Reaching the lost/disenfranchised

[crossways]

I was raised on Petra. A youth pastor's son had the On Fire tape for me when I was getting interested in music - especialy hard rock/metal. When I saw there was an alternative I was very happy. I could listen to great music, hear scripture and positive messages and follow the Bible's teaching - "whatever things are full of virtue, think on these things".
Plus, my parents were ok with it, and I was the kind of kid who wanted to keep peace with them.

So I always wanted to reach the lost with a band like Petra. I think that Christian bands - with blatantly scriptural lyrics - could reach lost kids back then. I think that a rockin' band of Christians was enough of a novelty back then that the disenfranchised sat up and took notice. They felt "Hey, Christianity doesn't have to be hymns and pews."

But now these bands are everywhere. It's not a shock anymore to hear a band rock out to scripture references. But I think the unsaved have become wary of it.

Two girls in my 8th grade music class were listening to one of my band's recordings. They were digging the music until one of them listened to the lyrics and asked if we were a Christian band. I said yes. And she said, "oh, I don't like Christian bands." and walked off.


Sorry this is so long - I'll get to my point.

Do we need bands Petra and DC Talk to reach the lost. Or do we need to find ways to let our light shine, without clothing it with the latest Christian apparel, or housing it in churches, Christian festivals and Christian lables.

What are your thoughts?

[winterlens]

If you're going to claim to be an evangelist, you sure better include the gospel. We are not here to sell the gospel or to bait people into believing the truth. Our responsibility is simply to preach the word and to let God do the rest.

If a band is not intending to do evangelistic outreach, I don't really care what they say. But if we look at a band and say, "Hey, I'm going to use this to convert the lost" without telling them the whole story, that is unbiblical.

[brent]

Today we have a different culture. There is no great revival as some claim. Nearly all denominational offices say that their numbers are going down, and have been for the past 10 years. Contributions are also down over-all. Combine that with the "world" lumping all religions in with Christianity, blaming Christians for war because we re-elected Bush, etc, they think that we are nuts.

I must say that I do not blame them. In the light of recent controversial events (The Blasphemy Network/Paul Crouch's homosexual encounters and pay-offs to silence people) and diahrea of the mouth (Swaggart saying that he would kill homosexuals 09/04 and calling Rick Warren the anti-Christ), it is no wonder that the "world" is turned off to the "church".

Now, more than ever people's thoughts and world views are formed by what they see on TV, in the theater, or hear on talk radio. Just like the Cheers TV theme says, "Sometimes you gotta go, where everybody knows your name, where they're always glad you came...." We need to go as bands, as fans of bands, as patrons, to the venues, clubs, hang outs etc and meet the people where THEY are, not have them come to where WE are.

If you study how Christ worked ministry, he made it interesting, thought provoking, relational to everyday life, etc. He met needs, earned their respect, then he had an "in" with them. Paul said that he became whatever the culture was to reach them, out of respect.

The Church used to drive culture. Pastors and ministry laypeople used to get instant respect. Now it's all a joke. The real world needs to see real people. The real world needs it brought to them.

So I say, YES!. Put the two together. Take the music they like to hear, where they like to hear it, and mix in the gospel in a way that they can relate to. You can't cast your pearls before the swine, or the seed on the wrong soil. It has to be done with class, with respect, without corniness. Win the lost with entertainment! You can adapt the means of delivery without watering down the powerful message. When they get saved and find a church home, then they can get off of the milk and get exposed to church life and ministry.

[crossways]

Matthew RJ - I wasn't very clear earlier. I am not saying that we don't need Christian bands who minister to Christians. We absolutley do!

As a band we pray that God will help us to reach the lost. Then we evaluate where we are playing and who is coming. We are definately playing in mostly churches or Christian coffee/teen clubs. Only once did we play in a secular coffee house. Our audience has mostly been Christians (probably 99%)

Our lyrics are not praise and worship - but they are most definatley rooted in the Scriptures and often quote them - and I am not ashamed of this. If a secular band can swear and talk about how great every vice and worldly lust is, then as a Christian I feel like I can take my faith and openly sing about.

But, do we just play within the church scene and redirect our ministry towards Christians. Or do we listen to what we feel we are called to and figure out a way to get into wherever the lost are?

And how do we do that?

[brent]

Crossways...

I Think of songwriting as a way to provoke thought. I draw from everyday situations, that are described vaguely enough so that people can "plug and play" their own experiences, emotions etc. To me it seems like a good idea to come up with like responses to those situations, but throw a thought in that makes people question what would come naturally, carnally. I don't make every song one with THE answer. I try to get people's mind to churn about things, and then hopefully while they consider THE answer.

There is nothing wrong with good songs, that are not evangelistic. We need more good songs about love, fun times, friends, etc. Look at the bible. Whatever things are good, just, yadda, yadda, think on these things.

That's where Creed went wrong. They had too many songs saying "I am searching" and there was no pay-off. Let your songs and your set be structured so that it builds. Take the people in the clubs on a ride musically that represents life. The more that you are plugged into your culture, the better the response.

[crossways]

Brent -

That's the best way I've heard it put. It's kind of like not playing every note you note in every song.

Every verse in the Bible isn't John 3:16, right.

Well put Brent - I think you've got something there.