Christian Rock Music


It has been brought to my attention that even in the 1990's as we approach the year 2000 that there are some who condemn the style of music that other's listen to. This paper is not written in defense of rock music, it is being written in the defense of the gospel I preach through rock music. I am not writing this to condone or try to convince anyone of the legitimate use of rock music for the purpose of reaching a lost world. I was not called as an ambassador of Jesus Christ to preach the religion of rock'n roll music to anyone. I was created for God's purpose and it pleases him when I use the talents that he has given me. My gift of composing and singing came from God himself. Not the God of this world who has no power to create, but the God of Abraham, Isaac, David, the Father of Jesus Christ. For anyone who swears and claims that my gift came from Satan I must say that the person who says such a thing, first is giving far too much creative credit to the devil and secondly that person is taking something away from God. It is wrong to limit the power of the God who created all thing's to only one style of music. A God so mighty, inventive, imaginative, visionary, inspired, to create so many thousands of different types of insects, animals, birds, trees, flowers, people, would surely not limit himself to just one or two types of music. There are many varieties of foods but not everyone acquires the same taste. Some like eggs some do not. There is not one instance in the holy scriptures which gives credit to Satan for any creativity. Isaiah 61: "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound 2. to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort them that mourn;" (Colossians 1:25) 1 Corinthians 1:21 "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." You see I am a preacher first of the things which need to be preached. Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, (Isaiah 52:7) How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" You see as a preacher of the gospel I must preach the word in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:1-2) (1 Corinthians 9:16-19). What gospel have I preached all of these years? Did I ever speak of another Christ? or refer to myself as anything more than a servant and a stewart of his work? When have I ever preached of myself? Have I died and rose again? Galatians 1:8 "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." The bible says to try the spirits, or to test them and see if they be from God. Psalms 105:15 gives a warning to those who come against men of God "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm". Some would say that I have chosen to play rock music but that is hardly the case. I have been chosen of God to perform this work for his glory. 1 Peter 2:15 "For it is God's will that by doing good (doing right) you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men" Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;" I can boast in the Lord the same thing's which Paul boasted of 1 Timothy 2:7 "(paraphrased) I am ordained a preacher, I speak the truth in Christ and lie not", What I have I have not built with human hands from stone and wood. I have built no tabernacle of worship, no alter of praise. What God has built around Christ and has allowed me to be part of is the ministry of truth, integrity, forthright in the liberty and grace where Christ has made us free. Anything I have gained in this world, Christ has allowed me to gain it, anything I have accomplished in this world Christ has allowed me to accomplish it through the tool of rock music. If someone believes that what I have done for the last ten years is not of God, then they must believe that it comes from the devil. How can I preach Christ and serve the devil? A house divided against itself can not stand. 1 Peter 3:16 "Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ". Wasn't Jesus himself accused of being a worker of iniquity? Those who have opposed our ministry has always come against us without scriptural backing. They have always disputed our work secretly without ever personally confronting what we do. Matthew 18:15-19 tells scripturally the correct way to confront a person who is working in the church of a wrong they are doing. Evidence against christian rock has many holes in it due to the fact that its opponents take many things out of context. If christian rock can not be used to present the gospel of Christ then what form of music has God sanctioned for his own use and liking? Rock music is not an angle for me, it is the language of the youth of the world. How will they understand if I do not speak their dialect? Would Christ condemn China because they did not speak Greek? Music is simply a form of expression and the type of music reflects the local culture. The world has no standards, it is corrupt, so those who feel that I have adopted a worldly standard can not even prove that the world has a standard. Matthew 5:10-12 " Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you. and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." I have comfort in the scriptures 1 Peter 3:14-15 "But if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give as answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: I would never condone secular rock music, because of the spirit behind the players. The music is only as righteous as those who perform it. I find it offensive to the Holy Spirit that there are those out there who would attempt to lump what I do in with what the secular market does. 1 Peter 3:17 " For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong". We have opponents out there who are quoting the sciences and laboratory research of findings on the dangers of rock