Christians And Secular Music

CHRISTIANS AND SECULAR MUSIC

BY; AJAGBE Blessing Oyinkansola


This topic of Christians and secular music is one that has just begun to make meaning to me recently. I was and still is (partly) a lover of secular music. Recently I noticed or should I say, recently I allowed myself to notice that, most Christians play secular songs at their events. By events I mean, birthdays, weddings, graduations and the likes. Like, I’ve rarely attended a Christian’s event where they played Christian songs throughout. It made me realise that Christians (90%) enjoy secular songs than they do Christian songs. I think we have this idea that for our event to be dope, we have to play secular songs. I mean who wants to play up up Jesus, down down Satan or the old rugged cross at their event. Whaaatt? Not cool at all. We have termed secular songs as “cool” and Christian songs as “for Sundays only”. Even as Christians when we go to a fellow Christian’s event where they play mostly Christian songs, we see that person as being too religious. We tell ourselves that it’s a secular gathering and not church so, why do we need to play Christian songs. Am I right or Am I right?

What Christians don’t know is that, just the same way there are “cool” secular songs is the same way there are cool Christian songs. Our idea of a cool song is the beat and the melody, right? Sometimes the voice of the artist too. I never knew that they were Christian songs with dope beats and dope vibes. My idea of Christian songs where the ones where there would be a lead singer and then the backups and all those kind of churchy stuffs. Last year, if I remember well, I was browsing through YouTube and I came across some Christian music channels. I listened to some of the songs that were uploaded there and I was amazed. All those type of beats and vibes you would get in secular music was the same type of vibe I was getting here only that this was Christian music. I immediately deleted all (or almost all I think) my secular songs because I was like; if I can get this same kind of beat and vibe from a Christian song, why then do I need secular songs? I later got them back though, then deleted them again, then got them back, then deleted. Sorry, I’m that weird.

The whole essence of this post is not to tell you that there are also cool Christian songs but to open our eyes as Christians to see how carnal we are. If we enjoy secular music more than we do Christian music then, there is a problem with our spiritual life. As I say we, I also mean myself so don’t think that I’m pointing fingers here. The Bible says in Philippians 4:8 that:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

If we want to do a critic of secular songs from a Christian’s perspective would we be able to say that secular songs are true and praise worthy? Most secular songs are about sex, hard drugs, lust, pride, love of money and many more negative things yet we Christians enjoy listening to this type of songs and even call them “cool”. Let’s not even go to the music videos. If a song is cool that means you accept what the artist is saying, right? You may say, oh, I don’t do any of the things the artist is portraying in his or her song so I’m fine. Hey, dude, you just said the song was cool, are you confused? God doesn’t want Christians who are in between. You are either there or you’re here. You’re either cold or you’re hot. Revelation 3:15-16 says:

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.


So, when hosting an event, you shouldn’t say we’re not in church so we shouldn’t play Christian songs. That is just saying that because that event is secular, you are turning off God and putting on the world. As Christians, Christ wants us to represent him every day and everywhere we go. Music is a very powerful tool that the devil is using to steal the hearts of Christians away from God. We may say music doesn’t have any impact on us but honestly it does. When I was very much into secular music there were days I didn’t even want to listen to Christian songs. That was how much secular songs influenced me as a Christian. This is not to say all secular songs are bad. Please put your stones down you secular music lover. Not all secular songs talk about sex, pride, lust and water view. The most important thing is to check the lyrics of the song before you fall in love with it. Is the song telling the truth (Bible standard of truth)? Is it praise worthy? Is it a song that God can look at you and smile when you sing and dance to it? If you answered yes to all these questions then, congratulations you’ve found the right song.

It’s really taking a lot in me to write this because of the love I know I have for music. Now I know I have to really stick to my filtering of songs thing (God help your daughter) . But seriously, there are Christian songs on different genres. Find the one that suits your taste. There are also Christian songs that can be used for events. You can Google Christian party songs and you’ll see a list of songs begging to be downloaded and played. Besides, the praise songs we sing in church are danceable, aren't they?  It’s high time we Christians stopped letting the world influence the way we live our lives. As cliché as this may sound, we are in this world but not of it.


AJAGBE Blessing Oyinkansola is a Corps Member, Christian content and opinion writer, shes also a member, Creative Writing SAED, NYSC, Kwara state, Oyinkansola blogs at oyinkansolaplus.com