The Draw of Secular Music

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The Draw of Secular Music

I think every Christian should still listen to secular music, even if

the messages aren’t biblical or even moral. Whoa! Shocking

statement! Let me explain.

Each person, Christian and non-Christian has a heart-cry that needs to

be expressed through some form of worship, music or otherwise. One of

the most dangerous things in this world is a heart that can’t or

doesn’t know how to express itself. Could this possibly be why

children today are screaming for attention? Yesterday they used spray

paint cans, today they use bombs and hate e-mail.

Secular music has such power in the world today. Why? Because it

expresses the heart-cry of people in a lost world; it’s not because

it’s better music, or better emotion, just better expression. Why?

Because the secular world has no other way to outlet the emotions that

pile up within them.

My point is that listening to secular music will give Christians

insight into people in the world today. Granted, it’s not the best

representation of the human state of affairs, but taken as a whole, a

time-period’s music reflects the state of the people in that time

period.

Secular musicians have something most worship leaders don’t: freedom

of expression. Many times as worshippers we’re stuck in the idea that

worship should be a certain volume, hands should be lifted a certain

feet high on cue, that revival will break out because we played the

right chord. Expression to the Father knows no bounds, can’t be

contained, must be allowed to overflow. Again, secular music has

power because it’s pure unadulterated emotion that drives the music,

not any desire to see people saved, not any desire for any effect.

Just pure emotion.

So then why is worship better than secular music? It’s biblical,

yeah, ok. It’s for God, yeah, ok. It prompts a response from an

all-powerful God that loves YOU.

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