traditional Gospel confused with P&W music. I am pretty sure, that if you check most P&W music, you'll find that most of it was written by the artist that perform it or that most of it is somewhat"recent"... depending on your definition of "recent"
To say P & W music as a whole is "plastic" is a very wide generalization in itself. Just like you said about artist agendas, you can't throw all of P&W music under one one blanket. "Plastic" would also depend on your personal taste in Christian Music.
The "heart and Soul" of the music, is in the person performing or writing the music. All music is "adaptive & adoptive" in its' formulation, but the heart & soul of Christian music is in the words..ie, in the message. The instrumental makeup & texture should be nothing more than a supplemental vehicle used to get the message across.
imho..

 

[zao77]

The "heart and Soul" of the music, is in the person performing or writing the music. All music is "adaptive & adoptive" in its' formulation, but the heart & soul of Christian music is in the words..ie, in the message. The instrumental makeup & texture should be nothing more than a supplemental vehicle used to get the message across.
imho..

i like this guy........here are some blessings.

 

[Vulgivagus hagiographus]

Just for fun, let's throw in another element: What about composers such as Rachmaninoff who were Christians and gave God the credit for their talents? (If you're not familiar with him, he was a composer from the Romantic time period who wrote instrumental pieces). Would his works be "Christian music," since we're so intent on putting a lable to all songs? Take this idea and enjoy.

 

[stratosaurus]

Just for fun, let's throw in another element: What about composers such as Rachmaninoff who were Christians and gave God the credit for their talents? (If you're not familiar with him, he was a composer from the Romantic time period who wrote instrumental pieces). Would his works be "Christian music," since we're so intent on putting a lable to all songs? Take this idea and enjoy.

GOOD QUESTION!!!!
I like question that requires you to think outside your "box"....or that requiires you to defend why you're in that box to start with.
My defense from inside my box:
There are plenty of people who call themselves Christians, that give God the credit for their talents & abilities that write songs/music that have no content about God, that doesn't give Him praise & glory or have any Christian content or reference at all....which lead to the question... is ALL songs/music written by a Christian, "Christian" music?
In the case of Rachmaninoff & other past composers of instrumental music, unless they labeled it themselves, there's no honest & truthful way for us to know...that question would have to be answered by God.
As your question brings out, there are plenty of things that fall into that "Grey" area, which may be impossible to give a "correct, one shoes fit all" answer or any answer at all. There are plenty of questions like yours.....
How do you determine what a "Christian" song/music is?
Can a non-Christian write a "Christian" song?
If the music gives God the glory, must you examine the lifestyle of the writer to determine if it is a "Christian" song?
In the case of instrumental music, is it necessary to label it? Must you examine the writers? Try to discern, determine thier "intent"?.....etc,etc,etc.
Many, many "grey' areas!
As far as labeling, we're basically talking about labeling it as Christian or secular.
Christian music labels itself by its' content. There is no getting around that, since its' SOLE PURPOSE is to glorify God. I believe that, as a Christian, the Bible guides you to "label" everything, in order to discern and determine what influences your life. Without that labeling, everything gets in, both good & bad.
As far as music labeling, I'm not intent or obsessed with "Micro-labeling" everything, but you must, at some level, label what you listen to.
Using the "Christian Music" label is a good start in that filtering process, that God & His word requires us to go through. That level is different for each person & each person must determine, by their own heart, mind, faith & belief what "Christian Music" is. We may get it right, we may get it wrong....one day we'll find out.
Gods' Blessings.

 

[stratosaurus]

i like this guy........here are some blessings.

zao,
Thank you very much,
Gods' Blessings

 

[Kripost]

Just for fun, let's throw in another element: What about composers such as Rachmaninoff who were Christians and gave God the credit for their talents? (If you're not familiar with him, he was a composer from the Romantic time period who wrote instrumental pieces). Would his works be "Christian music," since we're so intent on putting a lable to all songs? Take this idea and enjoy.

Some of them did write music specially for worship purposes. (e.g. any title with 'Mass in __ Major/Minor' by any composer such as Bach). I think it is fair to label them as Christian Music. As for those without such obvious titles, I have to admit there is a problem in labelling though...
As for Rachmanioff, he did write music for use in the Russian Orthodox Church. There were some pieces for vespers(Saturday evening prayers), some for for Divine Liturgy, as well as some others. These pieces sung a capella, since it is the practise in the Russian Orthodox Church.