"Let's All Stand and Worship Me...Um, I Mean, God."

For the last few days I have been on a music tangent, providing some food-for-thought on issues pertaining to our musical choices in our daily listening and in our worship. Today I want to end the series by addressing trendy, contemporary Christian music (CCM) in Sunday worship.

First let me say that I think it is wonderful that a lot of rock and country musicians who were formerly using their talents for worldly purposes are now finding a wholesome use for their skills inside the church. For years I was right there beside them, using modern music for purposes of worship, and I still have a strong CCM lean. So I’m not against using CCM as a medium for worship so long as the elder members of our congregations are not alienated and left out by a church’s refusal to play hymns, which, unfortunately has happened more times than we know. CCM musicians, arrogantly insisting that their/our style of music represents the new direction that God is leading, are hurting the elder members of our church families by ramming our musical styles down their throats, ignoring the time-tested hymns, and running many of these precious older folks – many of whom founded the churches we enjoy – out of the church injured and disillusioned.

Regarding the hymns, by the way, they are typically much more lyrically meaningful and theologically sound compared to a lot CCM worship songs I’ve heard, many of which are very shallow. I believe the hymns should be preserved even in more contemporary churches because 1) they represent our heritage of faith, 2) they are the ‘language’ of our elder members, and 3) they are rich in theological meaning.

I have been among those who brushed the hymns to the side in the past because they were supposedly archaic. But I have since learned that there is no such thing as trends in God’s Kingdom. Once He establishes a thing, it is established. And the hymns have stood the test of time – a test that I don’t think most of our CCM songs will ultimately pass. I doubt if anyone will be singing some of the lyrically-challenged songs 100 years from now that we currently use for worship in our churches.

Furthermore, churches represent the FAMILY of God, and in a family there are many different age groups represented. To confine a church’s musical selections to CCM only so as to cater to one age segment is fragmenting and weakens the church, because the younger members desperately need the wisdom and experience of the older, just as the older need the energy and vision of the younger. Age segregation in churches is becoming all too common, and it’s destructive. Music has had a lot to do with that.

Another problem that many contemporary churches have not successfully dealt with is how to keep the focus on God instead of the band. How do you set up a concert-style stage using entertainment-oriented music with musicians who are accustomed to ‘performing’ and still keep the focus on God? If a worship band can resist the temptation to play a “gig” rather than to truly worship God, I think it CAN be done, but therein lies the rub. In my experience, most worship bands can’t distinguish the difference and end up basking in the spotlight rather than to tuck themselves off to one side in the dark and allowing God to be the center of people’s attention. Too many worship teams display their players front-and-center and practically force the congregation to watch, as if they were attending a concert. THAT’S one of the problems. Scripture says that God is not in the business of sharing His glory with feeble man. Churches MUST arrange their bands in such a way as to keep them away from the center of attention, whether that be using an orchestra pit, tucking them off to one side behind some plants, whatever. But it must be done if God is to be the focus.

Another problem plaguing contemporary worship is the choosing of songs based upon musical style rather than on lyrical content rich in theological meaning. I love good music, but if I had to choose between great music and lyrical content, I would choose to ditch the band altogether and sing words acappella that are truly inspired. I have heard many good CCM songs that do a good job of combining modern music with powerful lyrics, but that seems to be more the exception rather than the rule.

I want to emphasize that I enjoy a lot of CCM, so I’m not throwing out the baby with the bathwater, as they say. And I know that there are numerous humble CCM artists whom God is using for His glory. I simply want to point out that in all we do as Christians there are boundaries, but many CCM artists and devotees seem to be more influenced by the world than by those clearly defined Biblical standards.

