The Great Music Debate

I am often asked the question, ''Can I listen to secular music as a Christian?" Then the dilemma spirals into what styles, or genres, are safe? Is only ''Christian'' music the safe choice? Is listening to any style of music joining with the world?  I have talked at great lengths with believers about music.  While there is no straightforward black and white answer, there is a ''test'' you can use in evaluating this for your life. Let's use seven areas to assess music in our life.
First, there is ''message''. I believe this to be the most important aspect to assessing if a song is okay for us. I need to address the idea that music is ''secular'' or ''christian''. Music in and of itself is neither, its the lyrics that determine this. In my pre-Christ days, I listened to satanic (actually about demonic and evil concepts)and hate-filled songs. Today such messages are literally physically nauseating and mentally troubling to hear.  All words are theologically neutral, it's what is being said, the message that guides the appropriateness of a song. Pay attention to the message, if it is contrary to Scripture, the message is bad. I think something of importance ought to be stressed here. Christian family bookstores have declared a couple bands I enjoy to have a ''negative'' message. What is that message? The content has to be pretty bad to be banished from such a godly enterprise, right? Well, the first band deals with the books of Daniel and Revelation exclusively. The other band states Islam, Hollywood, homosexuality, even the current state of the church is morally and spiritually corrupt. Then, there are acts that are approved, because they encourage raising our handed to thee God of love who loves us no matter how we live, though the artist is mormon!
Second, ''purpose''. What purpose does the music/song serve in one's life? Why was the song written and, furthermore, what is it trying to promote or encourage? A song that speaks of ,for example, sexuaal immorality in a bad context has a good purpose whereby one portraying a lascivious lifestyle is obviously antibiblical and thus, bad for the believer.
Third, what does the music bring to the heart (mind) of the believer, what ''association'' does the song/music hold for thhe believer? I read a great example of this when researching the topic, using my least favorite style of music-rap.  I may associate rap with being violent and degrading to women, while you might associate it with anger toward sin.
Memories. What does the music bring to us in terms of our past? If we have repented about something and the song brings us back then we may opt to iisten to something else.  Never allow a song to take you back to a place in time when things were not so good. While memories rarely are completely eradicated from our mind, don't allow a song or band the opportunity to take you to a pre-repented of event in life. You see, there's a ''seccular'' band I listened to a lot, because the content spoke frequently of death of loved ones,  past failures, etc. Sometimes, listening to the band takes me back, and I relive the painful experiences of that period in my life.then, there's another band that discusses life's bad luck. I like the stance, though. If I may, the band I'm referring to has a track entitled ''I was wrong'',  in which the lyricist speaks of the bad luck, but thinks about his part in the way bad things came to be in his life. It makes me think f the terrible things I have experienced a and faced in my life, but from the perspective of, ''what part did I play in their coming to be?", ''what role did I play in the way thins played out, my behavior during the events and a a result of them?"
Next, does the music stir emotions I in negative or positive ways?  While goth music may bring about depressing or ''dark'' feelings in you it might make me feel happy inside. It might touch upon things I feel or am experiencing and thus, bringing contentment inside me.
Understanding, or interpretation. Do I understand, door relate, to the style of music. While some may feel more at ease, or peaceful, listening to classical versus country, or rock versus blues. It is important to note that your dislike of a style should not be the criteria by which we determine whether the music is ''safe'' for other believers, as people often do. Remember, it is important to always judge a righteous judgment. This very important message read in Jn7:14 reminds us to use Yahweh's perfect Word to judge the world around us and not our imperfect, biased opinions.
Finally, is the music ''singable''? When I listen to a song, and find myself singing along, can I ''rejoice'' in the content?  Going back to the band I referred to earlier, the song, ''Jesus Christ'' is a graphic portrait of a saviour who died a brutal death to redeem a lost sinner that I may one day have access to the throne of God. I sing along to this more comfortably than most hymns.
I recently got into a heated discussion with the daughter of a seminary professor over the damning result of rock music. The prof believes country and classical music to be ''safe'' as it is their music of choice. I reminded them the. Psalmist discusses various musical instruments. Nowhere does the bible state one genre is more holy than another. The hymns were written by men. It comes back to message, lyric over style of music.  Anything else is purely legalistic.
I would love to hear from you. Who are your favorite artists? What is your genre of choice?

