Can secular rock songs be used for evangelism if one changes the lyrics?

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deaconb

New member
#21
Oct 30, 2021
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#21
iTheophilus said:
I can dig it—all those folk-y groups you mentioned. I loved that stuff!!! :love: I’ve written a few scripture songs with the Lord’s help. It’s just me and my guitar, but these songs still cheer me up when I’m feeling down. Lol, my husband says they’re pretty good.
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Never been a pro musician and I'm no Springsteen by a long shot. But I can write songs and lyrics like ringing a bell. Wish I could do something with it. Joined the wrong church I guess.
 
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Icedaisey

Well-known member
#22
Jul 19, 2021
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#22
deaconb said:
Is there truly something inherently evil about rock and roll music? Some decades ago an impossibly uncool evangelist named Larson made his case that rock and roll is no place for Christians. Looking back, I'm a lot more prone to agree with Larson than disagee. Me, who saw X play with The Blasters and Horror Rocks last week.
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The answer to the OP is,yes.

 
Subhumanoidal

Subhumanoidal

Well-known member
#23
Sep 17, 2018
4,061
3,175
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#23
deaconb said:
Is there truly something inherently evil about rock and roll music? Some decades ago an impossibly uncool evangelist named Larson made his case that rock and roll is no place for Christians. Looking back, I'm a lot more prone to agree with Larson than disagee. Me, who saw X play with The Blasters and Horror Rocks last week.
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There's been Christian bands creating new music for decades.
Music is subjective. It's the religious that want to define and dictate what and how others should think.
 
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peachyking

Banned
#24
Nov 5, 2021
232
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#24
deaconb said:
Is there truly something inherently evil about rock and roll music? Some decades ago an impossibly uncool evangelist named Larson made his case that rock and roll is no place for Christians. Looking back, I'm a lot more prone to agree with Larson than disagee. Me, who saw X play with The Blasters and Horror Rocks last week.
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Jesus did not need or use any music. I think it is written they sang just one hymn at the last supper.
You do not need any music to obey God or preach obedience to God.
 
Gardenias

Gardenias

Well-known member
#25
Oct 27, 2020
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#25
Remember that movie Whoopie Goldberg was in where she had to be in WP from the mob.
They hid her a Covent of nuns.

What a blessing they made of the song from early rock and roll
" I will follow him"

The psalms can be sung in church and we have done it.
Music uplifts the heart from the plane of the world's troubles to heaven's glories!
 
Bob-Carabbio

Bob-Carabbio

Well-known member
#26
Jun 24, 2020
1,610
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#26
deaconb said:
Is there truly something inherently evil about rock and roll music? Some decades ago an impossibly uncool evangelist named Larson made his case that rock and roll is no place for Christians. Looking back, I'm a lot more prone to agree with Larson than disagee. Me, who saw X play with The Blasters and Horror Rocks last week.
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Assembly of God Churches tend to use "Soft Rock" style stuff nowadays, and William Booth (salvation army) re-lyriced barroom songs into Hymns.
 
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peachyking

Banned
#27
Nov 5, 2021
232
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#27
Bob-Carabbio said:
Assembly of God Churches tend to use "Soft Rock" style stuff nowadays, and William Booth (salvation army) re-lyriced barroom songs into Hymns.
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They have fallen away from the light.
Their decline started back in the 80's.
 
T

TheLearner

Well-known member
#28
Jan 14, 2019
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Brighton, MI
#28
deaconb said:
Is there truly something inherently evil about rock and roll music? Some decades ago an impossibly uncool evangelist named Larson made his case that rock and roll is no place for Christians. Looking back, I'm a lot more prone to agree with Larson than disagee. Me, who saw X play with The Blasters and Horror Rocks last week.
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Yes, many of the classic hymns used the music from bar tunes.
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#29
Aug 13, 2014
27,424
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#29
Rock and Roll Preacher

When I was young my life was rock 'n' roll music
Just diggin' the wonderful sound
I'd get home from school and when I'd finished my lessons
I'd listen to music 'til the sun came around
I'd sit by the hour and pound my old piano
Pick out the chords to the songs
I'd heard on the air and on American Bandstand
Just learnin' the words and then singin' along

But who'd ever thought I'd be a rock 'n' roll preacher
'Stead of just singin' the blues
Who'd ever thought I'd be a rock 'n' roll preacher
Singin' my song so you can hear the good news

Now that I'm free my heart is filled with the gladness
That comes when a life has been changed
The song I now sing has a different ring
The lyrics have meaning, but the tune is the same

But I want you to know I still love rock 'n' roll music
But now I have something to say
I'll sing you my song and maybe you'll sing along
And we'll make us a noise they'll hear in Heavenly places

Who'd ever thought I'd be a rock 'n' roll preacher
'Stead of just singin' the blues
Who'd ever thought I'd be a rock 'n' roll preacher
Singing my song so you can hear the good news

Chuck Girard
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#30
Aug 13, 2014
27,424
9,407
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#30
Like the song says... I still love rock and roll music, but now I have something to say! :cool:

Music is like a hammer. You can use it to gently tap or pound away. You can use it to wreck or you can use it to build.

Is a certain style of music evil? Well, is a hammer evil? If you beat somebody's skull in with it, yes. If you use it to whip up an altar out of a few boards and some nails, no.
 
