I'm a blues guitarist. That's where my roots lie and that's where they shall forever be planted. I enjoy country music, I enjoy gospel music, and everyone knows I enjoy rock music. Though I may be inspired by rock, country, and gospel, blues is where my baby lives (to use a popular blues expression). Why aren't there more blues styled musician's in Contemporary Christian music? The closest I can think of is Steven Curtis Chapman. Now I don't write this article simply to complain of the lack of blues music in the Contemporary Christian world (though I could whine for days). I just wanted to talk about the diverse selection of Christian music available today.

Ten years ago from what I've been told (after all, I was only 10 and music was the last thing on my mind, especially Christian music), you'd have been hard fought to find electric guitar in anything but gospel music, and even then only used sparingly. That was probably a major issue then. The Minister of Music at my church has even talked about when he was a child in church, the piano was considered an "evil" instrument, and only organs were allowed in the sanctuary. My how far we have come in these past 10 years! Only a few months ago, our praise band played during the Sunday morning service (full drum kit and all! that's a major step for a Southern Baptist church...note my sarcasm).

Is this something that has only happened to Christian music? Is any other form of music affected? Well let's look at it. I'm sure many of you have listened to the Beatles. Great songwriters, and great musicians. What would you call their style of music? I would call it pop, and I dare think that today's musical standards would agree. Back in their day, they were rock and roll. I mean that was the Aerosmith of their generation (then again, Aerosmith was the Aerosmith of that generation too, how long have these guys been playing? Geez!). Music has progressively gotten noisier and louder and grungier (not that I'm complaining mind you). But along with the darker sounds came darker messages. I won't even go into that, you've heard today's music. People like Kid Rock or Fred Durst can be some of the most immoral people known to the planet, but as long as they come up with a catchy tune, they're revered as heroes for it. Something's wrong with that picture.

Now I'm not saying that this is the road that Christian music is going on. I don't expect to see scantily clad women and lots of drugs and alcohol in a Jars of Clay video anytime soon. But the point I'm making is let's be careful about the lines that we blur. I'm all about Christians playing in the secular world (refer back to my previous article "Christian" Music?"), but you've got to remember to be different. I'll use P.O.D. as an example (as I have many times before, what can I say, they're on a roll). P.O.D. is out there playing Ozzfest, following up acts like Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit with a positive message! They've stopped concerts to remind guys to be gentlemen to the ladies in the crowd. They don't drink (at least not on stage, and the drinking thing is something left to a completely different website), and they give all glory to God. I've heard them on countless interviews on Mtv give all the glory to Jesus Christ, their redeemer. Let me tell you, it takes a lot of guts to say something like that on Mtv.

This is where I think our danger lies. Blurring the lines between the Christian message and what the secular world expects out of a song. Just because you are a Christian group trying to make it in the secular world, does NOT mean that you try to sound like the world. It just means you think people other than Christians will appreciate the music you're making. I was disappointed with the music video for P.O.D.'s new release "Alive". They turned an obvious God-praise into a love story. No doubt it was a record company's decision, but I still would like to have seen a bolder message in the video. There is another group that I've recently been turned onto. Their name is Ten Shekel Shirt. They're a Praise-and-Worship band, but they play more than just churches and youth rallies! These guys go where the lost people are, into bars and clubs and they play their praise and worship music, and they get positive responses. People are won over to Christ because these people go into places most Christians would never want to be caught, and sing the Word of God. Those are my kind of guys!

To those of you that want to make it in a secular market, go for it. But remember to keep God first. Where you're going there's a minefield, and only he knows where the mines are. I ask you to pray for me, as I often do for you. Keep it rockin', and keep Him first!

Send your questions or comments to pcarter1@tecinfo.com