Which way should you look at it? (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Fun] >> Southern Gospel



Message

chadoaksfan -> Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 7:46:10 AM)

In Michael Combs song, "Not for Sale", he says that if a gospel singer decides to sing country, he is selling out and trading in what is right for what is wrong. But artists like Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis, and the Oak Ridge Boys that are mainly country but also do gospel are welcomed and enjoyed by many gospel music fans and on the Gaither videos. Then you have the Monument Quartet who tries to do both. Artists from Branson, Missouri do both country and gospel hand in hand.

So, in your opinions, is the selling out theory correct, or can a Christian sing other musical styles than gospel?



armydude -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 7:50:29 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: chadoaksfan

So, in your opinions, is the selling out theory correct, or can a Christian sing other musical styles than gospel?
CAN a Christian sing other styles? Sure. However, speaking for myself, I agree with the new song from the Roarks. I want Jesus to be my biggest fan.



Seaton -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 7:52:05 AM)

God is the creator of music. At the end of the day what is wrong with a clean, well written secular song. Why can't songs also talk about love, friendships, life, dreams, etc. I am a huge fan of Southern Gospel and other forms of Christian music but I also like to listen to various forms of secular music. Music is a great form of joy and entertainment.

So the answer to your question is no. Singing other forms of music is not selling out (IMO).



Dinana -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 8:13:18 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Seaton

God is the creator of music. At the end of the day what is wrong with a clean, well written secular song. Why can't songs also talk about love, friendships, life, dreams, etc. I am a huge fan of Southern Gospel and other forms of Christian music but I also like to listen to various forms of secular music. Music is a great form of joy and entertainment.

So the answer to your question is no. Singing other forms of music is not selling out (IMO).


I'm with Seaton on this one!



DeeAnnBailey -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 8:13:19 AM)

I think the true answer lies in what does God want from your life? Many people are led into a ministry that revolves around music. God has directed that, if that person chose to walk away from it without God's direction or blessing - then that's selling out (IMHO). But if God allows you to work in a venue that has both secular and gospel and He has not directed you otherwise it's not.

I think too often we want to do the directing for God and we can't. If a person says they are following God and they are not doing something that is directly contradicting the Bible, we may think they are wrong but only God knows.



danielmount -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 8:46:28 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: chadoaksfan

In Michael Combs song, "Not for Sale", he says that if a gospel singer decides to sing country, he is selling out and trading in what is right for what is wrong. But artists like Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis, and the Oak Ridge Boys that are mainly country but also do gospel are welcomed and enjoyed by many gospel music fans and on the Gaither videos. Then you have the Monument Quartet who tries to do both. Artists from Branson, Missouri do both country and gospel hand in hand.

So, in your opinions, is the selling out theory correct, or can a Christian sing other musical styles than gospel?


Obviously, a Christian can, because many do and I've yet to hear of God striking one dead for doing it.

But just imagine the difference between spending long nights on the road, missing family events, and putting up with living in a fishbowl for spreading the Gospel...versus just being entertainment at a bar, club, or county fair.



rogasinger4Him -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 4:11:19 PM)

It not the secular music per se if the lyrics are clean it's the other stuff around surrounding the secular music. The compromising of your Faith to get the song out there.

The singing in bars and clubs that might lead a weak soul down a path of sorrows, the producers that want you to put a little sexual innuendo in that music video with wardrobe or location. There is a very slipperly slope there that I don't want to try and maintain my footing on. So I'm going to sing just Christian music.

I do not desire to face my Lord on judgement day and have Him sadly ask me why I lead so many down the wrong path.

That's just me. I'll let other make their on choices on what they'll sing. But if they ask my advice I'll say regardless of possible riches here on earth I'd only sing music that furthers the Kingdom of God here on earth.



frog43 -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 4:40:24 PM)

I agree that singing in bars and other undesirable places would make me uncomfortable. But there are other venues such as fairs and town square celebrations where you can find people who would never go to a SG concert, and may not hear The Word. If singing decent secular music brings people to where you can also share the Gospel, that seems to me to be a good thing.

