Christian music is having a moment

“Christian music is having a moment”, or should I say it seems “music is having Christian moments”. Why do I say that, you ask? Well, just look through blips from social media, reports from news websites, and podcast interviews. Many of our heralded modern music stars are openly citing their relationship with God and how it impacts their daily lives. I was struck after reading about many such occurrences for music stars in varying genres. The latest one was regarding Bunny XO’s share about God’s timing.  What really struck me today is how the Secular music scene isn’t acting nearly as “secular” as the Christian music scene.

This is coming on the heels of reports and rumors surrounding Michael Tate from Newsboys and DC Talk fame, allegedly living a double life and having repeat sexual and drug-related offenses. To be fair, no charges have been filed at the time of this article, but that doesn’t negate the concerns of how behavior is tolerated and known, or in the very least suspected and not addressed.  Of course, I hear it now, “we’re all fallen sinners”.  This is true, but we’re also fallen sinners who have been redeemed by Christ, and therefore living in the balance of being in the world and also walking in the Kingdom of God here on Earth for as long as we are here on Earth. Not just that, but we are to be continually set apart in our behavior, so different from the worldly behavior, that there can be no mistaking the Kingdom with which we are aligned.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Amp)

Furthermore, in the verse immediately preceding it, Christians are called to abstain from even the appearance of evil. Now, my beef here is not found with the individual (in this case Michael Tate) who has fallen short, but instead with those who have allowed and endorsed him in spite of knowing this behavior existed and continued. This obviously does not exclude consequences or excuse the behavior and responsibility that the individual has brought upon themselves, and of course the same Grace that drew each of us in originally, is the same Grace available for all sins.  But, none of that is my point. My point is that we have a responsibility, as ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20) for Christ’s Kingdom, to hold one another in account, and represent His Kingship through our actions.

So here’s my question. As the Church continues to be wrought with abuse and scandal, who is to blame? And maybe that’s entirely the wrong question. As I write this, I am reminded that Satan is the “great accuser”, so the blame game is entirely up his alley.  Maybe the question should be, what do we do about it? We as individuals, as a church of believers, and as ambassadors of God’s Kingdom here on earth, when do we reprimand? When do we address what we see bubbling under the surface? In so many of these situations there are countless victims. But one thing I can say for certain, sin separates the sinner from a Holy God. It is no good to turn the other way in ignorance, out of “respect” or any other sort of excuse for the “good” that someone is doing behalf of a God whom they are grieving. Yes, we are called into account for our sins, and we all must answer for our individual choices. However, we must remember, that the same Spirit who lives in Christ, lives in each of us as we identify in Him. The Bible says that we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit (1 Thes 5:19-20). Therefore, we do not call out each other’s shortcomings from a place of superiority, but instead from heartbreak. We are to admonish one another in humility, wanting not to further grieve the Spirit of God by our own silence.

 And what about the “secular”  musicians giving thanks and honor to God? Well, I have to think that they’ve got it right. God deserves all the honor and glory, and as Paul declares (1Thes 5:21b),  “Hold firmly to that which is good”. Maybe it’s high time we focus more on the God being cited, and less on who it is calling His name.  If we don’t, we’re liable to be seen as a group more concerned with honoring the sinner then giving Glory to the God to whom we belong. The onus is on us. Who’s good news are we sharing?  That of the individual who sinned, or news of the only God who saves?