************************************************* * * * SOUND DOCTRINE BBS * * (303) 680-7209 * * 8/N/1 24HRS * * * * "For the time will come when men will not * * put up with sound doctrine." * * -2 Timothy 4:3 * * * ************************************************* C H R I S T I A N R O C K - N - R O L L Just as there is no such thing as a Christian porno shop, (though I have heard some claim such), there is no such thing as Christian Rock-N- Roll. The two words cannot mix. No more than God can have any fellowship with darkness. There is such a thing as Holy music unto the Lord! And though it may have drums and guitars in the music, it's style and spiritual quality will not resemble the world. You will not find the smoke, lights, dress and loudness of the music to be anything like the world. For Christians are a holy separate people unto the Lord. * * * * AMY GRANT * * * * But we go even deeper than that in our judgement of Christian rock music. For the music can be mellow and sweet to the ears, but come straight from the pit of hell. One example is the music of Any Grant. She has sold her royal birthright for the pleasures and praise of this world. And we have told her and her pastor so. As most will know that Any Grant's stage symbol is a leopard jacket. This is prophetic! God is showing to all discerning Christians what her true nature is. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spot? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil." -Jeremiah 13:23 What must be judged here is not just the music's style but the heart that sings it. Noting also, that if the heart is right, the style will be also. For if a tree is good, so is it's fruit. * * * ATTRACTING THE WORLD * * * So many of you clamor that they are attracting people to Jesus by using the world's music. By becoming a Roman to the Romans. What wicked reasoning that is! What mis-use of scripture! Shall our church sell Coors on the church parking lot to attract the non-believers? Shall our Christian sisters dress like the world in order to pull in the worldly? It is of the highest darkness to use such reasoning. Jesus said, "be careful that the light within you is not darkness"! Peter says that Christians who use worldliness to attract people to Jesus are of the highest caliber of false prophets! "...Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom..." -2 Peter 2:17-19 * * * * CHOICE * * * * You have a choice. To hunger and thirst after righteousness. To avoid all music that is unholy. To refuse to buy records of those who have sold out to the world. To call others not to go their concerts. Or to compromise. It is our prayer that you will choose to listen to those who are faithful in the land. To those that show they love the Lord. And if there be not much music you can buy or listen to, then so be it. Make "music in your heart" to the Lord instead! He will be more pleased with that, then the supporting of those who copy the world in dress, hair and music. God does not support hypocrisy, and neither should you. "My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house..." -Psalm 101:6-7 Only as we stand and speak up for what is holy in the Lord will the steady downward trend toward the pit of hellish activity be stopped. Write KLTT and other stations that support such utterly wicked groups as STRYPER. Call your brothers and sisters to avoid such concerts as Steve Camp, Mylon LaFevor and Steve Taylor etc. etc.. Put away the Any Grant albums. "Touch no unclean thing" and God will receive you. Let the faithful be the only ones who minister to you - FORGET HOW GOOD THEIR WORDS ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's what makes them so very wicked in God's sight. -Sysops Sound Doctrine BBS -end part 1- ************************************************** -part 2- DRIVEN TO DARKNESS! BY DAVID WILKERSON (8-3-1987) * * * * * * * * * * "'To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them...And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness; and they shall be driven to darkness.' -Isaiah 8:20- 22 Last night I attended a Christian music festival. I will never forget what I saw, and can truly say was a heartbreaking experience. Since leaving the concert I have been weeping for hours, groaning in the Spirit, feeling the wrath of a holy God burning against what I saw. I went to the festival because the 'star performer' featured last night had been in my office just hours before, crying, telling me how much he loved Jesus, how sincere he was, how he wanted to learn more about holiness. He told me my written messages convicted him. His words sounded right-his attitude seemed humble. At his request I went to hear him and his group because he assured me I would not be offended. My heart is now so set on the massive human need in New York City, and my great concerns now have to do with rescuing lost souls from drugs, alcohol and demon possession. I DID NOT WANT TO GET INVOLVED ANYMORE