Really, I agree that it is all about being where God wants you.



Jeff_from_Kentucky -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 4:47:17 PM)

If you are called to sing Christian music, whether it be SG, CCM, or whatever, and you walk away from it to sing something else, then yes, you may be selling out, unless God has now called you in a different direction.


Before I post this next comment I want to make a disclaimer. What I am about to post is not necessarily what I believe but it is the way many people looked at this situation.

The Oak Ridge Boys. Many people considered them to be sellouts when they switched from SG to country, especially because all four of them claimed to have been called to sing SG. Many still consider them to be sellouts today and believe that the only reason they returned to SG is because their country music careers dried up.

As I said, I don't necessarily agree with that but many people do look at it that way.



chadoaksfan -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 5:22:08 PM)

To say the Oaks are sellouts is not altogether true. They tried to introduce new things to gospel music, such as a full band and more modern dress, and they were shut out. They were starving to death in gospel, and when they had an avenue to go into country they took it. On top of that, other groups started doing the same things in gospel that the Oaks were scoffed for. In the 1990's the Gaither Vocal Band would get standing ovations for singing "The Baptism of Jesse Taylor", the very song the Oaks used to sing in the '70s that was considered too wordly. And the Oaks have always included gospel in their shows, even in the early 80s when they were selling out arenas. They have paid their dues in gospel. I have more respect for them than artists who never sang gospel, then when their country career dries up, all of the sudden they are inspired to sing gospel.

But I am not one to judge; I love both southern gospel and country, grew up listening to both, and go to concerts for both.



Jeff_from_Kentucky -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 5:47:38 PM)

Actually, full bands were around in SG long before the Oaks tried it. The Happy Goodmans had one for years. So did the Hinsons, the Dixie Echoes, and the Kingsmen. And the Oaks were not starving either. They were on top in SG or near the top. They had song of the year in 1971 and Duane Allen won favorite lead sincer twice and favorite male singer once in the Singing News Fan Awards. They were almost as big as EHSSQ is right now.



BBfan -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 7:23:15 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dinana

quote:

ORIGINAL: Seaton

God is the creator of music. At the end of the day what is wrong with a clean, well written secular song. Why can't songs also talk about love, friendships, life, dreams, etc. I am a huge fan of Southern Gospel and other forms of Christian music but I also like to listen to various forms of secular music. Music is a great form of joy and entertainment.

So the answer to your question is no. Singing other forms of music is not selling out (IMO).


I'm with Seaton on this one!

Me too!



KingsmenQuartetFan -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 11:18:11 PM)

I agree
quote:

ORIGINAL: rogasinger4Him

It not the secular music per se if the lyrics are clean it's the other stuff around surrounding the secular music. The compromising of your Faith to get the song out there.

The singing in bars and clubs that might lead a weak soul down a path of sorrows, the producers that want you to put a little sexual innuendo in that music video with wardrobe or location. There is a very slipperly slope there that I don't want to try and maintain my footing on. So I'm going to sing just Christian music.

I do not desire to face my Lord on judgement day and have Him sadly ask me why I lead so many down the wrong path.

That's just me. I'll let other make their on choices on what they'll sing. But if they ask my advice I'll say regardless of possible riches here on earth I'd only sing music that furthers the Kingdom of God here on earth.



PaulPate -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/23/2008 11:52:32 PM)

It is possible for a Christian to sing secular music and be in God's will. It is also possible for Christians to sing Southern Gospel (as a career) and be out of Gods will. It all depends on what God has called a person to do or what His will is for that person. As far as The Oaks is concerned, I remember very well that they were indeed on top in SG when they changed genres. I also remember a conversation that I had with Duane Allen when they were SG, and an interview that I heard with him on TV after they went country. The two instances didn't "jive".



WhiteRoseBlessings -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 12:51:46 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Seaton

God is the creator of music. At the end of the day what is wrong with a clean, well written secular song. Why can't songs also talk about love, friendships, life, dreams, etc. I am a huge fan of Southern Gospel and other forms of Christian music but I also like to listen to various forms of secular music. Music is a great form of joy and entertainment.

