CCM Needs Reform - Part 5

As I mentioned in a previous post, I attended church with a Contemporary Christian musician during my years in Houston, TX. For those wondering who it was, it was Wayne Watson known songs such as Watercolor Ponies, Giants in the Land, and Home Free. Whenever Wayne was not on the road, he would be in church with his family. At times, he would sing with the church choir or one of his songs as a solo. He performed a concert for the Youth Ministry. 

Not many in the CCM industry are involved in church. Thankfully, we do have some who are regularly part of a local church, but a lot of them do not even mention their church life. 

I truly believe that those in the CCM industry really needs to commit themselves to a local church not just for their family, but for their own spiritual growth. These singers need the preaching of the Word as much as the business executive who desires to glorify God in their place of business. 

Being part of a church gives a CCM artist and anyone in the industry access to other believers who can hold them accountable, pray with them, serve with them, and have fellowship. 

Pastors can be a really be helpful to those in the CCM industry to equip them and help them have resources as they engage their listeners. 

Those in the CCM industry should be in the church because of they are part of the body of Christ, and we need each other. Those in the CCM world are not exempt from being part of the church just because they tour all over the world singing about Jesus. 

CCM Needs Reform - Part 4

For nearly 40 years, I have been a fan of the legendary Christian rock group Petra. I have enjoyed listening to their music whether I was sitting in my room or in the car. My youth group played them from time to time before our midweek service. 

One thing that I admire about them was their commitment to make their songs based on scripture.  I remember reading the lyrics to their songs and seeing scripture references to those songs. The same can be said of Steven Curtis Chapman. Almost every song he wrote, has a scripture reference attached to it. 

Commitment to the Bible and being Biblically literate is another area that need reform in the CCM industry. If these singers are going to be singing songs about God, they need to know who He is as He revealed Himself in His holy Word. 

Sadly, there some singers who cannot even answer basic questions about God and even what His Word has said about certain areas of life. When CCM singer Lauren Daigle was asked on iHeart Radio if homosexuality was a sin, her answer showed how Biblically illiterate she is. Her answer was, "I don't know. I am not God." Yes, she is not God, thankfully, yet God has shown us in His Word that homosexuality is a sin. 

For reform to happen in the CCM industry, we need people in the Word.

CCM Needs Reformed - Part 3

What needs to happen for Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) to have reform. As we have seen in the last post that Christians should be the ones singing these songs which made me realize that that it's not just the singers who need to be Christians to be in CCM, but also the writers of these songs and those who produce their albums. 

I mentioned in the last post about a comment Alisa Childers made that there some songs in the CCM industry that are written by non-Christians. It makes me wonder how anyone can, who is not a Christian, write a song about a God they do not even know. Why write about songs that is contrary to what they believe? Do we expect Muslims to write a Christian song about Christ? The same with Mormons and any other world religion.

The CCM industry should be one where God is glorifies as His people use their gifts for His glory and edify the church at large. We cannot and should not expect this from those who do not know Christ. They will be focused more on image and making songs that sound like something you will hear on any non-Christian music station, if you still listen to the radio rather the streaming music on your smart phone. 

Christian record labels need to have people who profess Christ as Lord and seek to honor Him.

CCM Needs Reform - Part 2

What needs to change in the CCM world? That is the question we will explore. I know there are a lot of opinions on this issue. I know there are some that have expressed their desire to see change in the CCM world while others want it to die. I truly believe the CCM industry can be salvaged only if certain changes can be made. 

Before I go any further, I want to say I am not talking about worship music. There have been many posts and podcast addressing the issue of worship music in the church today, but this is not what I am talking about. I am addressing a genre of music as an alternative for Christians to listen to and have their kids listen to as well. I am not saying abandon all of those non-Christian artists you have been listing to. That would be legalism. There are some decent musicians that are not in the CCM world that make good songs that are fun to listen to although you should use discernment and exercise caution when listening to non-Christian music and other forms of entertainment. 

With that being said, the first area that needs to happen to bring about change in the CCM is this, CCM stands for Contemporary Christian Music, therefore Christians are the ones that need to be singing Christian music. I heard Alisa Childers say that is astonishing that many who write Christian songs are not Christians themselves. I remember hearing someone saying about a singer for a Christian band, who was arrested for hiring a hitman, saying 9 out of 10 bands he toured with were not Christians.

It boggles my mind that those who sing the name of Jesus in song do not believe in Christ. Then again, how many artists sing Christmas songs proclaiming Christ's birth, yet their albums talk their immoral lifestyle? Why would any non-Christian sing songs about Christ if they are not living for him? Remember, CCM is a money-making industry. They may not make as much as those in the mainstream world, but they make money.

We need Christians singing songs about Christ on the radio, streaming service, and arena all over the world, not those who only want to make a buck. 

CCM Needs Reform

The situation with Michael Tait has many people talking. Some are expressing sadness while others are expressing confusion and, for some, anger. Some non-Christians hope that this kills Christian music. 

I have loved Christian music for years. I even attended church with a Contemporary Christian musician, who would do solos at church from time to time. Christian music has been a way for me to hear music that was not worldly or even had to worry about the lyrics.

Christian music is not immune from scandal, and it is not just Michael Tait. I will never forget when Michael English, who we dubbed at my church, the Michael Bolton of the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) world, confessed to an affair with one of the female singers of a group named First Call. English only had two CCM albums released at the time and his music played on Christian radio. After the affair was confessed, his albums were pulled from Christian Bookstore shelves, and his songs were never played on the radio again.

While this along with recent scandals in the CCM world, many have wondered what needs to change for CCM artists. Let's face it, CCM is a money-making industry. I get it. A worker earns his wages. However, record labels care about image and what sales. Just watch the movie "Unsung Hero," and you will see how true that is. 

Granted, there have been many great CCM artists and songs over the years, but there needs to be a change. There needs to be reform if artists want to magnify Christ and encourage its listeners. Not trying to sound like K-Love, but I remember songs encouraging me during my teenage years. I am still encouraged by some of them to this day although there are some songs I have issues with theologically that I would not even recommend today. 

I do not want to give up on CCM. I still think it can be used by God to magnify His name, but there needs to be reform. There needs to be a change. I know some of you might not agree with me and that is fine. Some of you might want to see CCM go away. Granted, there are some CCM artists that I wish did not make music because of their links to false teachers, but CCM needs solid artists who are not ashamed of the gospel and long to see people come to faith in Christ. 

Over the next few posts, I will be sharing my thoughts into what changes need to happen in the CCM world.