Admittedly, I am picky when it comes to music. It’s my conviction that Christians should have the highest quality music in the world. Often that is not the case. There are many rock songs with strong theology. Sometimes even more than church music.
It appears that the majority of Christian musicians are simply following secular fads. As soon as a song becomes a hit a nearly identical copy-cat song is released on Smile FM or K Love.
Christian musicians should be leading the pack instead of bringing up the rear. In all fairness though, Christian musicians are simply entertainers. It’s their job to amuse us not to usher us into the presence of God. Sadly, Christian music is often cliched and uninspiring.
I realize that John Crist has deservedly taken some hits to the chin but this skit is still dead on.
King of kings
Worship leaders should have a higher standard, however. There is never an excuse for banal and bromidic worship music. We’re worshiping the King of kings not Tweeting about a celebrity crush!
I’ve endured entirely too many naval gazing “worship” services. I’ve listened as worship teams mindlessly repeat phrases such as, “This is my confidence, You’ve never failed me yet.”
I guess they’re waiting or expecting God to fail them sometime in the future?
The sting has been also been felt with insipid lyrics such as “Where the grace runs as deep as Your scars.” Excuse me? Scars aren’t really that deep. Lyrics designed as a placeholder and robotic zombies repeat them, with tears in their eyes, Sunday after Sunday.
Suit Swag!
Surely, there are lyrics better than these! Certainly, there are many worship leaders and teams who are daily honoring God. I get a kick out of the Pentecostals of Alexandria (POA).
Most worship teams are reminiscent of Boy Bands and Girl Groups. POA consists of men in suits and women in skirts. I always smile when I see them praising God with reckless abandon.
Let There Be Rock
Prior to surrendering my life to the Author and Finisher of my faith, I was a metalhead. It’s surprising and a bit concerning how many rock bands have songs with lyrics that supersede that of music originating from Northern California, the Land Down Under, and the Queen City.
Here are seven songs from rock bands with strong biblically-based lyrics.
#7 Saved by Bob Dylan
This song should be rated much higher. It’s rated #7 only because it was relaunched by the Christian rock band Third Day. When I was the youth pastor at a church in Kalamazoo, MI we would play this song during Sunday worship. Good times.
Bob Dylan certainly had an encounter with God at some time. He not only wrote Saved but also Serve Somebody.
Can a worship leader please lock themselves in a prayer closet and come out with something like this?
My favorite line:
“He bought me with a price,
Freed me from the pit,
Full of emptiness and wrath
And the fire that burns in it.”
#6 Creeping Death by Metallica
As a kid I saw Metallica in concert two times. Once in Kalamazoo, MI and once in San Diego, CA. I was obsessed with this song as a teenager.
I attempted to share these poignant lyrics with my mom but she wasn’t having it — at all. The lyrics essentially trace the release of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt during the time of Moses.
Creeping Death was the Destroying Angel sent by the Almighty as punishment for a hard-hearted Pharaoh.
The passion in this song is palpable. One lamb for one family.
My favorite line:
“I,
Rule the midnight air
The destroyer
Born,
I shall soon be there
Deadly mass
I,
Creep the steps and floor
Final darkness
Blood,
Lambs blood painted door
I shall pass“
#5 All Around Me by Flyleaf
Flyleaf is one of those bands that successfully crossed over to the secular realm without diluting the message or alienating hardcore rockers.
Their songs are packed with solid theology but not in an over preachy manner. They adeptly walked that fine line.
All Around Me, in my opinion, is a song about a person lost in praise to the King. This is not some weak-kneed sonnet but a passionate plea of intimacy.
My Favorite Line:
“My hands float up above me
And you whisper you love me
And I begin to fade
Into our secret place”
#4 After Forever by Black Sabbath
Ozzy, Geezer, Tony, and Billy Ward are more known for songs such as Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Paranoid, War Pigs, and of course Iron Man. Something happened to them in 1971, however. I find it difficult to believe that a song like this is a simple aberration.
My Favorite line:
“Could it be you’re afraid of what your friends might say
If they knew you believe in God above?
They should realize before they criticize
That God is the only way to love”
#3 Golgotha by WASP
Fun Fact: I saw Wasp in concert on March 3, 1985 at the State Theater in Kalamazoo, MI. They played with a very young and virtually unknown band called Metallica that night.
Towards the end of the WASP set, I was shaken by some of the shenanigans by the lead singer, Blackie Lawless. He was tossing raw meat into the crowd and at one point “drank” blood from a skull. I knew that it was fake but I still found it quite disturbing.
Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon a reaction video by the husband and wife duo Vin and Sori from WASP titled Golgotha. I reluctantly listened hoping for something positive.
I was blown away!
I’m a sucker for reaction videos. In this one Sori seems to feel the pain and anguish expressed in the song. Amazing.
I immediately listened to the song a few times and then texted the link to my brother and wife.
Language Alert*
Apparently, the lead singer has surrendered his life to Christ. Here’s an article explaining it all*.
My Favorite Line:
“Jesus I need You now
Free me I’m lost somehow
Oh, remember me today
I’m a leper left to hang
Oh, yes I need You now”
#2 I Will Fail You by Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter was quite possibly the heaviest band that I ever saw live. I wasn’t familiar with their music but came away quite impressed by them.
As often happens I find music AFTER a show when the band is really good. I came across I Will Fail You long after their show with Red.
The song resonates with me because I feel as though I live it daily. I recall listening to a question-and-answer session with Pastor John MacArthur. In it, an extremely sincere teenager asked, “As I get older will I sin, less?” MacArthur responded, “You should but the sins remaining will bother you more.”
That has stuck with me.
My Favorite Line:
“Lost in the shadow of an endless grace
Relentless
My reign is unbound
In this abandon I will devastate
Dismember
‘Til agony’s found”
#1 Murdered Love by POD
For my 50th birthday, my brothers took me to see POD. Yea, that’s just how I roll.
“Where’s the show,” I ask?
“Somewhere in Sturgis, Michigan.”
We’re driving along and Google Maps declares that we’ve arrived — at a bowling alley. We see a very large tour bus so this must be the place.
Here’s a band that has played to tens of thousands on the regular and now they are playing for a couple of hundred of us in a small town in rural Michigan.
They didn’t disappoint.
Murdered Love, in my humble opinion, is the consummate gospel song. Yes, it will be too heavy for many but the passion and lyrics are a perfect fit for what Jesus endured during the crucifixion.
POD has boldly played this song at places like Hell Fest and while performing with bands such as Marilyn Manson, Seether, Godsmack, and System of a Down.
They’ve taken the gospel message to the darkest of places.
My Favorite Line:
“Eliminate the infinite
Snuff the light and finish the truth
Kill the immaculate
Condemn beautiful virtue
Assassination of individual redemption
Obliteration of this undeniable one”
Rise Up!
Is it possible for worship leaders to dig deeper in the Word and prayer and write songs with passion? It’s my heart desire that worship finally begins to evolve out of the land of entertainment.
Psalm 96:1-6 Sing to the Lord a new song;
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.