CCM -- THE TROJAN HORSE OF APOSTASY
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CCM -- THE TROJAN HORSE OF APOSTASY
[Distributed by Way of Life Literature's Fundamental Baptist Information
Service. This is a listing for Fundamental Baptists and other
fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Our goal
is not devotional. OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST
PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS
APOSTATE HOUR. ]
April 2, 1998 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak
Harbor, WA 98277) - The following article by Victor E. Sears first appeared
in the Baptist Bible Tribune 18
years ago under the title "Modernism in a New Form." It is reprinted from
The Fundamentalist Digest, Nov.-Dec. 1997 (Don Jasmin, Editor, P.O. Box
2322, Elkton, MD 21922). Victor
Sears "was one of the early motivating figures in the Baptist Bible
Fellowship (BBF)." Writing in the Feb. 13, 1981, issue of the Baptist Bible
Tribune, R.O. Woodworth, former national
representative of the BBF, made the following comment about Sears' article:
"Perhaps as much as any issue confronting Baptist Bible Fellowship, Brother
Sears is concerned about the 'hippy' music creeping into our churches that
antagonizes so many of our people.
Compounding the problem is the music program in many of our schools.
Consequently there is much liberal support for contemporary music which
Sears calls 'gospel garbage.' In an article
'Modernism in a New Form,' carried by the Baptist Bible Tribune recently,
which incidentally received wide acclaim, he points out that the invasion of
contemporary music into our
churches will cause irreparable harm unless it is checked."
Sadly, these warnings have been ignored by many Baptist Bible Fellowship
preachers. Dr. Jasmin, editor of the Fundamentalist Digest, remarks: "In the
BBF, contemporary Christian music
not been checked in many churches. Consequently, the BBF movement has
drifted aimlessly toward the New Evangelical orbit. Pastors, if you don't
want the next generation in your church
to become apostate, exercise oversight over your church music program NOW!"
MODERNISM IN A NEW FORM
By Victor E Sears
Forty years ago when I first entered the ministry, the word "modernism" was
on the lips of every fundamentalist. The word had a connotation of such
organizations as the Federal Council of
Churches (now the National Council of Churches and the World Council of
Churches). Individual names such as Harry Emerson Fosdick, Harry Ward, E.
Stanley Jones and others became
synonymous with our exposure of modernism or apostasy.
Many great pulpiteers and Bible expounders became well-known for their
battle against modernism. Included among these were T.T. Shields, J. Frank
Norris, Harvey Springer, Carl
McIntyre, Bob Ketchum, Bob Jones, Art Wilson, Noel Smith, Archer Weniger,
Henry Grubs, and a host of others too numerous to list. All these men have
been very close friends.
They fought seemingly insurmountable battles against apostasy and unbelief
in denominations and councils. These men were giants in their day. They
fought those who would bring false
doctrine into our churches and those who would attempt inclusive policies of
fellowship between fundamentalists and modernists. The lines were definitely
drawn so that people knew
unequivocally the difference between fundamentalists, neoevangelicals, and
modernists. Today these lines are fast becoming obliterated.
CCM MUSIC--THE NEW FORM OF APOSTASY
Now there is a new form that modernism and apostasy has taken to creep
surreptitiously into our churches and destroy their Scriptural testimony.
THIS TIME IT DOES NOT COME IN
THE FORM OF PREACHING OR TEACHING, BUT RATHER IN THE CARNAL PRODUCTION OF
THE MUSICAL PROGRAM FROM MANY CHURCH PLATFORMS. Much
of the singing heard today by choirs and specials on the average church
platform is what is known as contemporary or as soft rock and is often
backed with the sound of canned music that
could be produced by the average dance or disco band at the corner
honky-tonk.
In my personal estimation, much noise or racket (certainly not music) is a
polluting stench in the nostrils of a holy God. With its sensual tones,
jungle beat, and night club presentation, it
appeals to the flesh rather than to the spirit. It motivates the carnal
interest instead of the new nature. The sad truth is that most of this new
contemporary, soft rock, offbeat style of
music was conceived in hell, hatched among the charismatic crowd, and
printed in their publishing houses.
