Fundamentalism then and now...CCM
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| Getty |
ddddeveloping new worshiping and witnessing styles. An effort was made to write
music which was culturally relevant or contemporary. The desire was to create music
that would appeal to the current searching generation. Thus was born Contemporary
Christian Music. From the early days of the Jesus Movement, new Christian singers
such as Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill and Chuck Girard emerged to reach their
generation. The name Contemporary Christian Music was coined to distinguish this style of
music from the more traditional forms of religious music. The word contemporary has
proven to be an appropriate [sic] description of this music over the last twenty years, as
the styles have kept up with its secular counterpart. The ever evolving state of C.C.M.
includes such diverse and contemporary styles as rock, jazz, blues, dance, metal, rap,
alternative, new age, grunge, punk, thrash, death, gothic [sic] and industrial. Yet
regardless of the form, the essences of all Contemporary Christian Music is the same-to
share God's love to the current generation in a way that can be both understood and
enjoyed.
This Contemporary Christian Music Hot Page is designed to be a current guide of the
different C.C.M resources on the Internet. Any current information would be welcomed
and encouraged to help keep this place, contemporary. As far as whether or not you
agree or disagree with the particular spiritual [sic] condition of some of the artist listed
here-Sorry- Deal with It! I hope that using this page, you will get as much out of
Contemporary Christian Music as I have over the years.”*
And now the stories of the golden calves from the Scriptures.
First the scene of Exodus 32:1-35
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| Hillsong |
Second, the story of Jeroboam 2 Kings 25:25-33 I believe there are some parallels between CCM type worship and
golden calf worship (Exodus 32:1-35).
First, both those who produce CCM and those who produced the golden calf have
similarity in that they changed the proscribed way of worship to alleviate
problems.
The problem Aaron had was that the people were clamoring for a God that they could
see. They said they didn't know what had happened to Moses and so needed gods to
visibly lead them on their way. Aaron caved and gave them what they wanted but still
gave the golden calf the name of Jehovah and attached the history of Jehovah's kind and
great dealings with Israel to the golden calf. There, that would fix it. Aaron appeased a
faithless agitated crowd with what would please their flesh, so solving his immediate
problem. There was no seeking out the LORD for help to deal with the people, there
was only dealing the problem in a desperate and godless fashion.
The problem that Jeroboam needed to solve was that he thought the people would
become loyal to another king as they went up to worship in Jerusalem, and this would
cause Jeroboam to lose his kingdom and his life. He therefore made a plan which
disregarded the instruction of the LORD about how to worship the LORD and went with
it. It would be sufficient to have the people merely worship the LORD, he thought. And
who would care about disobeyed details? So Jeroboam told the people that he had a
better way. He made two golden calves and, like Aaron, said that they had brought
Israel up out of Egypt. He set the Golden Calves up in Bethel and Dan. God had said to
worship Him in Jerusalem. Again, God's instructions on the way of worship did not
matter as long as Jeroboam's immediate problem was solved. And it was solved, alright.
The people complied with Jeroboam's plan. His kingdom and life and all he wanted to
do were saved. But the Bible said he “made Israel to sin”.
.
Now about problems that Christians want to solve with CCM. CCM promoters
commonly state that they perceived that were losing the church youth as these young
people had gone to rock music and everything else associated with it. Kids weren't
coming to “boring church”. The church was losing its influence over the youth, and the
CCM promoters set about to stop that.
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| Audio Adrenaline |
They were going to make worship more
appealing to the young rock music crowd. These concerned Christians were also going
to make it easy for the unchurched to slide right into Christianity. There would hardly
be a difference between the background music at the bars and the music at church.
Those who hatched this idea are not embarrassed by their tactics. It is what it is. And
the immediate problem was solved. Youth flocked to the concerts $$$ and started
coming to church too. But the church service would have to be changed also. In all
this, there was not a seeking of the LORD as to whether or not the sounds of the world's
music should be the sounds of the church's music. Had they conducted even a small
Bible study, they would have found that the mood of the world's music--that of
unbridled anger and wrath, sensuousness and lewdness, rebellion and sedition--were not
moods the Lord approves of for His child. They would have seen that the Christian's
mind and heart are to be in a state of joy hemmed in by the fear and love of God.
Anyway, the youth and some un-churched did show up at the church because of the new
tune at church, and that solved the problem. Never mind what would happen to a
youth not told to hate even the garments that were stained with sin. No the stained
garments would be proudly worn on stage and in the crowd.
