This essay is a response to the common attitude of "you can't prove to me that CCM is wrong, so how dare you try to tell me I shouldn't listen to it!" as well as the attitude of "you have to appeal to the tastes of modern Christians in order to attract them to your church."
While the Bible is not clear about what styles of music are right or wrong or appropriate for church, the Christian should avoid the position that certain styles of music are "needed" for true worship (or evangelism) to take place.
Those who reach the conclusion that CCM is "ok" Biblically, tend to fall to the temptation that CCM is needed. Could it be that CCM is not wrong in any way, but not needed in the church or believer's life? Could it be that CCM is "ok", but better avoided?
Those who condemn all CCM and its followers tend to think that "classically styled" music is needed for worship to take place. Could it be that true worship could take place to CCM? Could it be that a service without CCM could lack true worship?
The answer to all of these questions is, "yes!" To think that any certain style of music is needed for true worship to take place is to supplant the Gospel with man's creation. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
Neither CCM music nor any other style of music is necessary for true Biblical evangelism.
Neither CCM nor any other style of music is needed to fill a church building.
Neither CCM nor any other style of music is necessary to grow a person in Christlikeness.
The faithful and accurate proclamation of God's Word is all that is necessary to win a soul to Christ, to fill a church (with faithful Christians), and to grow a person in Christlikeness. Certain styles of music will encourage or detract from these goals; however, no single style is necessary to fulfill these goals.
Posted by apelles at December 11, 2003 09:46 PM