IN THE MATTER OF ROCK AND ROLL, HEAVY METAL, AND PUNK MUSIC IN THE CHURCH. I felt I had said enough on the subject and I told the musician so when he sat in my office. We have prayed together and I hugged him when he left my office. I went last night with an open heart, full of love and compassions - for him, for all Christian musicians, and especially for the 3,000 or so young people attending the festival. I sat through two devotional-type songs, then I sat attentively listening as the musician testified about what he said Christ had done in his life. No preacher anywhere could have spoken with more conviction and sincerity-the words were right. He spoke of separation, of being obedient to Jesus, of winning souls, of prayer, of holy matrimony [he was married], of living a holy life. I prayed as he spoke, 'Dear Lord, maybe I misjudged this musician and his hard rock group. Maybe you ARE doing something new in using the music the ungodly prefer, to win them-to get their attention, to attract them so they can be ministered to. Lord, I am willing to rejoice in hearing You preached, in any manner, from any group-if You are present in it-if your Holy Spirit is blessing it. I was honestly questioning if my writings about the MUSIC OF DEVILS in God's house were just old-fashioned prejudices or simply my distaste for rock music. Was it just so much fuss about nothing? Yet something was not quite right. There was an inner tug at my heart making me ill at ease. I reasoned, 'If Satan is camouflaged in this somehow, if there is leaven of evil-it will be revealed. Satan always reveals himself in one way or another.' Suddenly the singer yelled in the microphone, 'JESUS IS COMING - HE IS GOING TO CRACK THE SKIES - GET READY!' The song was entitled, 'CRACK THE SKIES'. Suddenly smoke was billowing out of smoke machines, the pounding beat was turned up to a frenzied pitch, eerie lights began flashing, the musicians stood like phantoms rising from a murky swamp. It was ghostly, weird, strange-and the crowd went wild-they seemed to love it. At the same festival, a wild spiked hair group had entertained-with painted faces, prancing about like homosexual peacocks. At first, I couldn't believe what I was seeing on stage. I said out loud, 'This can't be happening at a Christian festival-they can't do this to my Jesus! These people can't be this blind-the leaders of this youth ministry can't be so undiscerning! Oh God-what has happened to your church that its leaders, it people, can't see the evil of this abomination? Suddenly I was on the ground, on my back, weeping and sobbing, and groaning in t he Spirit. I sat up and took another look at the stage. I WAS HORRIFIED BY WHAT I SAY IN THE SPIRIT. I SAW DEMONIC IMAGES RISING FROM THE THAT STAGE! I HEARD SATAN LAUGHING! Laughing at all the blind parents-the blind shepherds-the blind youth-the backslidden church! It was an overt manifestation of Satan-worse than anything I've ever seen on the streets of New York. I stood to my feet, literally shaking with the fear of God-consumed with a sense of His holy wrath against such wickedness. I rushed into the crowd crying at the top of my voice-ICHABOD! {The glory of the Lord has departed!} ICHABOD! I ran through the crowd, pushing aside chairs, weeping, shouting at the top of my voice, 'Ichabod-this is satanic! Stop! God is grieved!' I was mostly ignored and I think most thought I was a crazy lunatic. I doubt anybody knew who I was-the musicians could not hear me, and the crowd was too tight to allow me near the stage. I wanted to get to a microphone and cry like an Elijah- 'THIS IS VOMIT ON THE TABLE OF THE LORD! WHO ARE YOUR TEACHERS, THAT YOU COULD BE SO BLIND, SO WORLDLY, SO DECEIVED!? WHAT KIND OF BLASPHEMY IS THIS?' I will not shut up this matter! I will not be silent while multitudes of our Christian youth are being deceived by smooth-talking wolves in sheep's clothing! True love demands that the truth be told. What hurt my spirit the most, and what is so hard for me to understand, is that this particular group, and many others, attend Pentecostal churches. The musician I refer to told me he gave up drugs, drinking, evil sex and rock and roll performing when he got saved. He cut his long, feminine hair, he quit dressing like an exhibitionist and began to change all his ways. It was a pastor who encouraged him to 'quit looking so square and use rock and roll to reach the kids'. A teacher, in his sixties, travels on occasion with them, teaching them and encouraging them in their evil methods. According to their teacher, rock and roll is going to be the 'normal music in all Pentecostal and evangelical churches'. It's now the middle of the night and I can't sleep! I can't stop weeping inside. I am shut in with God in my study diligently asking Him to show me what is happening, because hours ago I saw a few thousand young Christians, with uplifted hands, thinking it was Jesus, when it was most assuredly the