Music, Out Of The Box

I have heard a lot of Christians say that it is a sin to enjoy secular music.  Or that it's ok to listen to it, but the music that truly satisfies your soul and uplifts you is Christian music.

I have a confession to make.  The vast majority of the music I listen to, on a daily basis, is secular music.
And I'm ok with that...

For the longest time, I bought into this lie and all I listened to was artists that had a Christian label.  At that time, music wasn't a big deal in my life.

It hadn't come alive to my soul.

I discovered the guitar when I was about fourteen years old.  Up until that point I had only played the piano and just listened to Christian music.  But after I discovered my guitar, my heart was introduced to the true beauty of music.

Music was let out of it's box and I saw that it was more than what I had ever imagined.  However it wasn't just my guitar that did it...surprisingly it was a secular artist that showed me what music can truly be.

It was while my dad and I were driving down to Chicago to visit my sister at college.

As we were driving down the country roads that eventually hooked up with the interstate, Dad suddenly turned to me and asked, "Would you mind if I put in on a CD of Simon and Garfunkel?"

I sat quiet for a minute, thinking.  I had listened to these strange singers before, when I was much younger. I had found their music kind of creepy at the time, but instead of saying no, I heard myself saying, "Sure.  I'll give them a try."

The CD was then inserted and my life was changed forever.  As I listened to the words of Paul Simon like, "Hello darkness my old friend" or "and a rock feels no pain, and an island never cries."  I felt like my heart had awakened to a whole new world.

As I listened to the simple arrangements, complex harmonies and the finger picking of Paul's acoustic guitar, music was let out of it's box and began feeding my hungry soul.

You must understand that previously that year I had been experiencing some deep depression.  I felt confused and lonely.  God seemed far away and I didn't know Who He was anymore.   My life had no purpose, no meaning for me to live.

I was literately too scared of death to kill myself, but too depressed in life to live anymore.

My world was trying to face the hard questions of life, but instead of understanding, all the music I listened to just tried to cover all my pain with perky words and lyrics.

But this time around, the words that Paul Simon wrote expressed exactly what I was experiencing.

Of coarse I had found the words creepy before.  I hadn't experienced the utter wretchedness of life yet.

These words told of a world of emptiness and a desperate need for love.

That first listening was the beginning of thousands. Paul Simon is still, in my opinion, one of the greatest songwriters.

But that CD was just the beginning.  The more I dug into music, the more I was exposed to great musical arrangements and unique vocal styles.  Singer/Songwriters such as Carol King and John Denver taught me that great music wasn't made from writing a song that mentions God a lot.  Great music has great arrangements, compelling lyrics, and original melodies.

These were artist who wrote music for music's sake.

Now I know what you are thinking? Doesn't Christian music have great songwriters and arrangers?  Well, to be honest, not so much.

Yes, there are a few people such as Rich Mullins and the first couple of albums of Andrew Peterson and Sara Groves. But I have noticed that most Christian artist have lost the magic of music.  They settle for simple melodies and lyrics that don't even rhyme.

It seems to me that Christian artists have become so obsessed with having their music be "Christian", that they have forgotten what it is to write a song that is truly musically good.

They have put music into a box and they don't even know it.

The day I first listened to The Moody Blues was the day I realized that we don't need to settle for normal arrangements.  Listen to Justin Haywards songs, Who Are You Now and I Dreamed Last Night, and you'll know what I am talking about.

Too many Christian songs have the same basic melody line, the same type of electric guitar, even the same drum beat.

I've actually been able to sing a song, while listening to a completely different song, and the chords were EXACTLY the same!  We as listeners and as musicians need to realize that music is more than this!

I say with Larry Norman, "why does devil get all the good music!". 

Modern, secular music isn't perfect, but you would think that christian music should be the best music out there, not the worst.  We are serving an awesome God!  We are the ones who should be shaking this generation!

As a musician, I am passionate about making my music be rich in melodies and arrangements.  To not settle for the same old same old, but to reach beyond the mold of Christian music and make music be beautiful again.

To let music out of the box and worship God by creating the best I can possibly create!

When I hear a great arrangement or melody, I feel praise for the Lord well up within my heart... even if that song is being sung by Lincoln Park or Cold Play.

We don't need to say Jesus' name in order for our music to be good.  Just making great music that reaches into the hearts of people glorifies God enough.  God is a great creator that touches the hearts and minds of His people through His greatness.  Shouldn't we?

So I call all my fellow musicians, painters, writers, and listeners.  Let's stop settling for mediocre creations and start creating out of the box and with everything that God has given us.

I want to end this post by sharing some lyrics from an Air Supply Song that has always touched my heart.  I hope it will touch yours as well.

Well it doesn't happen everyday,

But it happened to me once before.

Those early years I threw away,

But I only have to hear your voice to make me feel so sure

That your love is why I want to give it all!

What about you? Why do you listen to what you listen to?  What about their music draws you in or feeds your soul.

Have you been creating the best you can create or settling for mediocre?

Write below your answers or comments and lets start teaming together to create great creations for the Great Creator!