So in bringing our three-part music series to a close, we should evaluate how to make wise musical choices. Personally, I won’t listen to just any music because it is “Christian”, and I also don’t listen to just any secular music. I do listen to a very small selection of country music, but I’m careful that the lyrical content is family-friendly, or I reject it. Where CCM is concerned, I likewise reject artists that appear to promote and exalt themselves more than they do Christ, which narrows the field quite a bit. I also reject the heavy metal versions of CCM, although that used to be my genre of choice. And if it is sensual in it’s feel, even if the artist is “Christian,” I don’t buy it, and I don’t let my kids listen to it.

Since there is no chapter or verse in the Bible about musical styles and specific groups, we have to consider the big picture – the over-arching Biblical principles. Some people might be tempted to justify their cigarette addiction, for example, because the Bible does not specifically address cigarettes. But what are the all-encompassing life principles that God would have us consider? As it pertains to CCM in our worship and in our private lives, the following principles apply:

· Avoid the very appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
· Do not embrace worldly philosophies and methodologies. (Psalm 1:1, James 4:4-5)
· Do not live just to please yourselves, but be sensitive to what may offend a weaker brother. (1 Corinthians 10:23-33)
· Don’t support those who claim to be Christians and ministers but who do not represent the gospel according to Biblical standards. (1 Corinthians 5, 2 Timothy 3:1-9, 2 Peter 2:1-3)
· Be willing to serve a role in God’s Kingdom that is not glamorous or important in the eyes of the world in order to shine the spotlight on Christ. (John 3:30, John 13:1-20)
· Live in such a way that the distinction between you and the world is obvious to everyone. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

It is time we as Christians in a post-modern world begin to strenuously pursue Christ-likeness by adhering to these standards of dissociation with worldliness. We must stop seeing how close we can get to the edge of the cliff of sin without falling off, and instead get as far away as possible in order to embrace the high road of spiritual maturity, and this will include our methods of worship and our entertainment choices. Those who press on toward the mark instead of stopping short will experience the glorious privilege of being used mightily for God's glory, as well as receive the benefits in scripture promised to those who cherish holiness.

Square Pegs and Round Holes: An Analysis of Modern Christian Music

In my last blog I addressed the issue of whether or not music is “amoral,” or without moral implications in and of itself apart from lyrical content. In other words, are there any styles of music that could be considered immoral just based upon the beat, rhythm, and feel of the music? I used to think the answer was no, but now I say yes.

People who have known me for a long time know me as a person who likes guitar-driven music, so it may come as a surprise that I don’t accept just any music simply because it has a cool guitar riff or because it is “Christian.” I think it goes without saying that there are certain styles of music that are used to arouse sexual passions, and others are used to convey a tone of anger and rebellion. You never hear “M&M” (a popular rap artist), for example, singing his sexually charged and violence-soaked lyrics over a beautifully melodic concerto. There is a reason why artists use the sounds they do, and it’s because the feel of the music fits what they are attempting to convey. That should also tell us that maybe we should consider NOT using some forms of music for Christian entertainment or “worship.”

Musicians often refer to the “feel” or the “groove” of a song, because they know that certain rhythmic structures illicit specific emotions. That fact can be used to create an atmosphere of worship, or it can be used to create dark desires. The confusion is when we attempt to use the same sounds that some use to elicit dark desires for purposes of worship or evangelism. Using certain musical styles dripping in sexualized overtones – such as Donna Summer’s song from the disco era, “Love to Love You Baby,” which is known by its erotic feel – for Christian entertainment or worship just doesn’t compute. But that’s exactly what much of contemporary Christian music (CCM) has tried to do - use musical arrangments very similar to Love to Love You Baby, but just insert some churchy lyrics in order to relate to a certain crowd. But I don't think oil and water mix very well.

I’m certainly not saying that any music with a beat is wrong or sensual or rebellious, as some would have us believe. However, I do feel that there is a danger in attempting to jam a square peg in a round hole by trying to Christianize certain styles of music. It’s almost like hiring a prostitute and partaking of her services in order to try to evangelize her.