devil. HAS THE CHURCH-OR WHAT MAN CALLS THE CHURCH-SO BACKSLIDDEN THAT THERE IS NO MORE DISCERNMENT WHATSOEVER? Has God given up on some who are set on bringing devilish practices into the realm of worship? NOW I WONDER-'WHO DARES TEACH SUCH JESUS-a Jesus who winks at deception? How blatantly they are mislearning Jesus Christ! WHAT JESUS ARE THEY PREACHING?' ************************************************** 'But Ye Have Not So Learned Christ' [Ephesians 4:20] ************************************************** That is what Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians. He was warning them not to walk as some do 'in the vanity [pride] of their mind' (Ephesians 4:17). He warned of those learned Christ in a perverted way, because their understanding was darkened. They were 'cut off from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart' (Ephesians 4:18). Some teacher, some shepherd, had MISTAUGHT JESUS CHRIST to them. The Christ they learned was not the Christ of God, the Lord of holiness, the master of purity. While they speak so sweetly of Jesus, and weep when they mention the name, and tell of a hunger to walk in the ways of Christ-Paul said of them, they 'ARE PAST FEELING AND HAVE GIVEN THEMSELVES OVER UTNO LASCIVIOUSNESS [lustfulness], TO WORK ALL UNCLEANNESS WITH GREEDINESS' [Ephesians 4:19]. That is what I saw last night at the music festival-a group of musicians who were pied pipers, leading many young people right into the arms of Satan with their smooth words about Jesus, about celebrating forgiveness-then with an energy of flesh and carnal greediness hard to fathom-they put their stamp of approval on paganism right out of the devil's treasury. They were saying, by their music and their worldly, ghastly performance-that Jesus and the garbage of this world are compatible. They wore two masks- one of sincere followers of Christ, the other of performing clowns. With their faces lifted up to God, they cursed Him by their blasphemous mockery. Isaiah prophesied of such, '...they shall curse their king and their God, and look upward' [Isaiah 8:21]. What they preach and practice are two different gospels. They are deceived, and consequently they are deceivers themselves. They have MISLEARNED CHRIST! They have been duped, manipulated and cheated! They should have had a pastor or teacher with enough Holy Ghost discernment, with enough devotion to the true and holy Lord-to WARN THEM TO SHOW THEM that God does not put up with holding on to the old man and the old carnal ways. Why didn't their shepherds discern that these boys were walking in ignorance and spiritual blindness, not understanding the true demands of Christ? Why wasn't their greed dealt with-not so much for money and fame, but a greed that would not let go of the very thing that once led them into drugs and emptiness. It's all coming out now-that these groups are falling on all sides, going back to the secular crowd, back to cocaine, back to groupies-playing the part of hypocrites and gospel phonies. Their shepherds are so easily conned, because they are blind in every way. Paul said it right, 'For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.' [Ephesians 5:12]. They very music they perform drives them back to darkness. Now-it's probably too late! They have rejected the reproof of prophets and watchmen who really preach the truth! They are like those Paul warns about, who have become so lost in spiritual ignorance and blindness, they are confirmed in their worldly ways! They are so blind they believe they are honoring Christ and blessing multitudes of youth the church 'can't reach'. ************************************************** Sin-Soft Preachers Are Driving This Generation Into Darkness ************************************************** '...they shall be driven to darkness...' [Isaiah 8:22] I blame their smooth talking, sin-soft shepherds. Those same shepherds must one day stand before Christ's judgement seat and answer- not only for the musicians under their care-but for all the Christian young people they in turn have hurt and destroyed. Without flinching, I declare that cowardly ministers, those who want to be loved and honored rather than rejected for preaching truth, are driving this generation into deep spiritual darkness. We would not be facing a generation of backslidden, pleasure-loving, worldly minded youth in our churches-youth who do not even know the commandments of a holy Christ-IF WE HAD MORE HOLY BOLD PREACHERS AND EVANGELISTS WHO COULD TEACH AND PREACH THE TRUTH OF CHRIST WITH PURITY AND AUTHORITY. I am not accusing all preachers and teachers- thank God for the few who still do not cower to the crowd or compromise for the sake of numbers and success. Maybe the youth won't listen to those who cry out against their lusting after the world-but when the judgements accelerate-they will turn to the preachers of holiness for a sure word from God. There is filth in Zion, and strangers have