I drove into work this morning (7/10/2024) to the soothing sounds of Petra: Captured in Time and Space (Live). I have that album downloaded from Amazon Music. I also listened to Steve Camp. About two weeks ago I played a Leon Patillo song before I preached.
Hearing these songs brought back memories! Memories of friends in California who spent years trying to convince me that Petra was indeed Christian music. For the longest time I wouldn’t listen. I would simply dismiss their views on music as compromising with the world.
Prior to being redeemed I was into all sorts of music that basically praised Satan or his works. At any point of the day or night I could have Black Sabbath, Dio, or other “Metal” bands pumping out their music. There was a local band that I listened to that made Black Sabbath seem like pop music. I loved that kind of stuff. For one, it appealed to me for some reason and for another (my sin nature), and two it bothered a group of people who I loved to bother – Christians!
When God redeemed me I came to the conviction that I needed to divorce myself from that music. It took some time but I eventually got rid of all my Metal, Death Metal, and other types of music. The first album I bought as a Christian was from The Maranatha! Singers…Praise 4. I still love that album, especially Psalm 5. Their recordings grew out of the Jesus Music of the 70’s. To say it was mellow is an understatement! But it clearly and unapologetically praised the one true God. And that is what I needed.
I had some friends who were into edgier music. One band in particular was the recipient of my ire – a band named Petra. They were a rock-n-roll band who said they were Christians. I scoffed at that idea. But my friends just kept sharing with me, reasoning with me. They never once demanded I tow their line on music but just that I would consider their point-of-view. I listened to them more than I let them now.
I remember during a discussion one Sunday evening after church a group was together and somehow music had come up. I was probably the most conservative member of that church. Anyway, my friends Glenn and Byron had been sharing for months and/or years with me the content of Petra’s music and not just the presentation. Another friend, Gary, would also chime in occasionally.
Well, I “came out” that night defending Petra. Though I don’t remember the exact words I used, I do remember saying something to the effect that Petra is fine. I remember the looks I received from some that night. For some, to hear me say its OK to listen to Petra was the same as denying verbal-plenary inspiration! I remember one comment from Byron : “I’m so glad you said Petra is OK.”
I learned from Glenn, Byron, and Gary that while presentation is important and we ought not to look like the world, music is complicated and not so easily placed in a box. These three men taught me to seek out as much as I could the artist’s heart not just their product. Yes, their product is important but so is their heart. Through my brothers I learned that I wasn’t the final authority on what constituted Christian music…I just had an opinion and a conviction.
I would not classify Petra as rock music as I understood rock music at the time (1980’s). But they were definitely a different type of music than what I typically had in my cassette player (Maranatha! Singers). But they were edgier than I was used to as a Christian. My brothers in Christ definitely made me think twice about all forms of music – though I still have issues with hip-hop, rap, or whatever it is called these days…
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that we should all remain teachable in every area of life. We all need to arrive at our own convictions regarding the gray areas of life – those areas where one’s conscience may be freer than another’s in an area like music. But even if we hold a conviction as immovable, we can never impose that conviction on others unless there is a clear biblical mandate on the issue at hand. And in the gray areas, there rarely is a clear, biblical mandate. Regardless how many degrees I earn, regardless if I’m thought to be a genius or a fool, I always want to remember the lesson learned through my brothers.
Thanks to Glenn, Byron, and Gary I learned an important lesson.When we listen to others views on disputable areas, we learn, we grow, and we just may hear something we agree with.
The Bald Theologian 