I also feel that there is a danger in trivializing the glorious message of Christ by bringing it down the level of a three-chord dance song. Have you ever seen the T-shirt that says, “Jesus is my homeboy”? That’s what I’m talking about. Jesus is not anybody’s ‘homey’ or whatever sub-culture term you want to use for your ‘pal.’ He is the awesome Creator of the universe Who sits at the right hand of the Father enthroned on high, and any T-shirt or song that lowers His mighty status to that of a ‘chum’ is blasphemous. Jesus is also not “cool,” as I have heard some Christians artists say of Him in their songs. He is too glorious to be cool. He is King of kings and Lord of Lords, not a back-slapping, high-fiving god. Yes, He is also our Father – that is true. But that “Abba” relationship with which we are privileged must be balanced by our awesome respect for Him, and too often that kind of reverence is simply not represented in a lot of CCM.

I also feel it conveys a very bad message when the Christian artists we listen to and expose our children to cannot be distinguished from worldly, godless music artists. Somehow our Christian artists have forgotten the command to “come out from among them and be ye separate.” I agree that there needs to be forms of music that sing God’s praises and convey the gospel in the ‘languages’ of the various hearers, but that can be taken too far, just like popular fashions can be taken too far because of issues of modesty.

I think it’s sad that so many Christian artists try so hard to copy the world rather than setting their own wholesome trends. “Can’t you see that we’re just as cool as the world,” seems to be what is being conveyed. Too bad. Honestly, I’m almost to the point that I would rather listen to some instrumental classical piano or family-friendly country music from an artist that doesn’t even necessarily claim any devotion to Christ rather than to support any more copycat CCM that is so often devoid of real substance and reverence. At least I can get some honest and original music with classical and country. I feel that so much of Christian music is not honest. CCM portrays itself as “glorifying God,” but in reality what it really does a lot of the time is glorify the artist, just like secular music does. When was the last time you saw a CCM CD sleeve or an artists’ website that wasn’t plastered with multiple photos of the artist? So just who is being promoted here? “God is cool, and by the way, look how good-looking and hip I am,” seems to be what is being communicated. I think it sends a message of self-promotion and pride to our children who are not yet discerning enough to recognize the worldliness behind the “Christian” mask.

And what about those Hollywood-style Dove Awards? Don’t get me started! There have only been two Christian artists in the history of CCM that I felt took a proper approach to the Dove Awards. The late Keith Green, who many consider to be a modern-day prophet, was invited to the Dove Awards because of his incredible music and convicting writing, and he declined the invitation. And Larry Norman, an early pioneer of CCM, accepted the invitation and took the stage to accept his award, and then promptly threw cold water on the crowd by condemning the whole idea of the Dove Awards as worldly and exalting of man and not God. The response? He was black-listed by the CCM industry and could no longer work in the States. He had to do most of his recording and touring overseas and spent most of the rest of his career barely making ends-meet.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that most Christian record labels are now owned by secular firms. That is perhaps one reason why Christian music has become so commercialized and watered-down and, yes, even worldly. The enemy is so crafty that he knows exactly how to mix in just enough corruption with the nice Christian stuff that few ever notice when they begin drifting off course of what is holy and acceptable in God’s sight. There IS a line that needs to be drawn, but because much of the music we listen to is labeled as “Christian,” we don’t seem to recognize where that line is.

I realize that I’m really rocking the world of some people, because many, many Christians I know have no lines whatsoever when it comes to their entertainment choices. I am shocked at the godless music and TV and movies that some Christians put in their heads and allow their children to hear and see as well. And hey, I’m not a prude. I played guitar in rock bands most of my young life, but by the grace of God I have begun to recognize the destructive nature of trying to justify living one’s life for one’s own fulfillment rather than constantly asking the question, “Does this please God?,” and then seriously evaluating our choices accordingly. There is a price to pay for having no discernment, and there are rewards for drawing distinct lines in the sand because you want to please God.

* * * * *

I will devote one more blog to this topic tomorrow, focusing on some of the problems not yet resolved in using CCM for Sunday worship.

Blessings until then.

Is Music "Amoral?"

