Music Outreach Ministry?

(I also posted this thread at the CMR).

Is Christian music really an outreach ministry?

I’ve been wondering about this lately. How many people can truly say that they were lead to accept Christ as their savior as the direct result of Christian music?

Not to be cynical or judgmental concerning Christian music, but I hear many of the artists speak as if they hope to share the gospel with the unsaved, but it seems to me that the majority of them only play to audiences of believers. Not that there is anything wrong with that per se, but how would it reach the unsaved? I know that some bands play Christ centered music in bars and clubs (probably a good place to find the unsaved), but the only Christian artists that visit my neck of the woods tend to play “Creationfest” or at church sponsored events. For some reason I don’t think they are doing much at Christian music festivals and events to reach the unsaved. Again not a bad thing to have Christian music events, but I’m not sure how that “spreads the gospel” beyond the choir.

I bring this up for two reasons.

1. I recently read Uncle NecRo’s testimony at his new site (cool site and testimony by the way) and he mentions that the lyrics of a Stryper song help lead him to Christ.

2. I have been a Christian for about four years, and I never even gave any Christian music the time of day before I became a Christian. Yes I knew about Stryper, and had most of their albums, but I liked them despite the lyrics, not because of them. But since becoming a Christian I have collected albums from hundreds of Christian artists.



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I think it's an outreach ministry, but only in a secondary sense. I think it is mainly for Christians as we enjoy singing praises to God in a way that we can relate. However, as Bride, Stryper and Disciple (to name but a few) are testament, they can be powerful tools for outreach.

I sometimes think of it in a similar way to a Bible study. Christians go to Bible studies to be imersed in the Word, but some non-christians, from time to time come along and may be challenged by what is being said.

Fundy

You have to remember that it costs money to be in a band--Christian or otherwise. If a Christian artist really tries to represent the gospel of Christ in their lyrics & lifestyle, the world isn't going to come knocking on your door for the most part. Why did Stryper get famous? Partly because of skill--partly because they were a novelty act to the hair metal scene of the day. But, with that said, Christian artists are going to play wherever they can get a paying gig--and that tends to be Christian backed festivals and church related gigs. I don't think that most bars and clubs really want people proclaiming that people need to turn from their sins and turn to Jesus during happy hour. That would hurt business!!!

Then, there are artists who are now trying to reach the lost by going to a more "secular" approach. The lyrics and message get toned down, and they hit the road opening for secular (and sometimes non-Christian) acts. While this is great for sales, you just don't hear of the masses accepting Christ through these new fangled outreach approaches, either. So, is it about ministry, or selling CDs? I won't judge anyone who has done this, but it does make you wonder.

So, it comes down to this: make the music that you feel most honors God and let the audience that has ears to hear find you. Let God use your music to reach whomever He pleases. I've been to Christian shows in a church, and I've seen people be saved right there. So, being bold DOES work. If you sell a bazillion records, great! Please pass the info on how you did it onto the more successful Christian artists like Toby Mac and Third Day who, at best, typically just go Gold (100,000 units). But, when your career is over, and you stand before your Heavenly Father, be sure that you wrote and sang your music for an Audience Of One--the one who will say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of the Lord!"

Great responses guys, thanks!






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I think that many people have been reached at concerts by Petra, Whiteheart, Bride, Whitecross, etc. Friends bring their unsaved friends along and they hear the message. Its the same as a Billy Graham crusade. Most people there are already saved, but they've brought unsaved friends, family, etc. to hear the message and they get saved. Same with Christian music ministry.

And as alldat said, the bands must do things like Creation or Purple Door to help pay the bills. Also, they do it because there is also a purpose to edifying believers.

Follower of Jesus wrote:

And as alldat said, the bands must do things like Creation or Purple Door to help pay the bills. Also, they do it because there is also a purpose to edifying believers.

I definately don't deny the usfulness of sharing the word with the saved.

I just wondered if it was really that effective as an outreach. But you guys have given me some good food for thought.

All I can say is that we have always believed ourselves to be an outreach ministry. We often find ourselves in some pretty hardcore biker clubhouse's either playing or ministering and we are not as "up front" as many would like us to be. Instead we are very relational and the results of that are that even just recently hanging in this clubhouse of "Outlaws" I would say that every corner I turned someone was either asking me about GOD or asking for prayer. We also consider the youth groups to be outreach opportunities knowing that even kids in a christian environment often go home to dare i say it "HELL" cuz some of us have lived that. So all in all we try to do our best musically but realize its just a tool that allows us to deliver what we consider to be the only message!
JESUS Died for you and me and loves us more than our puny minds could ever fathom!

Dave, F.O.G. was exactly who I was thinking of when I talked about some bands playing bars (and biker rallys), places where you would find the lost.
I also have much respect for the fact that F.O.G. has also done mission work as a group.

I think you guys are prime example of what a music outreach ministry looks like. You play places and events were non-Christians can be found. Yet your lyrics are bold and obviously about the salvation Christ has to offer.

It would be nice if some of the younger bands would emulate what F.O.G. is doing.

Guess we gots to teach them there youngsters a thing or two.