Why do most people believe that Christian music has to be "praise and worship"?

I tend to burn out real quick on gospel and praise, I just can't listen to it all day every day. However, there's a lot of secular rock that does appeal to me BECAUSE it's not overtly Satanic. Yet, many question my integrity for listening to "Classic rock" stations...

I guess my question is, why can't "Christians" write normal every day music from a Christian perspective? Why aren't more Christians writing the opposite of most secular garbage out there today? Praise and worship is great for church, but what about every day life?

It was the religious ones that used people's beliefs as a way to control them. To create and enforce rules not found in the OT. That attitude is still alive and well today.
Or some may have a personal conviction against certain things and wrongly believe that must be the truth for all and try to push it on everyone.
And of course some believe a demon is under every rock and such people tend to give Satan a lot more credit than he deserves.

I found the more mainstream the music the more you'll see man made rules dictating the lyrics.
Going into subgenres is where you'll find more variety in the lyrics. Christian rock, metal and rap tend to be less praise and worship because many times they are not writing for Christians.

Follow your own convictions. Don't let others use religion as a tool to control you. If God has a problem with what you're listening to let Him tell you, not self righteous Pharisees.

Yeah', I can get behind that. Everything has to be labeled in order to be monetized. It's still weird though... just one word about God or Christ and, "WHAM", you're segregated and stigmatized!

It's really easy to take "anti-Christian" music and turn it around without mentioning Jesus lol...

Music is just music. What matters is what you do with it!

Uh... They do.

Tell me your favorite style and I'll give some suggestions.

Based on your mention of classic rock, I'll open with Steve Camp:

Lol... Thanks for that, I like it!
But you know as well as I do, you won't be hearing him on the oldies stations...

My point is, there are enough Christians left in America to still be mainstream. So, why aren't we? Why do we let so called "mainstream media" categorize and stigmatize Christianity?

Why do Christians balk at this...?
https://www.soundclick.com/music/songInfo.cfm?songID=14281825

Everyone's got opinions
'Bout what's right or wrong
Some say I’m a sinner
Tell me I don’t belong

But, don't bother me with misconjecture
I can't explain what you can't see
So make your peace and choose your measure
Pray you never see the real bad in me
'Cause I'm no saint, I'm no angel
But, I'm the bane of the enemy
The life I lead is the life I bleed
Between the lord and me

Some say I’m a rebel
'Cause I refuse to reconcile
Give an inch to the Devil
He always takes a mile

So, don't bother me with misconjecture...

Eh... A bit heavy on attitude for my taste. Nice music style though, and done quite well.

Maybe we should define what counts as "mainstream." If you have to hear it on an FM radio station for it to count as "mainstream" you'll be waiting a good long time. Radio stations survive by targeting the lowest common denominator and never, ever playing anything somebody might object to. Christianity is not widespread enough to support more than K-Love. And even the artists K-Love plays don't get their best tracks played on the air, just their most catchy and innocuous tracks. You'll hear Josh Wilson plenty, but you'll never hear his "Oak Avenue."

And it will never happen now because both Christianity and radio are going out of style. Radio is going out of style because technology has moved on to Pandora and Spotify. Christianity is going out of style because we have forgotten the lessons we learned from the late 60's and early 70's. So if we haven't gotten a classic Christian rock station by now, our chances ain't looking good.

Mainstream though... Can't get more mainstream than Kutless, Paige Armstrong, Cortt Chavis, White Heart, Sent By Ravens... The music is out there, and IS mainstream, for some definition of mainstream. It'll never be on the radio, but it is well known and supported by big name music labels.


The song I referenced by Josh Wilson:

White Heart:

Cortt Chavis:

Paige Armstrong:

See... that's what I don't get. No offense, but you sound like you've accepted defeat... and that's precisely where my attitude stems from lol!

Eh? What was defeated? I don't get it.

There's absolutely NO reason why CHRISTIANITY can't be MAINSTREAM again in AMERICA!

Actually I'm pretty interested in seeing how this will turn out. When it was easy to be a Christian EVERYBODY was claiming to be one. We're about to see who the real Christians are.

Anything that can be shaken, will be shaken. Ever wonder why? To shake out the fakes.

Anyway, about normal, everyday music from Christians... I forgot Jonny Lang.


And jason Gray, how could I forget Jason Gray? Can't get more brutally honest than "That's How I Ended Up Here."


There's something I need to confess
At the risk of exposing my faults
But I'm starting to find
That most of the time
I just don't like people at all
When I saw you five minutes ago
I was afraid you would talk off my ear
I panicked inside
Decided to hide
And that's how I ended up here

Crouching behind
The live lobster tank
Hoping you'd just pass me by
That's how I ended up here
That's how I ended up here

Lol... I'm of the opinion that war has already been declared!
Christians are just taking their sweet time answering...

We need a modern day "King David" to march on the White House, not some freak with bull horns and face-paint!

Er... That's what they expected of Jesus too. They thought he was going to trounce the Romans and set up His kingdom.

That's why a lot of them turned against Him when they found out He was not going to fulfill their expectations.

Yeah, yeah.... I know, I know.... but waiting feels like complacency when we're supposed to be shouting from the rooftops!!!

So... About music...

Which styles do you like?

Also have you ever thought about starting an internet radio station playing various kinds of Christian rock/rap/metal?

I'd rather come to places like this and get more people involved in writing and contributing lol... Music is just one of God's many free gifts! Do you write and record?

Nope. I make soundtracks for songs I like, and sing them at church.

I'm not a "real" musician. I make soundtracks in a computer, with a MIDI keyboard and virtual "instruments." I also cheat a lot - quantize, change tempo to play fast parts slowly, play in an easier chord and then shift all the notes to a different, harder to play key, etc.

What about vocals, can you sing lol?

""Do you sing at church?"
"Yes I sing at church. And I sing at work. And I sing at home... and in the car... at the supermarket... at Wal-Mart...""

Yeah, I sing pretty much all the time.

At church the only difference is, I happen to be on stage with a microphone.

Actually in history when Christianity has become popular, it has always been a bad thing. Christianity has always had to compromise to be popular, and all kinds of fake brands have popped up to capitalize on the popularity, further diluting the real message.

Now this... THIS is the exciting time! Churches are starting to close down and a lot of people who are looking for a quick fix for their lives will drift on to the next snake oil peddler. But in almost every one of those churches there are a few good people who are looking for something real that will work in their lives. Those are the people we can save, if we're on the ball.