The Petra Zone

As with many news media publications, CMCentral http://www.cmcentral.com/ has announced the top 10 "YEAR IN NEWS" stories of 2003 at http://www.cmcentral.com/features/286.html

Petra garneshed two mentions... look under #8 (the back to rock roots of J&H) and #6 (Louie's departure).

I wouldn't be surprised if CCM has something like that on their January issue. Or did they do that for the December issue yet?

Petra sure did keep up in the news this year.

Sue

I really do not like CCM'S behaviour.
They do not give value to PETRA
BUT GOD is greater and He knows Petra's ministry

Artur

I saw that too. Made me smile.

I hardly consider CCM the definitive source for this kind of thing. I mean, what the heck is U2 doing on the list? U2 is definitely not a Christian band (they're a good band, certainly, but calling them a Christian group is quite a stretch). And what's with CCM's obsession with a certain adulterous female artist?

The most recent argument about whether Amy Grant is a flaming heatheren or not has been split off into this topic. Please try to not let it get too out of hand.

Well, anyway, I guess it's good that Petra at least got mentioned in CCM magazine (and one of the references was positive), though I still find U2's presence in the list inexplicable.

Mountain Man wrote:Well, anyway, I guess it's good that Petra at least got mentioned in CCM magazine (and one of the references was positive), though I still find U2's presence in the list inexplicable.

Bah. CCM has aways had an obsession with Amy Grant and U2. U2, after all, has said and done worse things on videos marketed in Christian bookstores than Evanescence's guitarist said in EW this year. Strange how CCM calls one a "mixed signal" but continues to drool all over the other.

But CCM knows all about mixed signals, what with their promotion of Creed, 12 Stones, etc, etc...

Well, as long as you say it's CCM, and not U2. U2 has never pimped or sold it's faith to sell records in the ccm market. U2 is where it is, not because it drops Jesus' name at every given chance, they are where they are because of the music.

You seem to have a hate for ccm, yet if it wasn't for ccm there would be no petra, what label would sign petra if they were not a christian band? Do you think a secular label would release an album like J and H? So where would ccm bands be if it wasn't for ccm?

TexMetal4JC wrote:

Mountain Man wrote: But CCM knows all about mixed signals, what with their promotion of Creed, 12 Stones, etc, etc...

Hey Tex, what bone you are picking with 12 Stones? Now Creeed, I can understand. I have heard Creed swear in their music, actually using the GD word... in a phrase that says something about "settle the score". Certainly THAT is not Christian.

But 12 Stones? I have their CD, and other than the punk-like dress code (which I do find disgusting and a BIG turnoff), I can't find anything else wrong with the band. If you can get past the way they look, the music is pretty good. Like Skillet and a few others.

But CCM knows all about mixed signals, what with their promotion of Creed, 12 Stones, etc, etc...

But 12 Stones? I have their CD, and other than the punk-like dress code (which I do find disgusting and a BIG turnoff), I can't find anything else wrong with the band. If you can get past the way they look, the music is pretty good. Like Skillet and a few others.

I understand where Tex is coming from with this one. Bands on secular labels that sing about spirituality tend to leave people wondering where they are coming from. Creed and Evanescence, in their early inception, had people wondering whether or not they were Christians. These bands have soince denied adhering to the Christian religion, but still put forth lyrics that makes one wonder.

Bands like 12 Stones, P.O.D., Lifehouse, etc. that proclaim to be Christians in a band but not necessarily a Christian band sometimes leave believers wondering whether or not this is the truth. After all, they're lyrics aren't that different from those of bands like Evanescence and Creed.

I, for one, believe that the members of 12 Stones are Christians. Their name IS a Biblical reference. However, on the band's site, it says something about all of the members having a personal relationship with God. Now, we all know that the word "God" in itself can be very vague and can be used to describe the ultimate being of many different religions, so that could be considered a "mixed signal." If they mentioned Jesus Christ, it would be a lot clearer.

You seem to have a hate for ccm, yet if it wasn't for ccm there would be no petra, what label would sign petra if they were not a christian band? Do you think a secular label would release an album like J and H? So where would ccm bands be if it wasn't for ccm?

You're right. Without Christian labels there would be very little as far as Christian bands are concerned. However, the CCM industry is not what it once was. Many of the labels have been bought out by secualr labels, and the industry, as a whole, seems to be much more focused on sales rather than on ministry. Petra reached it's pinnacle when CCM was still what it was originally meant to be. If CCM's focus was still where it should be, Petra would be a much bigger band today.

If CCM's focus was still where it should be, Petra would be a much bigger band today.

What does that have to do with what consumers BUY? The only way petra would be a bigger band today, is if they sold more albums, consumers decide what they buy.

What does that have to do with what consumers BUY? The only way petra would be a bigger band today, is if they sold more albums, consumers decide what they buy.

Consumers BUY whatever gets the heaviest promotion, at least for the most part. How do you think a stupid idea like pet rocks got so big? If CCM's focus was on ministry, they would promote Petra more. Not to say Petra would be as big as they were 15 years ago, but they'd me bigger than they are now.

I think you blame ccm too mcuh for petra's state. Hair metal is not big anymore, and with John as lead singer they sound like hair metal no matter what. It wouldn't matter what ccm did with Petra, it has nothing to do with ministry, petra is NOT a ministry they are pay for play, how is that a ministry?

I see some of BillDD's points, but I don't necessarily agree about a ministry not being a ministry because someone gets paid for it. My pastor receives a salary. Of course, he doesn't get paid nearly enough for all the work he does. I mean 50-60 hours a week for $25 grand or so? Anyway, I think Petra suffered a little bit from over-exposure. I mean, they were all over the place back in the day, and it's natural sometimes for people who may not be die-hard fans to get sick of someone or something that's all over the place. I think Bob Hartman has a very healthy mental attitude about Petra when he said in the Revival DVD that God has done more than he could possibly ask or think with Petra, and that anything from here on out is just icing on the cake. I take that to mean that if Petra becomes superpopular again...that's great, and if they don't, that's fine too. As long as they're serving the lord, then I agree.