Question: How can you be down on all contemporary music, choruses, etc.?

Question (composite of several): How can you be down on all contemporary music, choruses, etc.? I've heard rock music groups that really glorified the Lord. There is much contemporary music that expresses solid biblical doctrine and love of God in Spirit and in truth regardless of instrument or style. Is it not possible that some of the family of God who worship with contemporary music really know God, fear Him and serve Him as diligently as you do?

Response: Of course it is, and if I gave any other impression, I certainly didn't intend to. You seem to have missed the point of my article, as did a few others. Perhaps I failed to make it clear.

I did not condemn all contemporary music. Speaking to my own heart and exhorting others as I felt led of the Lord, I tried to say that there is little fear of God in the evangelical church today. And I said that this lack of reverence and deep appreciation of God's greatness is often reflected in our songs of worship and praise.

I gave two criteria (mood and message) by which I felt all music should be judged. Is the mood the main effect (it shouldn't be), and is it worshipful and reverent, something suitable to take place in the very presence of God before His throne, or is it not? After all, we are supposedly singing to Him. Then, does its message (more important than mood) have solid biblical content that will convert the lost or edify and draw us closer to the Lord?

If you know and use contemporary music of whatever kind that gets an A+ on both of the above, then praise the Lord. It was a word of exhortation that I felt I needed and that the church in general needed. To whatever degree the shoe fits, put it on. Many have written to say that they were indeed challenged and helped by the article. That was my purpose.