Getting Beyond the "Devils Music"

I recall that years ago when Rock and Roll was just hitting the stage and radio in a big way most people in the church called it the "Devil's Music".  Living in a strict family and ultra conservative community, adults were quite vocal about your hair length, beard, and the music you listened to. If you had the volume in your car too loud, people would actually come up to your car at a traffic light and tell you to turn it down because it is the Devil's music.  In fact our town counsel actual passed an ordinance where you could be arrested for playing music too loud.  (One of many old laws that got removed when I became Mayor of my home town.)

To us the strange hypocritical mindset was that these good Christian people loved their Country music that sang about cheating on their wives, drinking, and gambling.  To them, that was OK.

Along the way young people found a Christian artist, Larry Norman, who was breaking the mold and radically introducing rock & roll as Christian songs.  The link is just one song which was written to answer our elders thought that hymns and a little Southern Gospel were the only music allowed in the church. 
Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music

Last weekend we attended Elevation Church in Charlotte and experienced about 2000 people in worship with about 2/3 being under 30.  The music rocked and the church had ear plugs available because the worship experience was like a rock concert with the lights and sound you would find at a rock concert.  The difference was everything was in praise to the God of the Universe.  It brought back memories of the start of Christian worship that was on the edge many years ago.  The say the least, I was all over this experience and found a closeness to the Lord because I was worshiping with everything I had..

Afterward I got to thinking, our churches are dying all over American because young people are leaving in droves.  The message of Christ's love for us never changes but our methods MUST change to reach the NEXT Generation.  We require the young people to learn the old hymns and gospel music that is over 40 to 100 years old.  There is nothing wrong with them but they may not be relevant to the Next Generation.  so they leave as soon as they are away from home.

Listen to groups like, Fireflight, Disciple, 12 Stones, RED, Illia, and the list goes on and on.  The point being it that if we are to reach the next generation and for the church to continue, we must get excited about what Christian music this next generation is listening to and not just dismiss it as irrelevant or crazy loud music or the Devil's music.

If fact if you focus on the words you will find a power equal to a song like "Amazing Grace".  Then from that you will understand why we need to worship with the music of the next generation.

Some Christians are Stupid

A little over a week ago a young 19 year old man from our church was hit by a car and sustained critical head trauma.  His Mom who is a single mother called on people in our church and another support group to be at the hospital.

The young man and his mother had discussed some time ago about a living will and he said, "If I am in an accident and can not be healed, do not let me live as a vegetable."   this is a conversation that most parents and children never have.  In fact many husbands and wives never talk about such things.

Now you have a mother who is trying to honor the wishes of her son and going thru the pain and heartache of decisions that need to be made.  But well meaning friends told this mother to not allow the machines to be disconnected and if she does so, she is killing her son.  These well meaning Christian friends were just stupid to lay such a guilt trip on this mother.

Everything that happens in this world is for a reason and this young man made a great impression on those he came into contact with during his 19 years.

So when the machines were disconnected this young man went to be with the Lord.  The the story does not end there.  This young man lives on as he was an organ donor and immediately his kidneys saved two other people.

So well meaning Christians are many times just Stupid to say things that tear down the emotions of other Christians rather than build them up and comfort people.

Therefore, discuss a living will with your family and learn of their wishes.  This is not just for grandma and grandpa but for every member of the family.  We are less than one minute away from meeting the Creator of the Universe.  So the decisions about your faith and family should take a high level priority.

Then make sure no one ever puts you down for decisions made.  You just need to be loved on and love on others.