Christian Rock
The Portal to World Assimilation
By Dr. Ken Matto
(Dan 3:10 KJV) Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall
hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and
all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
Christian Rock has invaded the church. It began very slowly in the 1960’s and
started to escalate in the 1980’s when the “Christian Rock” industry was born.
It was not until the early 1990’s when it started becoming very popular and
started invading the churches. It was the influence of the Charismatic movement
that fostered the growth of this industry. Today, even in main line churches
which were once very conservative, it is not uncommon to walk in and find a full
band with drums, guitars, and maybe some brass instruments. Many churches which
want to maintain their conservative approach to worship will offer two services,
one which will be traditional and the other will be contemporary. This splits
the church and creates two standing philosophies in one congregation. (Mark
3:25 KJV) And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
This article is not going to detail all the faults with Christian Rock except
one major fault and that is that Christian Rock is having the opposite effect of
scattering rather than gathering. (John 10:12 KJV) But he that is an
hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf
coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and
scattereth the sheep. Churches have swallowed the belief that by bringing
in Christian Rock with all its loud instrumentation, that this will somehow keep
the youth in the church. There is a problem right now in 2012 that many of the
youth are leaving the church and Christian Rock paves the way for an easy
assimilation into the world. There are many reasons why the youth are leaving
the church but Christian Rock paves the way.
Back in the 1990’s I worked at a Seminary in central New Jersey which went from
traditional Christian music to Christian Rock. I would like you to click on the
links below and compare the stations and the music styles. In fact, the Vice
President of the Pillar of Fire where I worked even told me that she could not
even identify the station to see if it was theirs she was listening to. (1
Cor 14:8 KJV) For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare
himself to the battle?
http://www.star991.com/
The loudness of the instruments are evident in this type of
music. Here is the great mistake these churches make. They think they are
reaching the youth in the church with Christian Rock but it is having the exact
opposite effect. When the youth come into the contemporary service and hear the
rock style music being played by the full band, and if this goes on in their
life for many years, let’s say from age 11-18, then the first time they start
going to parties or nightclubs, it will be an easy transition for them. The
reason for this is because the music is totally similar, it has the same beat,
the same high volume, and the groups look the same as the long haired one
playing in the churches. Music makes an easy transition because music is a basic
teaching tool. We saw that back in the 1960’s with Woodstock in 1969 and many
other rock bands throughout the 60’s which began with the Beatles.
The whole idea of the church is that we are to be different than the world and
not to be imitating the world. When a church sings the traditional hymns and
hears a good solid biblical message being preached, whenever the congregants
hear a different type of music, their spiritual antennas go right up and they
realize that it is not of the Lord. When the youth have 5-10 years of Christian
Rock thrown at them, it does nothing to help their musical discernment.
Christian Rock ministers to the flesh and not the spirit. The traditional Hymns
minister to the spirit and not the flesh. (Rom 13:14 KJV) But put ye on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts
thereof. According to the scriptures, we are not make any provision for the
flesh and that is why Christian Rock is a portal to secular rock and the exodus
of the youth from the church. They have not been taught how to discern between
the secular and the profane. (Ezek 23:39 KJV) For when they had slain their
children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to
profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.
Ezekiel is talking about those parents who have physically sacrificed their
children to idols but the principle in this verse is overwhelming. When parents
allow the church to feed their children rock and roll instead of feeding them
godly music along with true biblical teaching, then parents are sacrificing
their children to worldly idols, such as the band, rock and roll and everything
that comes with it.
Christian rock does not cause anyone to grow in their faith, if it did, then why
are the youth leaving the church in droves? The rock band in church just allows
for an easy transition to the rock bands of the world along with the
philosophies of the world. If the youth in your church is going to leave, then
do not pander to their worldliness. Give them ten years of good preaching and
that will help them cope. (Prov 22:6 KJV) Train up a child in the way he
should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 is
not a suggestion but a principle for both parents and church. How is the church
to train the youth? With rock and roll? No! With solid bible teachings and music
appropriate to the message. Then if they do go out when they hit 18, at least
they will have something to remember other than 105 decibels and it will not be
an easy transition. Why should the church help someone assimilate into the
world? Someone who is used to hearing the old hymns will be repulsed by
Christian rock because they will have been trained in their discernment between
the sacred and the profane. (Ezek 22:26 KJV) Her priests have violated my
law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the
holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and
the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among
them. The principles in this verse can easily be applied to the pastors who
allow anything to come into the church. (Lev 26:2 KJV) Ye shall keep my
sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. In the Old Testament,
God wanted His sanctuary reverenced. How is the modern church reverencing their
sanctuaries? Contemporary services sound just like a rock concert and they do
not have the sound of reverence.
It is time churches begin to look at the programs they allow in their
curriculum. We are talking about eternal souls being at stake. Let me make some
suggestions:
1) Get rid of the band
2) Get rid of the Praise and worship leader
3) Get rid of the overhead projector and get back to hymnals
4) Get rid of the praise books with their 6 word songs sung 25 times over
5) Preach the Bible alone. It changes lives not rock and roll.