been exalted in the house of God-by blind, compromised, undiscerning Christian leaders. They are calling evil good, and the counsel of a righteous God is lightly esteemed. Hearts are hardening, ears are closing, eyes are being shut- because pride and flesh and ungodly entertainment is grieving the Holy Spirit right out of His temple. Isaiah warned, '...their root shall be rottenness,...because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people...' [Isaiah 5:24-25]. Hell must be ecstatic at the spectacle of ministers not just abdicating to the immoral music standards of the young-but actually promoting. Who brings these worldly bent groups into the church for concerts? Who encourages the youth to embrace the music of devils? Who ridicules evangelists and prophets and watchmen who cry out against it? Who puts it on radio, TV. and who promotes the concerts and festivals that are now degenerating into SATANIC SHOWCASES? It is the pastors, youth ministers, Christian radio and TV. station owners and managers. They will all live to see the wicked harvest of their soft gospel and compromise-as their very own children fall away to the spirit of this age. Webster's Twentieth Century Dictionary defines whoredom as 'the desertion of the worship of God for the worship of idolatry'. A whoremonger is ONE WHO PROCURES OR PROMOTES IT. Any spiritual leader who procures or promotes this idolatrous desertion of true worship is truly a WHOREMONGER. And Paul state emphatically, 'No whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hat any inheritance in he kingdom of Christ of God.' [Ephesians 5:5] Young people-don't listen to the whoremongers- listen instead to the apostle Paul-who warned, 'Let no man [even preachers] deceive you with vain [empty] words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. BE YE NOT THEREFORE PARTAKERS WITH THEM' {Ephesians 5:6-6} ************************************************** Reprove Them! ************************************************** 'And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather REPROVE THEM' [Eph. 5:11] All spiritual work that is tainted with the least bit of darkness, God calls UNFRUITFUL WORKS! This refutes the big lie of the devil being promoted by the pushers of the 'new wave' music, which argues, 'But it can't be of the devil. Look at all the kids getting saved! Listen to their wonderful testimonies. They really reach the youth-many are getting saved. They speak in a way the kids understand-they glorify Christ in their speech.' God never has judged a work by the results. No one is more successful in holding converts than the Muslims. No church is richer than the Vatican. The Jehovah Witnesses claim to be winning multitudes to Christ. God judges everything by LIGHT! That means, by how godly, how Christ-like-by how clear, how pure, how transparent it is. He repudiates and spits out of His mouth all that has even been part dark. John saw the Holy City descending out of the heaven from God, having the glory of God. That is a holy people, a bride adorned and prepared for the Bridegroom. Its main characteristic is this: 'Her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal' [Revelation 21:11]. Whatever is of God is CLEAR AS CRYSTAL! It is holiness so pure, it is translucent as pure jasper stone. Those who are numbered in this holy Zion, this New Jerusalem coming down from God-have all STEPPED OUT INTO THE LIGHT! There is no darkness in them at all-they have been translated into His light! They walk in the light-they hate darkness-they reprove it wherever it appears. The enemy has come into religious circles to destroy what is pure and clear by introducing a pagan element that creates a shadow or film. If Satan can inject the slightest degree of error, or evil leaven, he knows the Holy Spirit will draw back because of a grieving. That is why no mixture-no shadow of dark paganism must be permitted in Christ's church. Also, the Bible speaks of EVERY SEED YIELDING AFTER ITS OWN KIND [Genesis 1:12]. An evil seed produces evil fruit, often not recognized until maturity. The rock and roll "prophets" of this generation are yielding a seed after their own kind-a seed that will one day bring forth a fruit that will wither and die. Jude makes that very clear, '...these feed themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees WHOSE FRUIT WITHERETH, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots." [Jude 12]. What of the good sounding testimonies, the sincere and convincing sermonettes? Paul has the answer. 'Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and HINDRANCES contrary to the teaching which you learned, and TURN AWAY FROM THEM...For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Jesus Christ but of THEIR OWN APPETITES; and BY THEIR SMOOTH AND FLATTERING SPEECH THEY DECEIVE THE HEARTS OF THE UNSUSPECTING." [Romans 16:17-18 NAS] Oh how God's people need discernment. Great deceptions about every where, not