music, the so- called voodoo drum beats, the harmonic dissonance and melodic discord. These folks are saying that because a drummer plays opposite to our own heart beat, that the body is caught in a trance out of its own rhythm and a loss of strength occurs. So I guess what they are saying is that when we play music our beats should beat always in cadence with the heart of the audience? I put my faith in the absolute. The only absolute is Christ and him crucified, not music not research, but faith alone stands as an absolute! What is a weapon? The answer comes from New Webster's dictionary ""any instrument used in fighting, any means of attack or defense". Music can be used in many different ways. As a language, as a tool to promote a message, as worship,as entertainment, and as a weapon. In my ministry I am at war with the devil and his forces. To spread the gospel of Christ I must sometimes fight spiritually against principalities and powers and wickedness. If I do not have the weaponry to not only defend but also carry out assaults upon the enemy then I will be defeated. The Holy Ghost is more than capable of working within the realms of music to draw young people to Christ! My music has no power without the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 55:8-9 " For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts". Who knows the thoughts of God and what he can use for His glory? It would be wonderful if Christian musicians could focus their total attention to spreading the gospel of Christ rather than defending the method of delivery. Some will say that all music fell the day Lucifer fell from heaven. Why then was The Book of Psalms written? Why does Colossians 3:16 promote the use of music? How can the church lay claim to one type of music for worship? Where does it say in the scripture that any one type of music is approved by God? The foundation which the ministry of Bride was built is not on the foundation of music but of Christ Jesus. Jesus is the house that stands against the storm (1 Corinthians 3:10-15), the music is the tools warehoused inside. Let me ask you, what is it meant by sowing discord among the brethren? I ask you this because that is exactly what is happening with the message against the use of rock music in the church. Wouldn't more be accomplished for the Lord if those who objected, promoted Jesus to the lost rather than devoting a life's work to separating what they consider the wheat from the tares? When do you think burning the witches will once again be fashionable in the christian community again? Proverbs 6:16-19 "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren". The seventh is the abomination unto the Lord, sowing discord or a man who stirs up dissension among brothers! Say someone actually gets saved at a christian rock show. Let us assume that this person is a babe in Christ because he is new to the faith. Then let us say that he/she hears the arguments against christian rock. If that person stumbles and falls and begins to have doubts just because they were saved at a christian rock show, who is responsible for this child of God falling from grace? Will those who tried to expose the wrong restore this one back to the faith? Or are they too busy finding the right size stones to throw. Heavy stones hurt more however they are more difficult to throw long distances and less accurate. When one slings mud they not only get their hands dirty but they loose a lot of ground in the process. 1 Peter chapter 4 says "to be of sound judgement, be fervent in your prayers for one another, Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, utterances of God". The reason for this letter is not for a war of words or of knowledge of scripture. It is to say that if the opponents and antagonist truly believe in what they preach they need to do it scripturally without condemnation. 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians chapter 8, Galatians 6:1-6, James 4:11 Matthew 18:15-17, Galatians 4:30-31, 1 Corinthians 5:3-5. If you have any problem with understanding these scriptures and their true meaning I will be glad to explain them in context to you. 1 Peter 4:11 "so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ". I do not believe that my opponents come against this work in order to bring glory to God, but I work that Jesus may receive all of the glory. The world is full of darkness and those that walk in it have a void in their lives which they try to fill with the garbage of the world. There is no void or emptiness in my heart because Christ is that which fills the void. Never once have these malicious assaults upon God's work attacked me face to face, never once was I contacted to see what type of man I am before they protested against my character and my work. I am sadden that the eyes of so many still rest in darkness while the devil continues to take cheap shots at the church tearing at its foundations and pushing on its walls. I thank God that the church has an unmovable Cornerstone which can not be moved. Let us pray for those who stand in the way, for those who pray against us that the Lord will remove the mote their eyes so that your whole body may be full of light to see clearly. Here are a few scriptures for anyone who feels threatened or feel as though the integrity of their ministry is being challenged unjustly, 1 Peter 4:12-14, James 1:2-4, Acts 5:41-42. Remember we are a chosen vessel unto God to bear His name, we are God's sword, His mouth piece to the world, His instrument and according to the purity and perfection of the instrument, will be the success. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God. We speak for God!

In Christ,

Dale Thompson

Bride

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