How does the World see us???
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I ran across this article on CCM music and Christian publishing featured about 2 years ago at MSNBC. This is on the theme of Selling the spirit: The power of Christian music and books in Nashville. This is very disturbing to me. Those of you that know me, know that I have spent much time in Nashville and am very familiar with the CCM industry as a whole.
In my very minor success in the industry, I have learned how it operates: money, marketing influences, notoriety (popularity) etc...
And with much glee..$$$... so has world... CCM has done a remarkable job of intermarrying with the world and much of its view...
It is a shame (rather to our shame) that we are not seen as followers of Jesus, but as imitators of this world!!!!
Eph 5:8-11
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light:(For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light:(For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].
by His Grace alone,
Bill
13 comments:
I was once one who helped support that billion + dollar christian book industry - filling my mind with all sorts of thoughts coming from mans take on my life and how "I" could make it better and more desired by the world. Then there were the books that I read with false hope that when I'd be done reading them, I could obtain a higher level of spirituality. Well, now I read the BIBLE imagine that) and I pray "God forgive me for searching for feelings and emotions, success and a better life, that I thought I could control better than you." So I urge everyone, when reading a book written by man - Read twice as much or more of the Bible as you read of that book each day.
May you follow God's lead,
JME (Essexville, MI)
Excellent Advice JME! We must definitely be careful what books we digest that speak directly to
doctrine; however, reference and historically accurate material is quite a different story.
As for the music industry: Anyone who knows me, knows about my past involvement as a worship leader, my involvement in the CCMI, and my feelings conderning both.
That is, the Christian music industry needs to return to the soundness of Scripture; it has committed spiritual adultery by joining itself to the world. As a result, the true message of the gospel has been mixed with the doctrine of the world which, has resulted in a convolution of many false doctrine and vague in meaning songs.
May reform come to Christian Music! May His “statutes once again become our songs ” - Psalm 119:54
Bryan Lewis
Excellent comments jme and bryan.
Most of the books today, that are in the main stream...make me sick!!! It is rare to find anything of true biblical merit and value on a best seller list...
These books lean on self-help...Best Life Now...mentality...(Like we in our depraved state can accent to some higher level in Christ/Wealth/Health)
However, I do agree that reference books and historically accurate material are great assets to studying God's word..
Obviously, T.D Jakes, Rick Warren, Jack Van Impe....In their books lean to fables created in their own mind about who God is and what he is doing!!!
As far as music...here are some great resources for sound doctrine music that is being created in our day and time...
Steve Camp
www.A1m.org
He has several different albums that are laced with sound lyrics and wonderful God given musical creativity..
Also Sovereign Grace Music has a new web site up...
http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/albums
This also is great music with sound doctrine in the lyrics...It offers pdf's for guitar for free !!!
Their are a "few" more, but these are my fav's..
Eph 5:8-11
Bill
Thanks Bill for reminding me once again how important it is to glorify our God in all that we do. Great comments by jme and BL. I just love reading your articles and now its just a click away on my blog :)
I watched Steven Curtis Chapman on tv this week and he mentioned John Piper also quoting him. I read somewhere else that John is Steven's pastor.
Seems like with anything there are always a few good ones out there really doing it with a Christ centered world-view.
The Boe's
Thanks for the encouragement with this blog Heather, I am humbled by your kind words and that you would have a link on your site :) You are right, it is so important to glorify our God in all that we do.
Ken, I did not know that about Steven.. That is wonderful!! It is good to hear about the few doing things the way they should be done, Christ-Centered...
Actually, Steven Curtis Chapman's pastor is Scotty Smith (Charismatic), unless something just changed. His pastor and him both live not to far from me in Frankln, Tn.
However, if it is now John Piper; great! Maybe he will get fed some sound doctrine.
I found this in an article..It took me a while to find it and I didn't save where I found it...LOL So it might take me a while to find it again...but here is part of what Steven had to say..
Steven says this process started when his voice went out on him about three years ago, bringing much of what he has filled his life and career with to a screeching halt.