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deaconb

New member
#31
Oct 30, 2021
15
1
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#31
Lynx said:
Rock and Roll Preacher

When I was young my life was rock 'n' roll music
Just diggin' the wonderful sound
I'd get home from school and when I'd finished my lessons
I'd listen to music 'til the sun came around
I'd sit by the hour and pound my old piano
Pick out the chords to the songs
I'd heard on the air and on American Bandstand
Just learnin' the words and then singin' along

But who'd ever thought I'd be a rock 'n' roll preacher
'Stead of just singin' the blues
Who'd ever thought I'd be a rock 'n' roll preacher
Singin' my song so you can hear the good news

Now that I'm free my heart is filled with the gladness
That comes when a life has been changed
The song I now sing has a different ring
The lyrics have meaning, but the tune is the same

But I want you to know I still love rock 'n' roll music
But now I have something to say
I'll sing you my song and maybe you'll sing along
And we'll make us a noise they'll hear in Heavenly places

Who'd ever thought I'd be a rock 'n' roll preacher
'Stead of just singin' the blues
Who'd ever thought I'd be a rock 'n' roll preacher
Singing my song so you can hear the good news

Chuck Girard
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deaconb

New member
#32
Oct 30, 2021
15
1
3
#32
Ah, Chuck Girard and the Love Song. Used to see them at the Salt Company. Good example of a Godwink. Talented guy, good heart, decent upbringing, energy, ambition, good people skills, and faith in Christ. God pulled these things together to make Christ cool for the Baby Boomers. Is Kanye West today's Chuck Girard?
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#33
Jul 3, 2015
60,334
29,582
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#33

Doobie Brothers - Jesus Is Just Alright (1975)
 
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deaconb

New member
#34
Oct 30, 2021
15
1
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#34
Always thought this song was disrespectful to Jesus. Turns out, 1966 when it was written, some circles said 'Just Alright" to mean "Really Fantastic" and "Outasight". Yes, He is outasight but always logged in to whatever magnificent network He uses to shepherd his sheep.
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#35
Aug 13, 2014
27,424
9,407
113
#35
deaconb said:
Always thought this song was disrespectful to Jesus. Turns out, 1966 when it was written, some circles said 'Just Alright" to mean "Really Fantastic" and "Outasight". Yes, He is outasight but always logged in to whatever magnificent network He uses to shepherd his sheep.
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Ah good, I wasn't the only one. I was born a bit too late for that colloquialism and thought the same thing for a while.
 
J

JohnChamberlain

Guest
#36
#36
I get the feeling some music is more pleasing to angelic persons than thrash metal for example
 
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Oblio

Guest
#37
#37
It's the message, not the medium. I remember one night many years ago when a guy from Texas who sounded like Stevie Ray Vaughn, and yet the presence of God was strong. I had to see it to believe it. You gotta speak to people in a language they understand.
 
elights

elights

Member
#38
Oct 5, 2021
74
36
18
#38
Runningman said:
Music is fundamentally just sound. So the same instrument that can produce a rock and roll melody can also produce something like a classical melody. The music itself is neither evil nor good, it's just a sound.

That being said, sounds have a way of making us feel certain ways. Music can make us happy, sad, angry, induce anxiety, motivate us, demotivate us, etc. So my opinion is music should be uplifting and encouraging because that seems better to me. I think it just đepends on hơw thể índividual reacts.
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Runningman,if music is neither evil or good,how is it able to make one happy or sad? Who can react with happiness to a saddening tune? Don’t be confused,anything that affects the spirit of man is designed with a certain spirit either of God or of the devil,I can offer you an example,go and watch a horror movie with sounds off and see whether it will be scaring,it’s not at all,you see like Hollywood has mastered the art of being evil and can make sounds that affect the spirit a certain way,watch romantic movies,even when you have closed your eyes,there’s a certain tone which can be played and you know for sure that the next thing that is going to happen between two people is kissing,If Hollywood and secular musicians can produce those sounds themselves,why do Christians have to copy those and not produce their own by help of their Holy Spirit? It’s just that Christian musicians use their gifts only for making songs and not work with the spirit,secular music is made purposely in the spirit for the kingdom of darkness and it cannot serve the other kingdom of light as well!If Micheal Jackson was talented but would go to the devil for music,it’s plain to tell you talent only isn’t enough but the spirit is equally relevant!
 
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Runningman

Banned
#39
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
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#39
elights said:
Runningman,if music is neither evil or good,how is it able to make one happy or sad? Who can react with happiness to a saddening tune? Don’t be confused,anything that affects the spirit of man is designed with a certain spirit either of God or of the devil,I can offer you an example,go and watch a horror movie with sounds off and see whether it will be scaring,it’s not at all,you see like Hollywood has mastered the art of being evil and can make sounds that affect the spirit a certain way,watch romantic movies,even when you have closed your eyes,there’s a certain tone which can be played and you know for sure that the next thing that is going to happen between two people is kissing,If Hollywood and secular musicians can produce those sounds themselves,why do Christians have to copy those and not produce their own by help of their Holy Spirit? It’s just that Christian musicians use their gifts only for making songs and not work with the spirit,secular music is made purposely in the spirit for the kingdom of darkness and it cannot serve the other kingdom of light as well!If Micheal Jackson was talented but would go to the devil for music,it’s plain to tell you talent only isn’t enough but the spirit is equally relevant!
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I maintain that sounds are neither good nor evil, but it is the hearts of people that feel good and evil. By the way, I still love your post even though I see we have different perspectives. I like the way you think.
 
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