When Christian Music Isn't Christian

The following thoughts have been going around in my mind lately and then I talked to my brother and he was having some similar thoughts so I decided to write about it.

How many times have you heard Christians talk about listening to only Christian music? You may have heard any of the following statements: "I don't listen to secular music because it doesn't glorify God" or "I only listen to Christian music because it edifies me and secular music doesn't." Part of both of these statements can be true. But, I would like to pose a question. What about when Christian music isn't Christian?

Before I go any further let me say that I'm not writing this to bring down any particular Christian artists or the radio stations that play them. I won't be mentioning any artists names. I believe they have the very best of intentions but I also believe at times they are very wrong.

So, back to my question, what about when Christian music isn't Christian? Some of you are probably thinking that that's not even possible. Sometimes I think we get into trouble by assuming that just because something is labeled "Christian" then it must be theologically correct. We tend to swallow everything hook, line and sinker without stopping to think what the Bible has to say about the subject.

Do we do that with preachers? I hope not. I think that most people would say that when they hear a new preacher or teacher they are careful to weigh what is being said against the counsel of scripture. Hopefully we do that all the time even with those that we hear on a regular basis. Why then don't we do the same with Christian music? It's a valid question.

I know many people who don't listen to secular music or allow their children to either. That's their privilege and I think there is a time for that. When my brother and I were younger we were not allowed to listen to much secular music either. I know that their is a lot of bad music out there but I think there is a lot that is good also that falls under the "secular" label.


My point is this: Why refuse to listen to a song simply because it is labeled "secular" when a "Christian" song you are listening to may be biblically inaccurate and may be shaping your views and opinions about God in a way that is damaging to your faith and not glorifying to God?

When asked why they believe a certain way I have heard people say, "Well that's what that one song we sing in church says." In other words, we don't know our Bible well enough to know if what we are singing is accurate or not. The songwriters have now become the final authority instead of the Bible.

This should be a challenge to those of us who write songs to make sure that what we are writing is correct. When I was a worship leader I tried very carefully to only sing songs that I believed were biblically accurate and because of that there were some popular songs that we didn't sing when I led.

I find that I get more and more disgusted when I turn on Christian radio. It's more discouraging than it is encouraging. If I listen to it for very long I find that I have to remind myself of the reasons why I don't believe all the things I've just heard. That leaves me wondering what the point was in even listening to it in the first place.

The bottom line in my mind is that we shouldn't discredit something just because it's labeled "secular" in the same way that we shouldn't assume that everything we hear in "Christian" songs are gospel truth. We should know God's Word well enough to be able to tell when something doesn't line up. And if we're not sure then we need to be willing to take the time to read and see what the Bible really says. Just some things to think about the next time you turn on your radio.