only regarding the rock and punk music of the young, but also in regard to new forms of worship and praise being promoted. Some of it is born of the Holy Spirit, but much is born of the flesh-and only those who walk in the light know the difference. There is a revival of worship and praise in he land today, and much focus on prayer, intercession nd new revelation. There is no question about there being more and more Christians standing for an hour or two-with great congregations singing and praising loudly. There are smiles, laugher, joy, hand clapping, upraised hands, dancing-never in modern times has there been a GREATER SHOUT IN THE CAMP. Thank God for those in the camp who worship in Spirit and truth-who can lift clean hands and who have pure hearts-who come before His holiness with broken heart and contrite spirit. If they are walking in holiness , trembling at God's Word, repentant and free from the bondage of sin- it is a glorious and acceptable offering unto the Lord. God does inhabit the praises of His people- but only if those people are walking in practical righteousness. ************************************************** But There Is a Shout Which is Shallow and Meaningless! ************************************************** There is the shout of the overcomer and the shout of the idolater-and we had better know the difference. The Lord commanded Moses to 'Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it' [Exodus 32:7-8]. As Moses and Joshua approached the camp of Israel, Joshua 'heard the noise of the people as they shouted...' [v 17]. But it was not the shout of those who had overcome the enemy. The true shepherd Moses, having come fresh from the very presence of God's holiness-could easily discern that the GREAT SHOUT coming from the Lord's chosen people was not pure. Something as terribly wrong-it did not ring of the holiness of God. Moses said, 'It is not the voice of them that shout form mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear' [Exodus 32:18] That's all it was, MEANINGLESS, SHALLOW NOISE- but an abomination in the ears of a holy God. They had no right to sing; their hearts were lusting after an idol. Their hearts were given to pleasure and fun. They stood before a golden calf-and it the name of the Lord offered burnt offerings. The people 'sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play..' [Exodus 32:6] I received many letters from Christians whom I know have come through the school of Christ. They have come through much suffering and spiritual warfare to a place in God where nothing else matters but knowing Him in fullness. They were driven by such deep hunger for God, they began to thirst for Christ as 'the hart that panteth after water'. They tell me how out of place they feel in these great assemblies where the shout in the camp goes forth. It all looks good, and on the surface sounds good. But they can't enter in, because they discern something is basically wrong. They can't even explain it-the Spirit of God within them will not let them partake of it. They discern some kind of unspeakable darkness-something subtle, yet ominous about all the flesh that accompanies the singing, shouting, and dancing. It is almost too professional, too put on, too carnal. They leave, thinking to themselves, 'Is it me-is there something wrong with me? Am I too judgmental? Why am I not comfortable amidst all this singing and dancing? Those who have STEPPED OUT INTO THE LIGHT can easily discern the shadow of darkness. They will not be fooled by false shouting, false dancing, false worship, or false praying. True Zion saints REJOICE WITH TREMBLING! {Psalm 2:11} They know that gladness belongs only to the 'upright in heart' [Psalm 97:11]. They can sing and dance when t he Spirit moves them, but with David they can say, 'Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah REJOICED BECAUSE OF THY JUDGEMENTS, O LORD' [Psalm 97:8]. Zion saints, 'GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD AT THE REMEMBRANCE OF HIS HOLINESS' [Psalm 97:12] No punk or rock or phony shouting and praise for those walking in the light. They praise Him for both His goodness and because they tremble at His great and terrible name. 