"When I lost my voice for three months, I didn't know if I would ever make another record or even sing again, and during that time I read some books that really influenced my thinking. A book called Rumors of Another World: What on Earth are We Missing? by Philip Yancey started me thinking about the 'Big Story,' where God is revealing Himself in our everyday world. That kind of got the wheels turning early on. Then a friend asked me if I had read John Piper's book Don't Waste Your Life, and I grabbed it on my way to Seattle, read it on the plane, and before the trip was over, had written about eight songs after reading that book. I've been inspired by books before, but never had one open up a thicket in my soul like this one. All those songs didn't end up on the new record, but its themes are certainly represented there ["Big Story," "Much of You"].
"Piper's point is that we are not the point, that the cross reveals God's glory and we are the recipients of His grace, that it might make 'much of Him,' not to make 'much of us.' That notion so disoriented me at first, but then opened my understanding to a deeper level of God's love and mercy in the world. And that made me start wondering when we as God's people go from reaching up (in worship) to reaching out (in what James called 'true religion'). It's not a sense that I have to do this or that or God is going to be disappointed. It's the freedom of understanding that, 'I'm not the point Lord, and the point is to make much of You.' "
Scotty Smith is Charismatic? He serves as an adjunct professor at Covenant Theological Seminary and teaches at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. Christ Community Church is a local church of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).
Scotty, a native of Graham, N.C., graduated in 1972 from UNC, Chapel Hill, and from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1977. He served as youth pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem from 1977-1979, and from 1979-1980 served as youth pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. In 1981 Scotty helped Cortez Cooper plant Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville.
In 1986 Scotty was sent out as the planting pastor for Christ Community Church (CCC) in Franklin, Tennessee. Scotty served CCC as Senior Pastor for her first twenty years and has seen its membership grow to over three thousand. During these two decades CCC has also planted 4 churches. Recently Scotty has assumed the new title of Founding Pastor; and CCC’s long time associate and Scotty’s best friend, Scott Roley, has become the new senior pastor.
Scotty invests most of his time as CCC’s Pastor for Preaching, Teaching and Worship. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Covenant Theological Seminary and teaches at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando.
He has written five books: Unveiled Hope, with Michael Card; Speechless, with Steven Curtis Chapman; Objects of His Affection; and his latest two, The Reign of Grace and Restoring Broken Things, with Steven Curtis Chapman.
Scotty and Darlene, his wife of thirty-five years, have two adult married children. Scotty enjoys fly-fishing, cross training, classic rock and roll and cooking.
Christ Community Church is a local church of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Christ Community Church is located at 1215Hillsboro Rd. in Franklin, Tennessee
The form of church government, or leadership, that we believe to be the most Biblical is called "Presbyterian". This means that we are led by "presbyters," most commonly known as elders and deacons. The elders are elected by the congregation and oversee the spiritual needs and ministries of the flock. The deacons are also elected by the congregation and care for the physical needs of the body, including the ministries of mercy, the care and maintenance of properties and financial matters. Please pray for the leadership of our church body.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
Presbyterian Church in America
We believe the Bible is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
We believe in the Holy Trinity. There is one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We believe that all are sinners and totally unable to save themselves from God’s displeasure, except by His mercy.
We believe that salvation is by God alone as He sovereignly chooses those He will save. We believe His choice is based on His grace, not on any human individual merit, or foreseen faith.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who through His perfect life and sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who will trust in Him, alone, for salvation.
We believe that God is gracious and faithful to His people not simply as individuals but as families in successive generations according to His Covenant promises.
We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God’s people and gives them the strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow Him.
We believe that Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive His people to Himself.
We believe that all aspects of our lives are to be lived to the glory of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
After a closer examination of Christ Community Church and Scotty Smith, I have discovered that they are indeed Reformed in their theology. It is entirely possible that I had them confused with some one else.
My comments were inaccurate and I should have double checked.
My apologies for the mis-representation.
Bryan Lewis
thetruthzone.com
Bryan, not a problem.. Thanks for taking the time to take a further look at it and for the retraction... I've gotten things mixed up before too..
Love ya man,
Bill
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