So the answer to your question is no. Singing other forms of music is not selling out (IMO).
Excellent, excellent post. [sm=thumbsup.gif]


We are to give God our absolute best in everything; secular music can certainly fall within that category.




I'm a calligrapher, and my favorite things to calligraph are Scriptures . . . but that doesn't mean that I exclude secular quips and quotes as viable and worthy projects . . . and neither does it mean that I'm "selling out" regarding such projects.



RogerBennett_Fan -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 2:32:31 PM)

I think you should give your very best to the Lord. If you are called to have a ministry in music and you are a Christian - that is your BEST - and you should want to use your talent for Him. No matter what genre of music you listen to, the message of those songs and music spread "something". It can spread secular ideas or it can spread the Gospel. The Lord wants His children to glorify Him through their lives - not glorify the world. Yes, I think it is selling out. Psalm 150:6 says, "Let every thing that has breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." It doesn't say it's okay to use half your breath to praise God and the other half to praise the world.



WhiteRoseBlessings -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 3:42:52 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RogerBennett_Fan

I think you should give your very best to the Lord. If you are called to have a ministry in music and you are a Christian - that is your BEST - and you should want to use your talent for Him. No matter what genre of music you listen to, the message of those songs and music spread "something". It can spread secular ideas or it can spread the Gospel. The Lord wants His children to glorify Him through their lives - not glorify the world. Yes, I think it is selling out. Psalm 150:6 says, "Let every thing that has breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." It doesn't say it's okay to use half your breath to praise God and the other half to praise the world.

RogerBennett_Fan, I have a very sincere question, please.



I have two CDs that I want to use as an example; both of which I went to retrieve for this very post. I'm sure I have more similar ones; but these two CDs came readily to mind as I was reading your post.

Both of these CDs are from Southern Gospel artists; very well-respected Southern Gospel artists.
I am intentionally not naming them because they are not the jist of this post.

Both of these CDs are Christmas albums.

How are any of the following songs praising Our Lord?
- "My Favorite Things"
- "Frosty the Snowman"
- "Jingle Bells"
- "Sleigh Ride"
"We Need of Little Christmas"

All of these secular songs / tunes (and more, similar) are on or the other of the two CDs I mentioned above.

None of them have anything to do with CHRISTmas; although they are all fun, merry tunes that people sing during the Christmas Holidays.

Do you consider that the Southern Gospel artists from these two CDs have sold out?



What would you say if I told you that alongside the above songs, other songs are also compiled onto these CDs; songs such as:
- Hark the Herald Angles Sing"
- "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
- "O Come All Ye Faithful"
- "Jesus, What a Wonderful Child"
- "Jesus is Born Today"
- "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

Again, that's not an inclusive list of songs; just a sampling.




These two CDs are mixtures of both "Christian-oriented" songs and "secular songs".

What's so wrong about any Christian music artist singing, "Sleigh Bells"? How is that taking anything away from Our Lord?
Does it nullify the same artist singing, "O Come All Ye Faithful"?



Again, this is not a facetious post; it is a very sincere one.

Blessings,
Sharon-Marie



rogasinger4Him -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 4:18:01 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: WhiteRoseBlessings

quote:

ORIGINAL: RogerBennett_Fan

I think you should give your very best to the Lord. If you are called to have a ministry in music and you are a Christian - that is your BEST - and you should want to use your talent for Him. No matter what genre of music you listen to, the message of those songs and music spread "something". It can spread secular ideas or it can spread the Gospel. The Lord wants His children to glorify Him through their lives - not glorify the world. Yes, I think it is selling out. Psalm 150:6 says, "Let every thing that has breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." It doesn't say it's okay to use half your breath to praise God and the other half to praise the world.

[quote}
What's so wrong about any Christian music artist singing, "Sleigh Bells"? How is that taking anything away from Our Lord?
Does it nullify the same artist singing, "O Come All Ye Faithful"?



