No More Christian Music?

If you have come within 10 ft of me for more than 5 minutes in the last year or so you may know the frustrations i have with 'Christian Music' and you may have heard rumors that i was going to follow on from 'No more Christian Books' with a similarly themed music equivalent! I was, i still might, but today i had a 'moment' that has forced me to write this blog post. I was scrolling through my iTunes and decided to reminisce with some Fernando Ortega. Some of you may know that Fernando was the first artist that atiG brought to Northern Ireland, back in 2004, he returned the following year. As i listened to 'The Shadow of your Wings" today i suddenly realized that i may have been harsh toward 'Christian Music.' The beautiful God honoring songs on that album and much of Fernando's work are truly fantastic. The thing about this record is that much of what is sung is lifted directly from scripture, unlike a lot of other CCM stuff. So, i listened and felt something i thought was dead within me flutter a little. My opinions and conclusions about CCM had, i thought, killed something in me, i might have been wrong though. I felt it move today! "Whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is worth, think on these things" As i heard those words i wondered if we have replaced 'truth, purity, loveliness and worth" with hip, cool & relevant?
So, i found this video which is also a tribute to Billy Graham's late wife, beautifully created BUT the thing i am highlighting is the song, the voice, the words..................



Thanks to Fernando for his music, he is a real artist in a mirky water of 'hip, cool & relevant" types who, for the most part are very un-important! NIce to see Rich playing the guitar in this clip, a wonderful guitar player!