I told you I was going to stir up some controversy from time to time. Here’s your first taste of it.

Have you ever contemplated whether or not music in and of itself could be moral or immoral? Many have argued that music by itself without any lyrics is neither moral nor immoral – it’s amoral. It’s like a kitchen knife; with it you can prepare a meal for your family, or do someone bodily harm. It’s all in how you use it. But is that true of music?

I grew up in the late 70’s and early 80’s when contemporary Christian music (CCM) was just starting to become popular. Those in the CCM scene and those who followed it, like myself, took a firm stand against those who condemned CCM as worldly. But in retrospect, I can now see that some of my acceptance of just about any kind of music or group just because it was “Christian” was shortsighted.

I’ll build my thesis by sharing a short story with you.

A few years ago I bought my wife a CD of a popular female CCM artist. I wasn’t familiar with her music, so one day when I was in my exercise room having a workout I put in the CD to give it a listen. It turned out to be what you would call dance/pop. A couple of songs into the CD my daughter Hannah, who was probably 10 or 11 years old at the time, came in and said with a look and tone of surprise, “Dad, what are you listening to?!”

“It’s a Christian CD I bought for Mommy,” I said. “Why do you sound so surprised?”

“It sounds so….lovey-dovey,” she replied, with a look of disgust distorting her pretty features.

‘Lovey-dovey’ is the playful term Donna and I used to explain sexual intercourse to the children without actually using the words, intercourse or sex. So Hannah’s use of that term was the only way she knew how to express to me that the music sounded sexualized. It had a sensual feel about it.

Now, I want to once again explain that this was a Christian artist, and the lyrics were representative of that. But without paying attention to the words, Hannah’s young spirit was even more sensitive of the sensual feel of the music than I was. It was very eye-opening for me. “Out of the mouth of babes….”

So to answer my own question that I posed in the title of today’s blog, no, I don’t believe that music is amoral. Just as much of today’s pop music is sensual in it’s feel, other types of music like gangster rap and heavy metal convey an angry, aggressive, dark feel to it. Yes, music was created by God, but it is man who arranges the notes and rhythms in such a way as to create a specific mood and feel. God is the Creator, but Satan is the corruptor of His creations, and I believe that some of that corruption has crept in to even our "Christian" music.

I'll build my case for that last statement and continue the discussion on music in the next few subsequent posts.

Enjoy your Friday!!

Christianity in the Real World

Last year I was in a little Kentucky town and bumped into a young Asian girl who approached me with a leaflet in her hand. I thought she was soliciting, and in fact she was selling something, but it wasn’t merchandise. What she was selling was Jesus. I discovered while listening to her broken English that she was a missionary. That’s right. She had come from a distant land half way across the globe to evangelize Americans in the heartland. I think that speaks volumes about how far we have fallen in this nation spiritually. We used to be the ones sending missionaries to Asia. Now they have come to evangelize us, because we no longer appear to hold to the principles we once professed.

Now, contrast that young Asian girl to the 40% plus American pastors who admitted to being users of pornography in a Promise Keepers anonymous poll, and the countless number of American Christians who have never shared their faith even once.

Hmmm. What's wrong with this picture?

Much has been said and written about the state of Westernized Christianity. The consensus among experts is that Christianity in America is sick, churches are becoming a cultural relic, and Christians are so infected with worldliness that you can’t tell the redeemed apart from the unredeemed. I think it is a telling statistic that a full 85% of Americans consider themselves “Christians.” Obviously, we have some fundamental problems in understanding what it really means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

Christian pollster George Barna, founder of the Barna Research Group, set out to put some numbers to the percentage of Americans who fit the Biblical description of “born again.” In doing so, he asks people to respond to a number of questions that are designed to help establish their worldview. Following are some of those questions and their corresponding percentages which you may find interesting.