Again, this is not a facetious post; it is a very sincere one.

Blessings,
Sharon-Marie


I don't know the answer. We'll have to ask God when we get to Heaven.

Christmas music is the one exception that I make in my singing and it doesn't feel wrong when I sing it but does that make it not a sin? I just don't know the answer. I know it feels wrong for me to sing most secular music. I do love singing the song The Impossible Dream which only has one religeous line "to be willing to march into Hell for a Heavenly cause" ( I've only sung it at home). Is it wrong to sing to sing that song? Again I just don't know.

I do feel that any song whether Country, Pop or whatever that has to with getting drunk, sexual infidelity, beating up someone is not good and that it is impossible to listen to a secular radio station of any genre for more than a song or two without some of that stuff coming up.



Jeff_from_Kentucky -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 4:20:16 PM)

Sharon-Marie, I know you didn't address your question to me but I would like to answer it.

Personally, I do not believe that anyone who has been called into Southern Gospel music should sing secular songs on their recordings or in concert. Yes, some of my favorite SG artists have recorded those very songs you listed. I have several SG CD's and LP's with those songs. I, personally, am uncomfortable with SG artists singing those songs and I always skip over them when I am listening to those projects.

I believe that if God has called you to sing SG, then you should stick with that until He calls you into something else. It's the same way for each of us who are Christians. We need to stay where God calls us to be until He calls us to move on to something else. To do otherwise is to sell out to the world.



WhiteRoseBlessings -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 4:31:16 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: rogasinger4Him

I do feel that any song whether Country, Pop or whatever that has to with getting drunk, sexual infidelity, beating up someone is not good and that it is impossible to listen to a secular radio station of any genre for more than a song or two without some of that stuff coming up.
Rogasinger4Him, I do agree that there are songs (from any secular genre) that are not at all uplifting or encouraging and that are, in fact, derogatory, demeaning and often just downright unhealthy to listen to or to sing.

But not all secular music (regardless of the genre) is like that.

To say that it is is akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.


Is everything that comes out of my mouth (or fingers) a praise to Our Lord?
No, it's not . . . but I do live my life as a praise to Our Lord; I have the attitude of praise in most (and quite honestly sometimes, only some) of the things I do and say.

And while I am not a Christian singer (of any genre), I am, indeed, a Christian; and with being so comes responsibilities. It's not just the singers who have the responsibility to carry the Gospel; it's anyone who claims Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Christian singers (even Southern Gospel Christian singers) are simply human; no more; no less. What is their attitude? Do they have an attitude of Praise, or are they just singing words to appease an audience. Does their life truly reflect that they are a Christian? If so, I just don't understand how singing an innocent innocuous secular song is wrong in any way.

I think the far more grievous action are Christian singers (of any genre) who are just mouthing the words of Praise, Adoration and Love of Our Lord, versus really LIVING what they're singing.



WhiteRoseBlessings -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 4:53:23 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeff_from_Kentucky

Sharon-Marie, I know you didn't address your question to me but I would like to answer it.

Personally, I do not believe that anyone who has been called into Southern Gospel music should sing secular songs on their recordings or in concert. Yes, some of my favorite SG artists have recorded those very songs you listed. I have several SG CD's and LP's with those songs. I, personally, am uncomfortable with SG artists singing those songs and I always skip over them when I am listening to those projects.

I believe that if God has called you to sing SG, then you should stick with that until He calls you into something else. It's the same way for each of us who are Christians. We need to stay where God calls us to be until He calls us to move on to something else. To do otherwise is to sell out to the world.
Jeff, I agree that we are to go where God calls us (whether that's a figurative or literally going).

However, I don't believe that doing something else in addition to whatever our calling is is wrong . . . specifcally if that something else is not interferring with someone fulfilling the call Our Lord has placed on their life. Our Lord is very generous in the talents that He gives to people; we should enjoy and use all of them.

Example: We live in the world; that's a given.
We have to eat; that's another given.
We have to earn money to buy food; that's yet another given.

