The Gaithers

Do You Listen?

  • Total voters
    3
CPerkins said:
I agree that God is still able to use this newer music to allow the younger generations to praise God and communicate other Christian messages.

cp
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God love ya brother and I do......but I can not agree that "Rap & Christian Rock" does anything for Christian edificaton.

It may speak to base part of mans need to be associate to a "rhythm or beat" but not to lift up or edify. But I am real old fashioned so do with that as you wish.
 
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Major said---"There might be a reason why you did not grasp the words or the meaning of them and why they may have been confusing."

LOL---I put the blame squarely on myself. At almost 80 yrs. of age that is where it belongs.
 
Major said:
God ya brother and I do......but I can not agree that "Rap & Christian Rock" does anything for Christian edificaton.

It may speak to base part of mans need to be associate to a "rhythm or beat" but not to lift up or edify. But I am real old fashioned so do with that as you wish.
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I don't spend any time listening to it, so I don't know the words. The occasional ones that I heard didn't seem to have any meat and the music itself was not my taste. There are though many young Christians that do listen to it.

I have to believe in my heart that the Spirit in them does see something there.

What I listened to did not edify me in any way, but I'm an old fashioned fuddy duddy as well.

cp
 
bobinfaith said:
I have a confession to share that I'm not proud of.

About 15 years ago I served at another Christian site and started a thread on Christian Rap.

I argued how the Rap music/lyrics didn't align (in my heart, not sound good) like the traditional hymns and contemporary praise music. I was surprised by the refute I received from the younger adults and youth Christians.

I only wrote that thread to arouse fellowship and have to admit it was pretty foolish of me. I underestimated the young people who love Jesus and enjoyed Christian Rap as they worshiped at young adult, youth group services, or a Christian concert event.

I did learn a humble lesson. God is in control of His site, whichever way it goes and I cannot force young people to embrace the praise and worship hymns I worship, but learned to accept when they appreciate the older hymns and worship music.

After all, there was a time in the mid 70s when I loved Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell and sang Handel's Messiah with the high school choir. My senior elders were enjoying the hymns of their blessed generation.
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A long forgotten Bible doctrine is one that says .....2 Corth. 6:17
"Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the LORD. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

Now I am really not going to debate this issue. I will however give you some advice from an old preacher who has done a lot of counseling and family ministry and you are free to call me a "OLD FUDDY DUDDY" because that is exactly what I am.

I believe that All musical talent is a gift from God, whether the person believes in God or not. At the same time, not all music glorifies God. You see, Rock musicians of the ʼ60s and ʼ70s were not famous for their morality but rather often for their wild lifestyles and, later, tragic drug-related deaths and time has only proven that fact as more and more musicians die from drugs.

It is not up to ME to tell anyone what kind of music to listen to. However I suggest that as we choose we consider what the "Motives" are for our choices.

If the Holy Spirit advises that we keep away from a certain type of music or song, as HE has done that to me, then we should heed that warning.

There are certainly songs that are appropriate for Christians to listen to and relate to, as well as songs that are not healthy for Christians. Unfortunately, a lot of today’s music is written with the purpose of going against Christian morality—perhaps not purposefully, but the lyrics may still create animosity in the listener toward God. The “appropriateness” of music is not defined by musical genres, such as rock, country, or pop.

Music itself is amoral, yet certain songs or styles may affect us in certain ways. Listening to music about lewd women and one-night stands is going to affect our spiritual health differently than songs that encourage or promote caring for one another.
 
CPerkins said:
I don't spend any time listening to it, so I don't know the words. The occasional ones that I heard didn't seem to have any meat and the music itself was not my taste. There are though many young Christians that do listen to it.

I have to believe in my heart that the Spirit in them does see something there.

What I listened to did not edify me in any way, but I'm an old fashioned fuddy duddy as well.

cp
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Isn't it a blessing when OLD FUDDY DUDDYS can meet and be blessed and not care who like it or not????
 
Blest said:
Major said---"There might be a reason why you did not grasp the words or the meaning of them and why they may have been confusing."

LOL---I put the blame squarely on myself. At almost 80 yrs. of age that is where it belongs.
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Well you got me beat in age and probably looks as well!
 
CPerkins said-- "I should introduce myself, better. My name is Chuck."
Just catching my error above Chuck. So sorry about that. Would you please edit my post to say "brother".
 
Major said:
Isn't it a blessing when OLD FUDDY DUDDYS can meet and be blessed and not care who like it or not????
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Amen. There is rest or peace in what God has taught us. I still strive to understand God's word and his way better, but there is rest in the pillars of God's foundation within us, which he has proved.

My wife would roll her eyes to that and my wife's mom would laugh. To mom I'm still a spring chicken. At near 98 years her perspective is different.

cp
 
Blest said:
CPerkins said-- "I should introduce myself, better. My name is Chuck."
Just catching my error above Chuck. So sorry about that. Would you please edit my post to say "brother".
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I didn't want to give any of the sisters a bad name. :)

I also trusted the spirit of your replies and wanted to avoid further confusion.

May you be further blessed, Blest.
 
I worked in a retirement village and it was really hard to be a young person there.
The complaints and gripes!
Oh my!

