This is something that's been bothering me for a long time.
When I was growing up, I was taught that listening to "secular" music was wrong. It was often called out as a sin. It didn't matter what the content of the music was. If it isn't "Christian," it's sinful.
All along the way though, I was seeing hints of how toxic the "Christian" music industry was. Even 25+ years ago, I was seeing occasional scandals pop up. There was a group called Raze that was supposed to perform at our church, but the show was canceled because one of the singers was arrested for raping a 13 year old girl who was dancing for them. My favorite band had a huge falling out with the Tooth & Nail record label. They were just kids when they signed their contract, and as they got older, they realized they had been ripped off.
Throughout the years, these kind of scandals have become increasingly more common. (More common for us to hear about -- it turns out they were always happening and we didn't know about it before the internet!)
Several years ago, I discovered that churches have to pay royalty fees to perform music in their services. It's an entire industry. People write some crappy "worship" song and put it on the radio. Churches feel obligated to play the latest hits in their service, so they pay the licensing fees. That's their entire business model. I think it's completely disgusting. It reminds me of Jesus flipping the tables at the temple when he found the money changers doing business there.
Keep in mind that this is tithe money. These are donations people are told they're obligated to give. This money should be going to help the poor and the widows, not to filling some executive's pockets. It's disgusting that these people are running these businesses, but it's also disgusting that churches are misusing their funds in this way.
I know there are also some good people who write Christian music because that's just who they are. I think JJ Heller is a great example. But I find the industry itself completely disgusting and immoral, and it's one of the reasons I don't give money to churches anymore. And then I'm always asking myself, if I don't trust this church with my money, why would I trust them with teaching my children?
I don't think the modern concept of tithing is biblical anyway. I think we're called to give, but we should give responsibly to make sure our money is actually going to worthy causes.
When I was growing up, I was taught that listening to "secular" music was wrong. It was often called out as a sin. It didn't matter what the content of the music was. If it isn't "Christian," it's sinful.
All along the way though, I was seeing hints of how toxic the "Christian" music industry was. Even 25+ years ago, I was seeing occasional scandals pop up. There was a group called Raze that was supposed to perform at our church, but the show was canceled because one of the singers was arrested for raping a 13 year old girl who was dancing for them. My favorite band had a huge falling out with the Tooth & Nail record label. They were just kids when they signed their contract, and as they got older, they realized they had been ripped off.
Throughout the years, these kind of scandals have become increasingly more common. (More common for us to hear about -- it turns out they were always happening and we didn't know about it before the internet!)
Several years ago, I discovered that churches have to pay royalty fees to perform music in their services. It's an entire industry. People write some crappy "worship" song and put it on the radio. Churches feel obligated to play the latest hits in their service, so they pay the licensing fees. That's their entire business model. I think it's completely disgusting. It reminds me of Jesus flipping the tables at the temple when he found the money changers doing business there.
Keep in mind that this is tithe money. These are donations people are told they're obligated to give. This money should be going to help the poor and the widows, not to filling some executive's pockets. It's disgusting that these people are running these businesses, but it's also disgusting that churches are misusing their funds in this way.
I know there are also some good people who write Christian music because that's just who they are. I think JJ Heller is a great example. But I find the industry itself completely disgusting and immoral, and it's one of the reasons I don't give money to churches anymore. And then I'm always asking myself, if I don't trust this church with my money, why would I trust them with teaching my children?
I don't think the modern concept of tithing is biblical anyway. I think we're called to give, but we should give responsibly to make sure our money is actually going to worthy causes.
