Okay, give me a break—I was twenty and idealistic—but loved music with a passion and was driven to discover the best from new artists.  

Another thing: I really disliked so-called Contemporary Christian music. I served on staff in the summer of '81 up at Forest Home Christian Conference Center. They only played Contemporary Christian music. In the dining hall, the auditorium, and the speakers mounted high around the lake, it was all Christian pop, all the time. I felt like I was in Christian Red Square. Not only was CC in the air on every speaker, but all the counselors talked like its sworn advocates: 

"They sound just like the Doobie Brothers, but they're Christian!"

"They sound like Fleetwood Mac, but they're Christian!"  

I thought (but did not ask)," Why not just listen to the Doobie Brothers? Why listen to a Doobie Brothers wannabe band?" But I knew the answer: "Because they're Christians!" Can't argue with that. 

The whole thing embarrassed me for the Church. Aside from a hundred or so Dan Fogelberg clones, Christian music had little variance in style. Christian Pop plowed the middle of the road and baked a lot of plain white bread. Apparently, this allowed good Christian youth the acceptable pleasure of listening to the rock music they really like, only rehashed and blessed by an evangelical seal of approval. 

At first, I complained: How come there are no Christian bands that sound like David Bowie or Brian Eno? or Where are the Christian versions of King Crimson or Pink Floyd? In time, I just shut up and returned to the comforts of creative secularists. But here's my ongoing beef(part I): If we Christians claim to be vessels of the Holy Spirit, the Creator, and the giver of life, then why can't we be so intensely creative that the rest of the music world clamors to imitate us? Are we not plugged into the Holy Spirit? Then why do we have nothing but rehashing other non-Christian forms to call good? Why do we wait for the seculars to invent all the music only to copy them? Why aren't we the inventors, innovators, and co-creators? I don’t want to sound cynical, but come on! 

Part II of my beef is the "Christian" label itself. It is a marketing ploy saying, in effect, Here's another mediocre act of cheap gospel lyrics served up in a style stolen from sinners but now blessed, rehashed, and suitable for Christian ears. There is nothing good about it. 

It is not Christian music, though it is produced by Christian people. There is no Christian music—no Christian Cmaj7 chords—just music that may or may not glorify God. 

For my tastes, when I think of Christian music, I go straight to music that—to my tin ear—glorifies God: Palestrina, Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Handel, Haydn, and the organ stylings of E. Power Biggs. Combined, these account for about 2 percent of the music-buying public. But as the saying goes, There's no accounting for taste. The Church has always embraced and encouraged art that edifies the Body of Christ and glorifies God. It is an ongoing project, and we learn through trial and error. There's a lot of great new music made by Christians, and I'm still hungry and looking for it. In the meantime, I'll be listening to the Clash, listening for that call to seek the Kingdom and serve God with an honest, authentic heart. †