CHRISTIAN MUSIC SHOULD EMPHASISE CHRIST— NOT THE MUSIC, THE BEATS, NOR THE ARTIST
Mugo, Genesio
A thousand and one times I have been asked my stand on Contemporary Christian Music. My take is simple and forthright, it’s a deception of Satan!
Contemporary Christian musicians today are so caught up with their "music", the “right-beats” and just the "right-sound" that the MESSAGE takes a backseat. A lot of Christian music is a "performance" rather than a message. When that happens, the "performance" completely destroys the message by pointing all the attention to self or the music. Consequently, the musician "robs" the Lord God of any praise and from a Christian perspective, it's fruitless. God is not in it.
Sadly, many musicians and not just limited to Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) are guilty of John 12:43 “For they loved the PRAISE OF MEN more than the praise of God“. They talk about “Mfans wangu”.
Christian music should give ALL the attention and praise to the Lord — and NONE to the music, or the musician, or the singer. The Lord should get ALL the praise, ALL the glory, and ALL the honor. Spiritually speaking, the Christian musician should be heard but not seen — the Christian musician should be hidden in Christ. Christian music should emphasis and praise the Lord — not the music nor the musician. The Bible directs us in Ps 66:2 “Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is.” NLT.
Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) draws Christians from God! Contemporary culture means “conforming to modern or current ideas/ethics/morals in style, beats, fashion, design, music, language, art, etc. Modern or current ideas in this case refers to secular music genre. Secular is the opposite of sacred. Secularization refers to the declining of religious values. Therefore, Contemporary Secular Music means the form of “Christian” music which has less of God and Biblical Values and more of the worldly. As CCM draws people away from God, they actually direct people to the worship of self which is a Humanistic deception to stop Christians from glorifying God which is God’s sole object of man. “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” 1Cor 10:31-32 NLT.
Stan Moser, former head of Word Records (the man responsible for signing Amy Grant) and CEO of Star Song Records, was one of the pioneers and most important executives in CCM. And after 26 years in CCM, in November 1995, walked away from CCM. In an article in Christianity Today, titled "We Have Created a Monster" about CCM, Mr. Moser freely admitted: “There is a growing chasm between CCM and the church – between what's actually happening in the real world of ministry, or even in the music ministry of the church, and what we're doing in CCM. In fact, I would probably be more inclined to call the industry "Commercial Christian Music," rather than "contemporary Christian music."" (Christianity Today, "We Have Created a Monster", May 20, 1996 p. 27)
Ghoti Hook (a CCM Artist from Fairfax, Virginia, USA) was quoted in magazine (HM mag, Issue #67, pp.34-35) saying point-blank "Sometime people give us a hard time because we don't mention God onstage. . . I know that a lot of other bands and people are called to talk about God onstage a lot more than we do, and that's great, but we just feel that our calling is to get people interested in our MUSIC, interested in US . . .". That’s Man-Worship right? Which is the ultimate goal of humanism, right?
Much of Christian music today is more entertainment than ministry. A lot of Contemporary Christian musicians are far more interested in impressing their audience and "flaunting" their musical talent than ministering to the Lord. Please note, one cannot sing to "please men" and sing unto the Lord at the same time. It's one or the other. Paul was candid, clear cut and forthright on this: “For do I now persuade men or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should NOT be the servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10. Christian music should never be entertainment. Christian music is spiritual "food". Real Christian music admonishes [reproves], while praising the Lord. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and ADMONISHING one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your HEARTS to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16.
Christian music is not entertainment, not a talent show, not sakata dance, not a performance or a concert — but SERIOUS ministry to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. Contrary to popular opinion by the younger generation, sacred music is not for entertainment. Christian music is first and foremost a vehicle for praise and worship unto the God
The LORD’s blessings be upon you.
Genesio Mugo
Chairman, KSCF Greater Nairobi Region
KENYA STUDENTS’ CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
PO Box 41718 00100 GPO Nairobi
Tel: +254 20 3205309
Mob: +254 722 799920
e-mail: genesi...@vivoenergy.com ; kscfn...@gmail.com