(By Chad Bennett)

When I am not listening to class lectures or sermons in my car, I will often listen to the local Christian music stations. More and more this has been a source of frustration in my life. I do not know if I have become more cynical or if the music really has become that bad. The majority of the music, at best, gives nothing substantial and, at worse, presents heresy.

Christians are to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Where is the music in which Christ is shown richly and that teaches and admonishes fellow Christians?

This was brought into sharp contrast when I recently broke out an old Caedmon’s Call disc. While Caedmon’s Call often dealt with Christian living in their lyrics, they also sang of great doctrinal truths. I have included the following as a sampling of their lyrics:

“Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart.
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
And weep for the praise of the mercy I’ve found…

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
In the covenant love of Thy crucified Son.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine.”

(From “Thy Mercy” written by John Stocker 1776)

How often do you hear a song that deals with the doctrine of election in popular Christian music? The following is from Caedmon’s Call’s song, “Thankful”:

“’Cause no, there is none righteous
Not one who understands
There is none who seek God
No not one, I said no not one…

‘Cause we’re all stillborn and dead in our transgressions
We’re shackled up to the sin we hold so dear
So what part can I play in the work of redemption
I can’t refuse, I cannot add a thing

‘Cause I am just like Lazarus and I can hear your voice
I stand and rub my eyes and walk to You
Because I have no choice

I am thankful that I’m incapable
Of doing any good on my own (repeat)

‘Cause by grace I have been saved
Through faith that’s not my own
It is a gift of God and not by works
Lest anyone should boast”

I present Caedmon’s Call as but one example of groups that present solid Biblical truths in their music, there are, no doubt, others. Unfortunately, it seems that these groups are in the minority. We live in a culture that has made popular Christian music a means of teaching, and many Christians are more influenced by what they hear on the radio than what they hear from the pulpit. Oh, that God’s truth would be proclaimed boldly in every area of our lives!