'The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high about all the people...Let the people tremble...LET THEM PRAISE THEY GREAT AND TERRIBLE NAME; FOR IT IS HOLY' [Psalm 99:1-3] * * * * * * * * * * * For your information; David Wilkerson's messages are mailed free of charge. They are sent out every three weeks-about 17 issues per year. If you are not receiving them on a regular basis but wish to be added to our list, send your request to: World Challenge P.O. Box 260 Lindale, TX 75771 For quicker response call: 214-963-8626 -end part 2- ************************************************** -start part 3- The following is a text file that is being posted on many Christian BBS systems. Please contrast this article with God's Word in the prayer closet and you will see clearly these perverts are not of God. -Sysop Sound Doctrine BBS ************************************************** -part 3- THE PERVERSION ************************************************** HOLY ROCK 'N' ROLLERS They call it demon rock 'n' roll. Many preachers have said it is Satan's tool for catching teens off guard with a beat that drives them into a sexual frenzy. Some have led crusades, burned albums and picketed concerts. They are faced with one of the hottest trends in music: Christian heavy-metal and hard-rock bands, whose voices and guitars screech and wail for Jesus Christ. "All we heard for years from the pulpit was how bad rock 'n' roll was," said Robert Sweet, 25, the long-haired drummer for Stryper, a Christian band from Los Angeles, whose members dress in skintight black and yellow body suits and thick metal chains. "Well, how many people are going to eat their words this year? God created rock 'n' roll. Satan cannot create - he can only twist and distort it and make it junk. The first time you catch Stryper with a beer in their hands or their faces in cocaine, then you'll have a case. But until then, we're innocent until proven guilty." Despite a nonstop wave of protest from ministers and parents, Sweet's group is one of more than 100 Christian rock bands that have sprung up, Taking names like the Resurrection Band, Barnabas, Jerusalem and Servant. For the uninitiated, retailers like Dickson's Bible and Book Store in Royal Oak post a chart that lists each group and compares its sound to a secular group such as the Kinks, Cheap Trick, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. But lyrically - and in concert - the Christian and secular groups are worlds apart. "Feeling so distressed tonight, Jesus are you there, could we talk a little while, I heard you really care," sings the Resurrection Band from Chicago, which ends its live Bootleg album by urging fans to give their lives to Jesus. Other groups have an altar call, or station counselors near exits to talk to troubled teens. Stryper members sing about their wild appearance - "No matter how we look, we always praise His name. And if you you believe, you got to do the same" - and throw 100 to 200 New Testament Bibles out to the crowd. "One guy was so anxious to get one," said Sweet, "that he broke his arm." Sue Weldon, a 15-year-old from Troy, said she recently brought her NON-CHRISTIAN friend to Pine Knob to hear Petra, the best selling Christian rock group. "She became a Christian at the end of the concert," said Sue, twisting a strand of her permed brown hair. "She went up to one of the counselors and has joined a church now. She really thought it was great." Stephen Wyss of Royal Oak, a 22-year-old senior at Lawrence Institute of Technology, said he owns 72 Christian music albums. "The main difference is what they sing about and their lifestyle," he said. "When Michael Jackson was really popular, everyone wanted to be like him. Well, with these groups getting more popular, kids can see how good it is to be a Christian, and they will have a model to follow." "You're not going to reach heavy metal people with pop music. You have different types of evangelists because you have different types of people." Though they have been around for about 10 years, most Christian rock groups have just begun to take off, riding on the powerful wings of Christian contemporary artists like Amy Grant, the first Christian singer to appear on "mainstream" music charts. Ms. Grant recently became the best selling artist in Christian music history when her last two albums went gold ($1 million in sales) and platinum (one million albums sold). Her success in the secular market has been followed by Petra - which is the Greek word for rock - whose seven albums have outsold all other Christian rock groups combined with total sales of more than $1 million. Stryper, a Los Angeles group which will soon tour the nation, recently sold 40,000 of its newly released singles in one day. It has already received advance orders for nearly 100,000 copies of its newest album, which has not even been released. Such figures do not compare with those of secular artists like Michael Jackson and Prince. But they are considered phenomenal by industry observers, because major secular radio stations still refuse to play Christian music, citing the songs' emphasis on evangelism. "It's only been in the last few years that Christian hard rock has made any inroads into the mainstream market," said Bob Darden, who writes about Christian music for Billboard magazine. "That's because it's only been in the last few years that the caliber of the music has caught up with mainstream music. There's no reason kids should see a bad Christian group if they can see a good secular group. So the Christians have gotten better." But Darden is critical of the "bad, trite" lyrics by many of the groups who, for instance, try to cram the