And here is another parallel. Both Golden Calf promoters and CCM promoters
have incorporated sinful practices of the heathen round about into their worship.
The heathen surrounding Israel were taken up with idols. And so, naturally, not seeking
the mind of the LORD on how to worship, the people took up with their own idol, the
golden calf, And it became central to Israel's worship of Jehovah. The heathen of that
day also stripped themselves of their clothing and whipped themselves up into frenzies.
The golden calf worshipers did the same as their heathen counterparts, according to the
Scripture account.
The heathen today, ever surrounding the Christian church, have their ungodly practices.
And CCMers incorporate these sinful practices into both their public and private lives.
Lack of clothing is signature for the heathen today. And lack of clothing is signature for
today's typical CCM performer. Also, the choice beverage of the worldling--alcohol--
has now become the trendy beverage of the CCM crowd. This is the drink which the
Bible says will bite like a serpent and sting like an adder, at the last.
Taking on the sinful practices of the heathen is done when care is thrown off to worship
in the way God proscribes.
And yet there is another parallel between golden calf enthusiasts and CCM folks.
Both groups have a similar defense concerning their changing the way of worship.
God is still being worshiped is the defense of both crowds.
Aaron and Jeroboam were careful to tell the people that the Golden Calves were
Jehovah. Prayers were being made, Feasts were called. Priests were in abundance. And
at the CCM concert prayers are made and popular religious leaders from mainline
denominations are everywhere approving of the genre . God is being worshiped, they
say.
Another defense is that God doesn't care about the details of how He is worshiped
anyway. Surely the promoters of golden calf worship reasoned that the not-makingimages-to-worship thing was not important enough to follow. In like manner, promoters
of CCM reason that the injunction to worship with a solemn and glad sound is merely
nice out-dated poetry in the Old Testament and surely not binding to them and their
music style They feel liberty to do their own thing. God's instructions about worship is
not important if the end goal is met, they claim.
Finally there is another parallel that is not yet fully realized. We see in Scripture a
pattern of judgment when men do not worship God in the manner He dictates.
Judgment fell on those who erected the Golden Calf in the name of Jehovah there in the
desert where the men of Levi slew three thousand and “the LORD plagued the people,
because they made the calf, which Aaron made.”
God's judgment also fell on Jeroboam in Israel, the Bible tells us. His kingdom was
marked by ruin and strife and his lineage was violently cut off in four generations. In
addition, the LORD in Scripture constantly brings up Jeroboam as one “who made
Israel to sin”.
Worshiping the LORD in ways contrary to the Scripture provokes the wrath of God. We
should have fear of judgment for all who do not care to please the LORD in the way
they worship. CCM folks are happy to worship, but the way in which they worship is
not a matter of concern for them. The pattern of God's judgment falling on those who do
not worship Him in the way He has prescribed –and wholly separate from the ways of
the world—should teach us that judgment is coming and perhaps is already falling.
In conclusion, God's people are called to a worship of the LORD that is wholly
distinct from anything man could come up with. The way God wants us to worship is
clearly regulated by the Word of God. Dress during worship, actions during worship,
the mood of worship music, the message of the man of God, the ministers of worship
are all addressed in the Bible. Aaron and Jeroboam foolishly and wickedly dropped
concern about the way God would be worshiped and so have CCM promoters.
Are you involved in by the CCM movement? Have you seen that its goal is to keep up
with its ever evolving counterpart— rock, jazz, blues, dance, metal, rap, alternative,
new age, grunge, punk, thrash, death, gothic [sic] and industrial. Have you realized
that those in CCM claim their approach to God does not need to be checked by the
Word of God?
If you are snared by the deception of the CCM industry/genre, cast off this modern
pattern of golden calf worship, and live by Paul's admonition in 2 Corinthians
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an
infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of
the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be
their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be
ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord
Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2
Corinthians 6:14-7:1.
Seek after the rich hymns the spiritual songs of a redeemed people.
Seek out music that is distinct, and not a counterpart, from the secular, but truly sacred.
Seek out the music that is appropriate for the worship of the Most High according to the
Bible injunctions.
Know the blessing of the Lord to which He adds no sorrow, and enjoy, yea, relish the
truth of God as we worship His Holy Person
Mark Lauger
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