Bleed Between The Lines

Ok so a wonderful thing happened in Christian music. While all the problems I’ve talked about came from over regulation and middle aged men deciding what makes good rock, one sect of the industry wasn’t touched by anything but passion and Jesus, Hardcore Metal!
One of the greatest metal bands on the planet (not one of the greatest Christian bands but one of the greatest bands period) is called as I lay dying. I thought of writing a review that sounded like it came from a metal magazine “Their pounding vocals and gut wrenching guitar riffs…” instead I’ll let them speak for themselves.

It was the Easter of 96′ and I woke up to a new type of Easter basket. I was too old for a traditional one so my mother had the Idea of getting me a base ball glove with more age appropriate presents inside. As I peered into the glove I saw one word and one word alone No Doubt. My heart began to race as I remembered the exciting new band I had seen only a month earlier for the first time. I watched and fell in love with punk singer Gwen Stefani. As I looked over the face of the CD I began to feel a strong twist of despair. This wasn’t a CD from No Doubt at all. I was holding a D from a band called Petra that was titled No Doubt. There were 4 very faux-cool men on the cover who looked like they were in their early 30’s. I was horrified. My mother had already seen my excited expression so I couldn’t show any sign of disappointment now. I put on my best poker face and asked my mother what this was and she said, “I told the woman at the christian book store that you wanted to find some christian rock and this is what she suggested.”

At this point I have no desire to bash any band trying their best to glorify God with their music. I would like instead to direct my comments to the Christian music industry in general. The Christian progressive movement always approaches media by looking at the secular world and then copying. This is a horridly backwards trend from the great Christian minds of the past; C.S. Lewis, Tolken, George Washington Carver, John Newton. These people were living fairly recently and they we’re incredibly innovative. It’s sad to see how little creativity is found in main stream Christianity.

As for the contemporary music movement, it’ a joke. CCM has always trailed mainstream music by about 5-7 years and it has a distinctively sans-genuine feel. But as opposed to attacking the superficial things I’ll get to the main reason for my contempt. Christian music is one place where the people in need are completely rejected as stupid and or illegitimate by the people God has called to fill those needs. Music trends are now and have always been about youth. Think about it, the same bands ou listened to as a child are the ones you listen to as an adult (for most people). It is the youth that cry out for a unique voice that gives birth to new and exciting genres of music. Youth drive and define what is cool and yet if you are a christian teen, you are stifled and told to listen to what middle aged board members think is cool. Now I want you to understand that I don’t hate the music itself, I hate the attitude of the industry and it’s treatment of the people it is supposed to be providing for.

My goal is to give to those in need, the way I wanted to be provided for. I can tell you as a teen in the mid 90’s I felt neglected and ignored by those who said their desire was to bring me closer to Jesus. My final words come from a christian song that makes me happy, (as God) If you really love me then feed my sheep.