By Jed Lovejoy
A good tune is what hooks me. That being said, it never ceases to amaze me what lyrics from the late 90’s and early 2000’s hide in the back of my brain. Rarely are they lyrics worth remembering, and even more rarely are they lyrics that I would consider uplifting or beneficial to my soul. Sadly, that doesn’t always stop me from belting out things like “I know who I want to take me home” and “I got that boom, boom, pow” the moment I hear them.
Does all that mean that I advocate for leaving all the worldly music behind and only listening to “Christian” or “church” music? I would love to give you a simple yes or no, but like many things this answer is nuanced, complicated, and personal.
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Music can be deeply rooted within us and influences the way we interact with and feel about the world around us. It has continually been a subject of interest in phycological studies. A 2011 study from the University of Groningen found that music influenced the way participants perceived the emotion (like “happy” vs. “sad”) of a facial image. The authors concluded that music may alter the way we perceive the world–and this is just one of the hundreds of studies with similar conclusions.
Because of the power of music, does that mean we should never listen to a Top 40 hit every again? Personally, I would rather meaningfully engage with the music of this world than run away from it. I appreciate the book
I have gone through that process time and time again with teens while on a road trip with, and now I have those discussions with my own children. We listen to a song, I let the jam session finish, and then we have a discussion about the message of that song and how it made us feel. The song may point to a longing within the songwriter that can only be fulfilled by Christ rather than an earthy pleasure. We might even discuss why we connect with that song despite the content.
A broad look in the final chapters of Galatians shows how followers of Christ are set free from the slavery of sin. If we walk by the Spirit, we won’t want to satisfy the desires of the flesh. However, this spirit doesn’t lead us to conceit toward or envy of other believers. I definitely think being set free means a good hard look at the music we listen to on a regular basis and how it will impact our spiritual focus. Sure, the song may have a great beat, but if I’m focused on Christ, will I long for that music to be part of my daily life? Do I need those worldly feelings to fill some need in my life? If so, how am I preventing Christ from fulfilling that need or setting me free from that desire?
Remember, as you walk by the Spirit in these choices, don’t become conceited in the decisions you have made. I’ll do my best not to envy the person who is able to unashamedly sing along with some of my old guilty pleasures.
Jed Lovejoy is the Worship & Children’s Minister for the Broadway church of Christ in Paducah, KY. He has worked with children of all ages at the Tipton Children’s Home and as a Music and Special Education teacher. He currently has a podcast discussing worship ministry and other music-related topics called “Sing for Joy.”