• Only 52% of all adults say their religious faith is very important in their life. Of those who describe themselves as born again, the numbers are 98%. (2004)


• Half of those claiming to be born again Christians (46%) believe that Satan is “not a living being but is a symbol of evil,” (2005) which is a concept completely opposite of what the Bible teaches. Among the general population, 60% do not believe that Satan exists.


• About one-third of those claiming to be born again (33%) believe that if a person is good enough they can earn a place in Heaven, (2005) which is a heretical belief. The Bible clearly teaches that man cannot on his own good merits earn a place in Heaven because all of us have sinned and violated God's Holy decrees (Romans 3:23). Therefore, salvation must come through faith in Jesus alone or not at all (see Romans 3:21-25).


• 28% of those claiming to be born again agree that “while he lived on earth, Jesus committed sins, like other people,” compared to 42% of all adults (2005). Again, the Bible describes Jesus as the perfect, sinless Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of those who place their trust in Him.


• Astonishingly, only 32% of those claiming to be born again said they believe in moral absolutes, compared to just half as many (15%) among non-born agains. (2002)


• One third of born again adults (33%) say that abortion is a morally acceptable behavior (2004).


• 15% of those claiming to be born again Christian claim that "after He was crucified and died, Jesus Christ did not return to life physically" (2000). The Bible teaches that Jesus arose from the dead bodily and literally, and then ascended into heaven.


• About one out of four (26%) of those claiming to be born again Christians believe that it doesn't matter what faith you follow because they all teach the same lessons; a belief held by 56% of non-Christians (2000). (Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is the ONLY way, and that no one can come to the Father except through Him.)


• Only half of those who attend a Christian church (50%) say that they are absolutely committed to the Christian faith, and another 37% say that they are moderately committed. (2004)

In light of the above statistics, it is interesting to note that compared to 63% of all adults, 86% of born again Christians believe “the Bible is totally accurate in all of its teachings” (2005). Why then, do so many people believe that Satan is simply a "symbol of evil" and not a real entity? Why do one-third of born again Christians believe that a person can earn their way to heaven based on moral behavior? Why do so many Christians believe that Jesus committed sins, and why do so many not believe in any moral absolutes? Many of these "Christians" who believe that the Bible is totally accurate have apparently rarely, if ever, read the Bible!
So what does it mean to be a Christian? Perhaps Barna's description of "evangelicals" would more closely describe what it means to be a Biblical Christian:

“ 'Evangelicals' meet the born again criteria [described above] plus seven other conditions. Those include saying their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today. Being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church attended. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as 'evangelical.' " (Barna.org)

Only 7% of American adults fit this description, according to Barna. His research on the beliefs and behaviors of the general adult population show that not everyone who claims to be a Christian (which, again, is apparently 85% of Americans) is really practicing his/her faith. Consider the following:

Percentage of adults who view certain behavior as morally acceptable (2003):

• 61% of adults view gambling as a morally acceptable behavior.


• Enjoying sexual thoughts or fantasies about someone 59%


• Living with someone of the opposite sex without being married, sometimes called co-habitation 60%


• Having an abortion 45%


• Having a sexual relationship with someone of the opposite sex to whom you are not married 42%


• Looking at pictures of nudity or explicit sexual behavior 38%


• Using profanity 36%


• Getting drunk 35%


• Having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex 30%


• Using drugs not prescribed by a medical doctor 17%

Indeed, what Barna describes as a "Notional Christian" represents 36% of the population (2005). Barna's group categorized "Notional Christian" as those who describe themselves as Christians, but do not believe that they will have eternal life because of their reliance upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the grace extended to people through a relationship with Christ. (A large majority of these individuals believe they WILL have eternal life, but NOT because of a grace-based relationship with Jesus Christ.)

