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Music Debate (a guest commentary)
Top Reasons Against Christian Rock - ANSWERED!
Isn't Christian Rock Compromising With the World?
Isn't Christian Rock Compromising With the World?

From Christian Rock Apologetics essays

Of all the arguments against Christian rock, this one surfaces the most often, and is common to just about all of the critics. They look at the musical style, the general mode of dress, the CD covers, and see a similarity to secular rock. To them, this is an intolerable compromise with the world, which we are to be called out and separate from.

I am not going to discuss specifics of musical rhythms, instruments, or style here. I have covered that elsewhere. I am certainly not advocating inappropriate, immodest modes of dressing, but I am not bothered by somebody that is dressed in an inappropriate style. You can wear the black suit and tie in 110 degree heat to your heart's content!

The thing I will talk about here is compromise. Compromise with the world simply cannot be tolerated, no matter who it is. Many times in these essays I have agreed with critics when there is evidence of compromise on the part of a Christian rock artist. None of us are without sin, however, and a few areas of compromise in a person's life does NOT invalidate their faith or their ministry. There are no degrees of sin, of course, all sin must be dealt with. It is a matter of perception - some sins may be invisible to the public eye, and the Lord can deal with them in private. Others are such a bad witness - it may require public repentance and leaving the public eye.

Having said that, I confess that I, too, have areas in my life where my walk is not where the Lord would have me. I am not going to enumerate these in public for your amusement. They are serious concerns to me, and I am constantly striving towards the mark of perfection and Christlikeness - no matter what the cost.

In over 6 years on the air, I tried to operate the radio program in the most responsible manner possible, treating it as serious ministry with the purpose of leading people to Christ. In spite of this goal, we have probably made some mistakes - but not ones that were intentional compromise with the world. We hold ourselves to high standards, in some respect because of the controversy over Christian rock. Perhaps if we were in some "accepted" ministry, we could relax. Because we are "out there" on the cutting edge of ministry, we have to be beyond reproach. I cannot say the same of those around me - employees and programmers on the radio station we have been involved with. The specific station, and the names of the people are not important.

If you are looking for compromise, here is where you will find it!

  • Our show came at the end of the day, after many other live shows. The studio and offices were littered with paper and debris from the other shows. It is US - the Christian rock show - that had respect for the facilities and the other programmers and bothered to clean up. Sometimes this took us 15 to 20 minutes after a grueling 4 hour shift. I certainly had better things to do at midnight than be a janitor! On several occasions, we narrowly averted disaster by unplugging a coffeemaker that had been carelessly left on by previous shows. The coffee long since evaporated into a brownish "goo" - it could have caused a castastrophic fire.
  • A highly placed employee of the station was seen to go into a local convenience store and buy a case of BEER! This particular location also sold pornographic magazines.
  • An employee of the station smoked excessively.
  • A regular preaching program host was jailed for domestic abuse.
  • An engineer at the station became belligerant when I requested that he remove exposed high voltage equipment. My one year old daughter was walking precociously at the time. He was only concerned with the delay in his work.
  • An employee of the station kicked in a door to the restroom - because he was mad at one of our young female hosts. Evidently he was not concerned with her potential state of undress.
  • Contemporary Christian CD's at the station were often in total disarray. It was up to us to keep them organized even though a lot of other shows used them.
  • Contemporary Christian CD's at the station were often stolen by other shows. In all of our years on the air, we took ZERO CD's for our own personal purposes. We did not even so much as borrow them - they are provided by the record companies for the EXPRESS PURPOSE of promoting the artist and their songs on the air. As such, they are owned by the record companies or the corporate entity of the station. If they go out of the station for ANY OTHER PURPOSE, they are STOLEN PROPERTY - PERIOD! One of our personally purchased CD's was also stolen by a programmer for the station.
  • A nearby station was sold for a profit - directly benefitting a secular business interest and losing a valuable ministry to young people.
  • A preaching station near me rents tower space to a local SECULAR rock station - yet steadfastly maintains that Christian rock is evil.

Beer? Smoking? Domestic abuse? Rage? Theft? Carelessness? Making things easy for secular rock? Ex-CUSE me!!!! That stuff is supposed to be "Christlike"?! I am not saying we are totally beyond reproach, but the incidents above point to some real spiritual PROBLEMS. Who is compromising with the world?

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