Youth
Pastors Speak: Music Rules
March 5, 2001
Not A Big Problem
We don't have any music rules other than we don't
allow secular music on youth trips or during youth activities. To be
honest, we haven't found the music issue to be a huge problem with our youth.
So far they seem fairly balanced with only a few exceptions.
I'm not suggesting that our kids are not
influenced by the popular groups, but I think that we are a bit out of the
mainstream, off the beaten path if you will, when it comes to music mania (i.e.
we have few concerts in our area and limited radio stations). Perhaps this
protects us from the worst of the current trends. By the time it gets to
us, the intensity just doesn't seem to be the same. Not only that, but you
can get just about any style of music in the Christian section of the stores now
including "Christian" versions of "boy bands" like ’N
Sync.
Peter and Julie Long, Youth Pastors
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Use Common Sense
When evaluating music selections, just a few
common sense ground rules come to mind. You have entertaining gospel music and
you have spiritually uplifting music. The cheapest and easiest screen test for
buying decent entertaining music is to simply read the message being sent on the
cover. The concept being advertised on the cover photo is a very thought out and
planned idea. If the picture looks more worldly than holy, you might save some
money and keep right on shopping. Beyond that, I think music can be entertaining
without sounding too much like popular grunge, gangster rap or metal rock, etc.
Great musicianship is entertaining.
When looking for good spiritual music, the cover
test is a little more difficult and may not even be able to be applied at all.
Apostolic artists actually do seem to have an ability to transfer the Spirit of
the Lord to a music project. I look there first. After that, I go with music
artists that have a tradition for
wonderful songs that minister to the soul. Hopefully you can find some great
music before investing too much money in the not-so-greats.
Mike Vicars,
Youth Pastor
Kingsport, TN
How do I deal with music and young people? What
criteria do I use?
I think that generally it is a good start to
avoid secular, worldly, or non-Christian music. I know that there certainly are
some harmless varieties out there, but you usually have to wade through a lot of
rubbish to find it. Secondly I believe that music can be a very subtle tool to
draw young people's hearts away from godly things. "Nice" music, like
’N Sync, etc can often be the first step in a downward spiral. Youth don't
normally go from the Gaither Vocal Band to Marilyn Manson overnight. It is a
process that takes place over time, and may not start with obviously "anti
God" material, but with seemingly harmless music that is actually cooling a
relationship with Jesus.
All manner of styles of music come under the
banner of Christian today. Something we cannot possibly do is examine every
artist, genre and song to approve or disapprove of each. There will always be
the variety of tastes amongst young people, noticed first and foremost by those
of their parents generation!
One area that concerns me personally is when
supposed Christian artists deliberately produce music in the same style as bands
that are well known for ungodly viewpoints and lyrics. One of the major
Christian music and literature distributors in Australia has a catalogue that
comes out around once a month. In a recent edition they were promoting some
bands with slogans such as - "Fans of (secular, ungodly band) will be
attracted to this new album!" When that which is supposed to be godly tries
to imitate that which is wicked, there is definitely a problem.
I think that perhaps the best approach—and I
certainly don't profess to know all the answers—is to encourage our youth to
listen to music that has positive effect on them spiritually. If they are honest
within themselves, and desire to please the Lord, maybe this will be a help to
them.
We must also recognize that each individual is at
a different place in their walk with the Lord, and will make that judgment
accordingly. Not all music is suitable for a worship service in our home church,
yet some of it can be very pertinent to where we are at spiritually. I know that
although you wouldn't call it praise and worship, the music of Steven
Curtis Chapman has at many times in my youth spoken directly to
me at different stages of my Christian walk.
Ultimately I think the bottom line is where the
heart is. If we have to be constantly drawing lines and making boundaries for
our young people, then perhaps we should be encouraging them to see how close
they can get to Jesus, not how much like the world they can be and still be
okay. The scripture doesn't say "Just keep me in sight and you'll be
okay," it says "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you."
Simon
Butcher, Assistant Pastor
Perth,
Western Australia
Feel free to share your youth group’s “Music
Standards” with us! Just email them to us at editor@ninetyandnine.com.
Be sure to include your name, church name and geographic location.
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2001, ninetyandnine.com
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