Pastor Aaron

Ministry In 2014!

Well, I am back! In the months since I posted last, much has happened. As y know, I had become sick in 2009. Though there's no explanation for what had caused it, I am at the end of the road, at last!  I lost my right leg in June. I admit I was quite scared of going into that operating room, but I had a good prayer buddy with me, before and after the surgery. After the surgery, she was waiting to pray over me. My wife stayed with me, at my side, through the whole process. I've had infections, many hospitalizations, treatments, weekly trips to the wound center.  It has been a grueling four years, to say the very least. I really struggled, though,  after surgery. I believed my life would not be the same again, and not for the better. Well,  .ife has changed, and drastically,  but I am okay. The Lord has brought me through! I think a big part of my struggle had to do with my already being wheelchair dependent, since childhood. Ministry is a blessing and a challenge. Unfortunately, like every other part of life, image is important, yes even in the church! It was tough enough with two legs, now I look very different! As it was, I had been a tattooed, mohawked, jeans and tees kind of guy before entering the ministry.
All this being said, iI had a phenomenal church and counseling practice for the seven years before the illness began. I have been working with a woman for about a year, and active online in a ''web-pulpit''. I teach people in the building, those who contact me on line,people I meet in the community, etc. I receivers an inbox message in July from a girl I had been talking to in Nigeria. She said that when she had been contacting ministers in the U.S., they either blew her off or simply didn't respond at all.  She told me that my kindness and honesty had brought her to a crucial, dangerous, blessed decision --she renounced Islam and accepted Christ! Amen, I led a devout Muslim to the Lord! Though I moved and much has changed in my life, it seems Yahweh has been using me all allong!
Things have been a challenge, but, things are moving in a mighty way! I have renewed my accreditation with the American Association of Christian Counselors, renewed my confirmation of communion with my licensing and ordaining body.. I will also be completing my last two and a half finals to earn my doctorate in theology, Biblical Counseling.  I am going to be rebuilding the church in my community and reaching out to people as a counselor. There is so much work to be done, which leads me into a sort of ''deep'' area....
As I look around both in my community and into the world, I see there is much to be done.  The church is in trouble. Christ's return is near, very near, and the church neither speaks of it nnor warns unbelievers of this blessed event. The rapture (1Thess4:16-18) is about to happen and many, too many, are completely oblivious. I am going to press even harder the message of biblical pprophecy. Anyone who has been to my church services know very well where we (both the church and unbelievers alike) are in the prophetic timeline and what is to come. The message of love is awesome, as the apostle John tells us God is love. However, raising our hands while singing happy songs, hearing prosperity, ''I'm OK you're OK'' messages, in our fluffy pews is damning to the church. We exalt ''famous'' preachers so high that they become idols. We attack each other for the way we look, books we read, movies we watch, etc. and don't abide in the Word, teaching, correcting, guiding our lives and helping each other when we see others fall. The churchis in trouble and ''cChristians'' are to blame.
This is a personal post, but also a sort of ''letter of intent''. I'm going to get deeper in the Word in 2014, and lead others accordingly. I want the church and the world to know where we are on Gods timeline. I don't have all the answers on everything, but see where we, the church, has gone astray.
If you have questions, observations, etc. ask me anytimeanytime. I am at the pulpit 24/7, contact me.
    Email : reverendamathews@yahoo.com
    Facebook: Facebook.com/Aaron.mathews1
I'm back, healthy and ready to serve!  May God bless you in 2014 as you serve Him and each other.
God be with you,
Pastor Aaron