The power of a tune/lyric.

All the time you see these pictures that say, "When words fail, music speaks." Avid music lovers understand the power through communication with music. Over and over in the bible you read about singing or a song. Lifting your voice. It's evident that music is powerful. If you have followed the media at all you have heard about Beyonce's Lemonade. There is a very powerful, and explicit, song she sings that sounds like a page of her diary. Lots of artists music sound like that.

If you open up the wonderful world of iTunes you have a wonderful option called genres. Let me list them for you. Alternative, Blues, Children's music, Christian and Gospel, Classical, Comedy, Country, Dance, Electronic, Essentials, Fitness and Workout, Greatest Hits, Hip-Hop/Rap, Indie, Jazz, K-pop, Latino, Metal, Music Video, New Artist, Pop, R&B/Soul, Reggae, Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Soundtrack, World, and Tones. The possibilities seem endless. Notice only ONE of those 29 choices is Christian.

I know that I can't be the only person in this world that has a strong connection to music. I love so many different styles of music. I can listen to just about anything for a little bit of time. It all depends on my mood. I'm ashamed to say that I was better at naming artists than I am now. I used to be able to listen to a small snip-it of a song and instantly be able to tell you who the artist was. I also used to be able to tell you what Christian artist you would like based on your cd selection.

I have to say that I am ashamed at the lack of selection in Christian Music. Not just in numbers but in style. When you scan your radio for Christian music, you get the same style. Some of the stuff is over 5 years old. I have no problem admitting that some songs are better than others and can withstand the test of time. HOWEVER, I am able to openly confess that I can't stand listening to Christian radio because it's the SAME STYLE! I'm a very colorful character and most days, groups like Casting Crowns just don't cut it for me.

My issue with this is that there is so much more out there that the realm of Christian Music has to offer. There is rock, there is rap, there is metal, there is alternative. Over the years we have reduced the airways of Christian music to the same style. It would be like reducing God to one type of person. Just the white collar, suit wearing, bible toting Christians get into heaven.

In the book I'm currently reading, the author says that the Gospel message doesn't change but our presentation of it needs to. (Loosely translated) We are living in an ever changing world. An ever changing economy. But a constant God that never changes.  I think we have to think about people that way. People change. Music should too. Don't get me twisted and automatically make me sound like I feel that Christians need to conform to the world. That's totally not it.

I think we need to take back what the enemy has stolen. Satan has taken music and perverted it. Music is very serious. And if you stick around for a few days I'm going to cover a few things, as I research, and share it with you. A friend of mine always used to greet me with, "People are dying and going to Hell. What are you doing about it? I thank that man a lot in my mind because now I'm actually going to try to do something about it!