The appalling difference between American Christians and those who have embraced the beliefs of Islam is that Muslims are typically tenaciously devoted to their faith and the lifestyle that their faith demands, while most Americans who describe themselves as Christians give little more than lip-service to their faith. Most American Christians do not have a Christian worldview, they believe and behave just like the rest of their non-Christian counterparts, and they bear little if any resemblance to the character of the patriarchs of the Christian faith and the symbol and object of worship of the Christian faith, which is Jesus Christ Himself. Scripture says that without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14), and Jesus Himself said that on the great day of Judgment, many people will come to Him expecting to receive salvation because of the religious things they did, but will instead receive damnation because they did not do the will of the Father (see Matthew 7:21-23). Furthermore, the book of James tells us that if we really have faith, that faith should result in a change of behavior. Not that the change in behavior is what saves a person, but that their change in behavior is evidence of the genuine faith they possess (see James 2:14-24). Again, Jesus said that if we love Him, then we will keep His commandments (John 14:15).

So I believe it is time to cease giving people the benefit of the doubt simply because they claim to be this or that. I could claim to believe in communism, but I wouldn't actually be a communist unless I joined the party and participated in its cause. Likewise, there are many people who claim to believe in Jesus and to be born again, but that does not make them true Christians. Jesus said that wide is the gate that leads to destruction, and many are they who are on that road; but narrow is the gate that leads to salvation, and few are those who will find it. But, of course, since people don’t like being characterized as being outside the grace of God, those who point out the standards that God requires for His followers are often labeled as “judgmental” and “legalistic.”

The reason that this country is in the condition that it currently finds itself is because so few people actually have any strong convictions based upon Biblical principles. The masses are swayed by their feelings, not Biblical principles. The reason this is the case is because almost no one sees himself/herself as a sinner worthy of God's punishment, and therefore, based upon their own faulty belief that they are good people whose lifestyles are worthy of God's pardon, most believe that the principles of the Bible are take-it-or-leave-it propositions. King David wrote: There is an oracle within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked. There is no fear of God before his eyes, for in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to hate or detect his sin (Psalm 36:1-3). Until he sees himself as a sinner worthy of God's judgment, no one can actually come to a place of repentance, which the Bible says in necessary for salvation. And until a person truly repents, he/she will see no need to fully embrace the teachings of the Bible. Instead, they will perhaps give mental assent to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, but they will not truly become His disciples by being radically obedient to Biblical principles and seeking to center one's entire existence around God's will, even if that devotion costs them greatly (such as is the case in other countries where being a devoted Christian could cost you your life).

True discipleship is a high cost that not many are willing to pay, and therefore, I respectfully submit that much of the 85% of Americans who claim to be Christians are just as hell bound as any local pimp or drug dealer. Yet, the wonderful message of the gospel is that true faith in Jesus Christ that results in repentance leads to salvation in spite of our past sins. This is the message we should be preaching if we are to change the course of this country. Giving people false hope by bolstering their belief that they are part of a Kingdom family that they may have never truly understood or belonged to in the first place will only exacerbate the problem of unbiblical beliefs and behaviors proliferating in this country. What we need is to see ourselves in the light of Biblical truth, and then repent accordingly. Scripture says that the person who says "I love God" but does not do what He commands is a liar and the truth is not in him (see 1 John 2:3-6), and 2 Chronicles 7:14 tell us that "if my people, who are called by name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

So you see, being a Christian is not about one's church attendance; it's not about denominational affiliation; and it's not even about believing in God or agreeing that Jesus is God's representation of Himself on earth to provide a way of salvation. Being a Christian is not about agreeing with a philosophy if that belief is void of commitment. Being a Christian is about repentance - seeing one's self as a person who has willfully and repeatedly violated God's law, and are therefore under His wrath, and then repenting of the lifestyle of self-serving sinfulness in order to embrace Jesus as the atonement for one's sins and committing one's self to God's standards and will for one's life - and that level of obedience, by the way, will require a high level of self-sacrifice.