story of the resurrection into a three minute song. And John Styll, editor-in-chief of Contemporary Christian magazine, said many of the artists have been content to copy the music style of mainstream artists and just add religious lyrics, instead of forging new ground. He also predicted that they will never have the success enjoyed by the mainstream counter parts. "It's not in the cards," Styll said. "To most people, contemporary Christian music is about as appealing as contemporary Bahai music. They'll just think, 'Oh, that's for them.' The gospel is offensive to people. It will never achieve the popularity that sin does." To Ministers who spend a lot of time preaching about the dangers of sin, the subject of rock music still draws a lot of fire. "It is a device of the devil," said the Rev. Samuel Peterson, pastor of Faith Temple Church of God in Madison Heights. "In my church, I don't allow it. Unless the ear is educated to it, you can't hear the lyrics. What good is the message if you can't hear it? And it grates on my nerves, whether it's Christian or not. It's like having someone scream in my ear. The beat is very physical, driving and compelling. It compels your nervous system until it drowns out your brain. I can't find a better word than 'torment.'" But the Rev. Paul Patton, assistant pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Livonia, encourages young people to listen to Christian rock music. "If anyone has an ear for that type of music," he said, "I'd prefer they hear lyrical content that wasn't sexist or has that macho mentality that is so much a part of the heavy metal scene. They're reaching an audience that most of their critics know nothing about. They are touching lives and challenging values that people in mainstream music aren't." Stryper's Robert Sweet said the group's success (its fan club has 10,000 members) indicates it can stand on its own from secular groups. But, he said, it has not been easy. "It takes a lot of guts to be in rock 'n' roll and stand up for Jesus," he said. "What field of work are you more tempted in? Here I am, a single guy who has professed to TV stations and newspapers that I'm saving myself for the right woman. And every time I play, I'm confronted by 10 to 20 beautiful women. It's real tempting. And we can get all the free drugs and alcohol we want." "But the more you do God's work, the more the devil tempts you. So we just pray harder. Stryper wants to walk into the most heavy-metal, hard rock, drug abusing, blinded- eyes kind of situation and say, 'Look, this is a dark room and the light is walking in.'" Among the 500 to 600 fans who write Stryper each week are those who thank the group for helping them overcome struggles with alcohol, homosexuality or depression. "We tell them don't thank us, thank Jesus," said Sweet, whose mother manages the band and whose brother, Michael, is the lead singer. "I remember one night, a guy called me at 10 p.m. crying. He was a stranger, but I felt like I should go visit him. He was a 24-year-old guy dying of cerebral palsy. He had Stryper stickers all over his wheelchair." "I prayed with him and he asked me if he could buy a Stryper jacket. I had mine on and gave it to him. When he got my jacket, tears were streaming down his face and he told his mom, 'When I die, I want to be buried in this. When I stand in front of God, I want him to see me wearing something that's good, that's right.'" "When those things happen, it lets us know that we're more than just a rock band." By Kate DeSmet from Detroit News, August 4, 1985 -end part 3- ************************************************** SUMMARY & CONCLUSION Arise now and put away your idols!! Call your brothers and sisters to repentance. And if they will not repent than do as scripture says and "have nothing to do with them". Any BBS system that would post this article without a refuting it for the whitewash it is, has much to learn about what it means to follow Jesus. Call them to repentance! Let there be a holy division that takes place in the church. Let Proverbs 29:27 be true. "The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright." -end- ************************************************* * * * SOUND DOCTRINE BBS * * (303) 680-7209 * * 8/N/1 24HRS * * * * "For the time will come when men will not * * put up with sound doctrine." * * -2 Timothy 4:3 * * * ************************************************* X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X Another file downloaded from: The NIRVANAnet(tm) Seven & the Temple of the Screaming Electron Taipan Enigma 510/935-5845 Burn This Flag Zardoz 408/363-9766 realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 510/527-1662 Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 801/278-2699 The New Dork Sublime Biffnix 415/864-DORK The Shrine Rif Raf 206/794-6674 Planet Mirth Simon Jester 510/786-6560 "Raw Data for Raw Nerves" X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X