Continuing the example, Joe Schmoe is called to sing Southern Gospel music . . which he gladly does. However, in the meantime, while he is out singing for Our Lord and building up his reputation as a good Southern Gospel music artist, he still has to eat . . . and earn money. One of the other talents that Our Lord has given Joe Schmoe is that he is a great mechanic; superb even. So, he gets a job as a mechanic (or even had it prior to becoming a Souther Gospel music artist).

Would anyone here say that he has sold out? Maybe. Maybe not.
I personally do not think he has.

So what's the difference in being a mechanic / Southern Gospel Christian artist, or being a Southern Gospel Christian artist who also sings in secular genres.



Back to those 2 CDs I mentioned earlier . . . on one of them, the artist is clearly having a lot of fun with the secular songs. What's the difference between a Southern Gospel artist having some light-hearted fun through some innocuous secular songs that aren't hurting anyone or defaming Our Lord in any way, versus a Southern Gospel artist who also perhaps sells his photography photos because he gets such joy from photography?


Additionally, even if a person did nothing but sing, Singing Southern Gospel and singing another genre is, essentially, doing two different things. If someone is going to literally say that a person should do (only) what God has called him / her to do and nothing else, then perhaps we really need to question if we, ourselves, are doing the very same thing. What is it that Our Lord has called each of us to do . . . and why aren't we out there this very moment doing it?

The above was a facetious question . . . to make a point.


No one, even including Southern Gospel music artists, deserves to be put into such a confining box as to how they should live their life . . . especially, when the one doing the "boxing" is not adhering to their own philosophies.

That last statement is not specifically directed towards anyone; it is simply one of my beliefs.



Qtman -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 5:01:08 PM)

All very good points Sharon-Marie. ANother example is my dad. I firmly believe my dad was a God call preacher. The reason I believe God called him among other reasons is my dad could not read. However, I have witnessed him read the bible. Give him a newspaper and he could make out a few words but not much. Had to be a God thing. Having no education he was not afforded the kind of churches that could support him and his family. He was relegated to the smaller rual churches. THerefore, he continued to operate his farm as a means of supporting his family. The farm never got in the way of his ministry but it did provide for us.

If a Southern Gospel Artist is called by god to sing it is up to us to support that artist. If we do not and that artist has to do something else to provide for their family then so be it. If they always put the ministry first the other job will not matter.

JMHO.



WhiteRoseBlessings -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 5:06:57 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Qtman

If a Southern Gospel Artist is called by God to sing it is up to us to support that artist. If we do not and that artist has to do something else to provide for their family then so be it. If they always put the ministry first the other job will not matter.

JMHO.
Very good point, Sam . . . on a myriad of levels.

And I could go on a bit of a soliloquy about whether SG fans truly support their artists . . . but as you know, it's been discussed several times in this folder, etc., etc.





God bless your father; I knew about his being a preacher, but I didn't know about his not knowing how to read. I think what you said is fascinating . . . and certainly seems to proves that he did, indeed, have a calling.



Jeff_from_Kentucky -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 5:07:03 PM)

Being bi-vocational isn't a problem. After all, Paul worked as a tent-maker while fulfilling his ministry as an apostle. But, he didn't let it interfere with or distract from his primary ministry. I believe it even became a part of his ministry since he worked with Aquilla and Priscilla while teaching others about Christ from their home.

I don't know. If I were to be called to sing SG, I would not want to sing anything else unless God specifically put it on my heart to do so. I certainly would not want to abandon SG for secular music simply because I could make more money, as some have done.



WhiteRoseBlessings -> RE: Which way should you look at it? (7/24/2008 5:11:09 PM)

But who is it that is saying that singing secular music is interfering with a SG music artist to sing Southern Gospel? That's a judgment call that only the artist himself can make for himself; not anyone else. That's like my saying that what someone is doing in their life is interfering with they're actually supposed to be doing.

It would also be quite a presumptuous opinion of me to declare such a thought.



Page: [1] 2 3   next >   >>



Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.5 ANSI