is christian music ministry?
i tend to think so, and that’s the only reason it would be christian music. if there’s a christian man, and he writes good music, and he has a record label with a secular label… i think that’s fine. my understanding of that band lifehouse, is that they’re christian guys. now, i don’t think it’s right to explain a song that you’ve written about god as ‘whatever you want it to mean. it’s different for different people’. if a song is written to praise god, then i think when someone asks you what it means, no matter who it is, you should tell them it was written to praise god. but i don’t think that means that when you go to a concert to see that person they have to talk about christ and the gospel throughout the show, or even at all. i find it hard to imagine someone not using that leverage they have on the stage to proclaim christ and his gospel, but at the same time… i certainly don’t do that day in and day out at work. but when there’s a band that proclaims to be a christian band, and is on a christian label, i think they are in the full time ministry business, not the music business. (though, shamefully christian record labels have confused themselves with the record industry)

http://www.tulsaworld.com/NewsStory.asp?ID=010307_Ne_a8rapec

the ‘christian’ band raze is the subject of the article. one of the men in that band is charged with “five counts of lewd molestation, three counts of rape by instrumentation and three counts of forcible sodomy with an un derage girl.”

you tell me what would happen if your pastor were charged with these crimes. what should happen when a pastor is charged with these crimes? now, you might be expecting me to say he would be kicked out of the church. and rightly so. but that’s not what would happen for a godly pastor (well… assuming he was ungodly enough to be charged of these things). he would step down from his position. willingly because he had shamed his office.

1 Timothy 4:12-16
Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

this is one of paul’s charges to timothy, as a pastor… a minister of the gospel. he says to be an example of godliness to those whom he is ministering to. and in the last line, his obedience to god will save not only himself, but those that hear him as well. (don’t be confused, paul is certainly not teaching a works based salvation here.)
~i have just learned that erik posted about this same subject. my thunder has been stolen. just kidding.~

my final thoughts… it is a shame on the church of christ that this band is continuing to proclaim christ’s message of faith and obedience. whatever church this man is a member of should discipline him. the article i read says nothing about repentance. the man’s defense is that he was in a consentual sexual relationship with this minor. that defense is incriminating in itself.
and i find it shameful that whatever group it is that runs the dove awards does not have the courage or faith to put their foot down and reject this band’s nominations. the dove awards are not purely on musical ability, or else they wouldn’t exist. the grammies already cover that. no, the dove awards represent musical ability in a community of christian faith. (at least, that’s what they attempt to be.) a group of believers should not glorify someone that has been guilty of crimes such as these.

and please don’t jump on me with the ‘who are you to judge him’ bit. i am no more holy than this man, and my sins have been just as heinous before god. but i am not in a public office of the ministry, nor am i in a position where i have thousands of people wanting to be like me. i assure you, as it is, my sins weigh heavily on me and i repent of them. i strive to live obediently so that those that witness me will see a true representation of what it means to be a christian, and if they happen to imitate me, it is a godly imitation they’re taking after. the burden is heavier since i was married and will i gain even more responsibility when i have a child. i shudder to think of the strain public ministers must be under. thank god for grace and mercy. and i hope this man is really a christian. i hope he gives up his legal dancing and cries before the lord, as david did, “against you, you only, have i sinned, and done this evil in your sight“.

there are two things that i’m gonna post about today… i couldn’t stand to not post about either of them.

Romans 1:28-32
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

http://www.nydailynews.com/2001-03-06/News_and_Views/Crime_File/a-102260.asp

a young woman, 16 years old, secretly has a baby and then throws it in to the cage, with a “snarling, hungry dog”. the nieghbors called 911, reporting a “newborn being eaten by a dog”. what kind of person could do this? who could do this to their own child? the woman claimed the child was still born, but regardless of that, how could anyone do this to their own flesh and blood? even if the child was dead, how could a parent depart with it in such a vicious and violent way?
the question is answered in the scriptures… they deny god in their hearts, so god hands them over to thier fleshly, sinful desires and practices.
our society is so hypocritical, though, that we call abortions legal, but condemn this girl for doing the same thing. anyone that disagrees we label a backwards fool that doesn’t believe in equal rights for women. this, of course, shows our true hatred of ourselves, and our denial of god and all his goodness. our country, more and more each day, is conforming paul’s description of the unbelievers in romans 1. it’s almost as if we read the bible, and then do our very best to strive for what it says not to do.
and that’s scary. it makes me think of a quote by thomas jefferson… “Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.”