Speaking of sacrifice, Americans – intoxicated with entertainment and obsessed with pleasure – typically believe of God that it is His highest priority to make them happy. This is why there are so many professing Christians who do not live righteous lives, because due to their Biblical illiteracy they do not understand that it is NOT God’s highest priority to make people comfortable, but rather, He concerns Himself with the character of His chosen ones, and that often involves suffering and self-denial. While God DOES want His children to enjoy abundant lives, He never said we would achieve His kind of abundance by indulging our base appetites. God’s method of abundant living is sacrifice on the front end in order to enjoy abundance on the back end. Most people, however, serve a god of their own making – one that doesn’t exist except in their own minds, and their “gospel” declares that you can violate just about every command in the Bible and still be in God’s good graces as long as you go to church and wear the title of “Christian.”

If the people who are claiming to be Christians really ever read their Bibles, they would understand that God doesn't want to be a mere part of one's life; He wants to BE your life, and indeed He demands that one must be willing to give up everything to follow Him and love Him supremely even more than mother, father, spouse, and children. God demands of His followers to "come out from among them and be separate," so He is requiring that Christians live noticeably different than the rest of the world. THAT is the message of the Bible, and that's what it means to be a Christian.

I leave you with a quote from Charles Colson's award-winning book, Loving God:

"Repentance is an inescapable consequence of regeneration, an indispensable part of the conversion process that takes place under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. But repentance is also a continuing state of mind... Believers 'prove their repentance by their deeds.' Without a continuing repentant attitude - a persistent desire to turn away from our own nature and seek God's nature - Christian growth is impossible. Loving God is impossible." (pg. 95)

Let us return to a devotion to the principles of the faith we profess!

Introduction and Purpose

Hello All,

So...here's the blog some of you have been after me to start. You must be gluttons for punishment! Perhaps my opinionated and long-winded pontifications which I have put in article form have had some degree of good, as evidenced in the encouragements to do a blog.

This first posting will hopefully set the tone for my purpose in doing a blog. Most of my writings in the past have been in defense and definition of the Christian worldview, thus the name for the blog, Christian Paradigm. I find that so much of the Body of Christ has adopted post-modern, humanistic, and unbiblical worldviews, and this is evidenced in the way we worship, how we vote, the daily choices we make, and the way we raise our children. So I guess you could call this blog an attempt at critical thinking as it pertains to issues pertinent to many different areas of our lives as Christians, some of which, no doubt, will be controversial in nature. But controversial can be fun sometimes!

I also wish to state up front that I do not claim to be the font of knowledge on any of the issues on which I choose to write. I am still in the process of growth, discovery, and development, just like all who will read this. Yet, in my 42 years, I have grappled with many issues and sought the wise counsel of elders of the faith and read enough books and pored over the scriptures long enough to at least have some degree of insight, I hope, that will be helpful to those who may be grappling with these same issues. Of course, "insight" is in the eyes of the beholder. What some call 'insight,' others may consider idiocy! :-) So I will post my thoughts and opinions and will be open to other differing viewpoints. It is, after all, the consideration of all critical thinking that allows us to form our beliefs.

With that said, please indulge me a moment or two longer as I simply introduce myself to those who do not know me.

My name is Andrew, and I live in a little rural community in south central Indiana. I live with my wonderful wife of 14 years and our three children. I have worked in the field of nutritional medicine for the last 14 years. Where ministry is concerned, most of my background is in the area of worship, having worked in worship ministry leadership starting in 1993. I have also worked extensively in the areas of teaching (not preaching), mostly for small group settings. Two years ago my family and I started a house church where we ministered for about a year before moving to the boondocks. (You can't believe the size of the spiders and the proximity of coyotes out here in the sticks!) My heart's desire is to help the people of God however I can in instructing and teaching the truths of God's Word and it's everyday application. To that end, I have written several books and articles and recorded several audio teachings, all of which are available on my Shofar Publications website, http://www.shofarpublications.org/.

I hope this blog will serve as just another tool to make people go, "hmmm," and consider things perhaps not previously considered.

That's it for now. I'm sure I'll have some soapbox proclamation to make in a few days, so stay tuned.

Your buddy,
AndrewG