BEWARE: CHARISMATIC MUSIC IS TAKING OVER OUR CHURCHES!
Good fundamental Baptists and others that refuse the teachings of the
charismatic crowd concerning tongues, signs, miracles, and so forth are now
singing their music in our churches and
preparing our people for the world, the flesh and the devil. It is the new
Trojan Horse move of modernism to deaden our churches to spiritual truth.
Icabod can be written over most of
its lyrics and notes. The sad part of this is that many of our pastors are
not aware of what is taking place. A lot of these musical arrangements
(arranged by the charismatics) come in the form
of "canned music" with the sound of drums, amplified guitars, plus other
instruments with the offbeat of the jungle just like you would expect to
hear in the honky-tonk saloon.
MUSIC THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE WORLD
I have heard several people say that it carries the same beat and swing that
they used to dance with before they were saved. There is a sort of
hippy-oriented "pop" flavor that is disgusting to
any consecrated Christian and must be repulsive to Almighty God.
Too many soloists and groups singing such music put on the poise and style
of Hollywood entertainers. Many of these "entertainers" wear clothing (or
lack of it) that is the same as worn in
nightclubs. Often men have long hippy-type hair arrangements that speak of
the rebellion of this age and are a contradiction of 1 Corinthians 11:14
where it states: "Doth not even nature itself
teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" Many of
these "entertainers" would not go across the street to win a soul to Christ
or attend a Bible study or prayer
meeting.
The average musical group turns up the public address system so high that it
destroys all hearing of the words and receiving of a message. I heard B.R.
Lakin say in Orlando, Florida, that
the "average quartet, if they sang in an auditorium the size of a telephone
booth, would want a public address system." This blatant, senseless roaring
of a PA system is ridiculous beyond
words. Its only ministry is NOISE, not even good-sounding noise.
SHALLOW HERETICAL LYRICS
The words of most of this contemporary music used in our churches is
shallow, unscriptural, and even heretical. Someone said recently that "weak
preaching always goes along with worldly
music." That, I believe, is the truth. Just as years ago we preachers lifted
up our voices against modernism as depicted by the National Council and
World Council of Churches, so today we
preachers need to "rise up like a tomcat spitting tobacco juice in a bull
dog's eye" and start preaching against the modernistic evil of most
contemporary and all rock music in our churches.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PASTORS TO OVERSEE THE CHURCH'S MUSIC PROGRAM
We used to say that the musical program of the church prepared the way for
the pastor's sermon. I BELIEVE GOD HOLDS THE PREACHER RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT
GOES ON
THE PLATFORM OF HIS CHURCH. Possibly we need to tie a knot in the tail of
some of our song leaders. Some of them have gone far too worldly in their
musical programs. Let's get
back to the old time gospel hymns and singing that stirs the heart, brings
glory to God, and draws us closer to Him. The old-time hymns like "Rock of
Ages," "The Old Rugged Cross,"
"Throw out the Lifeline," and "When the Roll is called Up Yonder" are still
relevant in this dark Laodicean age. "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the
ways, and see, and ask for the old
paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for
your souls..." (Jer. 6:16).
Gretchen
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Gretchen Cawthon
mailto:pug...@email.com
http://www.cyberjunkie.com/pugnut
ICQ #6837904
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Life is full of mistakes...if you aren't making any, then you're not living.
soulw...@vvm.com wrote in message <78mah4$pso$1...@remarQ.com>...
>From:soulw...@vvm.com
>Http://www.vvm.com/~bullridr
>
John A. Porter
makes me look at this music issue. I've heard the good. I've heard the bad.
What is inherently wrong with music is the person NOT THE MUSIC itself. Any
song sang in an attitude of self is a song that does not bring glory to God
or edify the Church. Don't care if it's hyms, rock & roll, pop, country,
chants, whatever. If the singer is promoting SELF, the music is bad. If the
singer is honoring God, the music is good. Don't knock musical styles just
because of preconceived predjudicies. Let's just put the sacredness back
into the music. Promote SELF somewhere else, including your own
predjudicies.
Gretchen wrote in message <79drnn$jvm$1...@news3.infoave.net>...