Christian rock rises again

The nearly 40,000 people at Anaheim's Angel Stadium raised their hands toward the sky, enduring triple-digit heat to receive a message of hope delivered by thunderous drums and amplified guitars.

In the stands, children swayed alongside the elderly, while teenagers wearing T-shirts emblazoned with Bible passages danced with abandon.

"Time has faded and we see him face to face," sang Bart Millard, the ruddy-faced frontman of MercyMe, as fans nodded their assent. "Every doubt erased, forever we will worship the King."

The jubilance at this recent two-day Harvest Crusade is just one indication that Christian rock is experiencing a resurrection. The others? Increasing prominence in the mainstream pop charts, a robust and growing tour business and, most important, a surge in creativity.

For three weeks in a row last month, the Billboard 200 included a Christian album debuting in the Top 10. Lecrae's "Gravity" entered at No. 3, and TobyMac's "Eye on It" did even better, soaring straight to No. 1 in its first week of release. Until TobyMac, a Christian album hadn't debuted at No. 1 since 1997.

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Winston

There is nothing Christian about "Christian Rock". Christianity is to be taken as very serious, not frivioulous, or inviting the world into its midst. The post-modernist church age is replete with apostate pastors and church leaders inviting the world into the Church and err against the Biblical teachings and Jesus' Great Commission. Jesus instructed his apostles and disciples (including all believers) that we are to "go" into all the world to teach/preach the good news making diciples of all men. He did NOT say "bring" the world into the church before the sinners have seriously repented of their sins, accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and live a righteous life in all ways. Where is the reverential fear of God in those apostates?
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Scott-Todd/1424651317 Scott Todd
  
  "I would play the devil's own tune to rescue one soul from hell."
  
  William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army
John Adams

There is NOTHING Christian about CCM. It is wicked and a tool the devil is using to silence the truth. Our pastor just took 6 Sunday morning sermons to clearly show the evil of CCM.
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Scott-Todd/1424651317 Scott Todd
  
  Does he have his sermons posted on the web where I can evaluate what he said?
  - John Adams
    
    They aren't posted on the web, but there are CDs and DVDs of them. I would recommend the DVDs because there are some visual components that are important to see.
Harold

There may be rock. But there is no such thing as 'Christian Rock".
- daves
  
  We know him as Chris Rock. :)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Scott-Todd/1424651317 Scott Todd

You folks better check out Bradlee Dean and his band Junkyard Prophet if you think there's no such thing as Christian Rock. Or check out their organization You Can Run but You Cannot Hide.
- John Adams
  
  There is NO SUCH THING as "christian" rock. ALL rock is of the devil!!
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Scott-Todd/1424651317 Scott Todd
    
    If you've ever heard and seen Bradlee there's no way you'd be able to say that because the fruit is all there. I might have also mentioned Glenn Kaiser who was another rocker whose fruit of the Spirit was undeniable, but the old Resurrection Band is quite in the past. Anyhoo, let's go a little further if you want to cleanse the church from worldliness. How about some of those old hymns whose melodies were originally barroom songs? [A Mighty Fortress among others] Then there were those who resisted the theater (pipe) organ, or didn't you know those had been in use in theaters for an entire century before they were ever used in a church? While I don't agree with their interpretation I'll give them an A for consistency- the Church of Christ eschews ALL instruments, basing it on essentially on Paul's admonition to sing songs, hymns and spiritual songs while not mentioning musical instruments. Indeed the early church didn't use them which was an overreaction to the secular music of their day. Let's hear you insist the JS Bach was of the devil.
    - John Adams
      
      First of all, the arguments you use have been used for years, have been proven wrong and yet are still the common arguments used against those who advocate for the use of pure music in the church.
      
      I don't care who you use as an example for "appropriate" "christian" rock music. I'm sure there are some in the field who are very sincere and even live exemplorary lives. None of that changes the FACT that rock music, in nature, is totally impure and unredeamable for use by Christians.
      
      It seems that EVERYONE, other than "christians" who advocate for the use of rock music in church, knows and freely admits the sensuous and filthy nature of rock music. Many "christians" say that use of good words, even using words directly from Scripture, make the "music" acceptable. NO words can erase the corrupt nature of the "music". That is like the Pharisees whom Jesus condemned:
      
      Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness.
      Mat 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
      
      Adding Christian text to rock music is like painting a tomb with whitewash. It's still full of "dead men's bones."
      
      The music of "A Mighty Fortress" was composed by Martin Luther, it was NEVER a "barroom song"!! Pipe organs can be traced back to the 3rd century. They were originally used in churches and they in concert halls. Their use in theaters goes back little more than a century.
      As for c.s. lewis – he was an apostate.
David S.

Effect Radio plays Christian Rock. Sounds like some have been "brainwashed" by their pastors again. It's NOT the style of music, it's the lyrical content. Rock is NOT the devil's music. I guess independent thought is too much for some – they prefer that the pastor "think" for them. Sad. For the record, I began to draw closer to God when I got AWAY from church. How odd!
- John Adams
  
  I STRONGLY believe that the god you have drawn closer to is NOT the God of the Bible. Even if the words were direct quotes from the Scriptures, if the music is rock it is EVIL!!
  Rock "music" is totally evil!!