You'd sit down and everyone would just moan about how nothing was like it was back in the olden days. But these same people did nothing to make it better for younger people who usually just get on with things without complaining, knowing fair well that everything older people had, we younger people will not have.
 
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Lanolin said:
I worked in a retirement village and it was really hard to be a young person there.
The complaints and gripes!
Oh my!

You'd sit down and everyone would just moan about how nothing was like it was back in the olden days. But these same people did nothing to make it better for younger people who usually just get on with things without complaining, knowing fair well that everything older people had, we younger people will not have.
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I've seen that as well. Young or old it is easy to complain and hard to be content and trusting. Regardless of age we need God in our lives.

On the other hand I've seen amazing examples of people suffering all kinds of ailments with wonderful attitudes. Seeing someone that you know is suffering, but so rarely shows it humbles you. It was one reason I kept going back. Though there were many reasons.

cp
 
Major said:
A long forgotten Bible doctrine is one that says .....2 Corth. 6:17
"Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the LORD. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

Now I am really not going to debate this issue. I will however give you some advice from an old preacher who has done a lot of counseling and family ministry and you are free to call me a "OLD FUDDY DUDDY" because that is exactly what I am.

I believe that All musical talent is a gift from God, whether the person believes in God or not. At the same time, not all music glorifies God. You see, Rock musicians of the ʼ60s and ʼ70s were not famous for their morality but rather often for their wild lifestyles and, later, tragic drug-related deaths and time has only proven that fact as more and more musicians die from drugs.

It is not up to ME to tell anyone what kind of music to listen to. However I suggest that as we choose we consider what the "Motives" are for our choices.

If the Holy Spirit advises that we keep away from a certain type of music or song, as HE has done that to me, then we should heed that warning.

There are certainly songs that are appropriate for Christians to listen to and relate to, as well as songs that are not healthy for Christians. Unfortunately, a lot of today’s music is written with the purpose of going against Christian morality—perhaps not purposefully, but the lyrics may still create animosity in the listener toward God. The “appropriateness” of music is not defined by musical genres, such as rock, country, or pop.

Music itself is amoral, yet certain songs or styles may affect us in certain ways. Listening to music about lewd women and one-night stands is going to affect our spiritual health differently than songs that encourage or promote caring for one another.
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Hello Major;

Your advice is well taken and I'd like to add, being a musician for 52 years I was blessed to join the music ministry in 1974. But I do remember the 60s, 70s and 80s on, when many talented musicians died early in life. Sadly, their lifestyle and music didn't glorify God from the lyrics and the music arrangements of that time, was (and is today) very deceptive how a chord or music scale can enhance the fan's listening ears while under the influence or altered minds.

Getting back to today's modern Christian praise and hymns, the pastoral and music leadership must pray and be careful of the types of music sung during praise and worship. It's a fact that many music artists are playing Christian music because it's good business, many are not Christ followers, don't read the Bible and make lots of money from the royalties.

As far as Christian Rap, rock, country, different styles that have found it's way into today's praise and worship service, the church must use caution starting with the leadership. In the past I actually turned down suggestions from praise team members when a song was not Scripture Based.

Please, pray and research! The Gaithers, Don Moen, Maranatha! Singers, Celebrant Singers, Michael W. Smith, are just a very few of God-honoring, Christ-centered musicians that not only lead praise and worship but also teach workshops on the Bible, and those called in the music ministry.

Music is an international language. But when it is used to worship God First! with a clear, Biblical message, then God will inhabit our praises during Worship services, or during our personal devotion.
 
Scripture in Song is one of my favourites (husband and wife team, sang scripture) though they were before my time, when they were popular and recording, they said when they did it older people STILL complained they were 'too zealous' or 'Had too much energy'. And when you listen to them it's not even anything way out...?! Almost all their lyrics were straight scripture, and were actually sung (not 'performed') together - and anybody could sing them. You did not need to be an exceptional singer to carry their tunes. They were actually very simple songs and quite memorable.

They are in their 70s now and younger people are taking up their mantle, although I'm not a musician and didn't go forward when they said they would pray for others to carry on their legacy, a lot of younger people are now recording them. But I feel that nobody should be doing it to glorify themselves, but God. The Garetts said one time they had a professional musician who was not a believer recording a track and when they heard it, amazing musician he was, it just felt wrong. When they had started Dale did not even know how to play a guitar and none knew how to read music. When God anoints you for His purposes, He gives you talent you didn't know you had, as a gift. It's not something you necessarily need to have worked on.

I like southern gospel music too but also, its nothing what you hear in churches in nz. NZ churches now have seemed to get all their music from Hillsong, which is Australian. Hillsong have basically made 'contemporary christian music' what it is, a huge industry, but it doesn't have the authenticity or inspiration that gospel or scripture and song does IMHO. Hillsong don't do rap, which is rhythmic and rhyming.
They just do big band ensembles, mostly rock anthems with drums and guitar. Rock is really not my favourite genre. I personally don't consider it to even be music, just repeated chants. It has no harmony either. But usually one doesn't have a choice what gets played in church...

Churches here don't do any call and response songs which is a shame as those old gospel songs tell a story. Feelings are fine and ok, but songs that tell stories are what I prefer.
 
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