If you were on the internet at all during October of 2019, chances are that you know that Kanye shed some of his self-worshipping persona when he released an American gospel album. Almost immediately after its release, the Christian community erupted into disunity over the authenticity of his conversion.
In 2014, Justin Bieber was staying with Carl Lentz, then-pastor of Hillsong Church, New York. With the pressure of half of the world’s teenage population on his shoulders, Beiber hit rock bottom and told the pastor that he wanted to accept Jesus into his life and be baptized immediately.
These two conversions are entirely separate events concerning entirely different people, but they have one thing in common: many people think they’re fake.
In fact, this happens to pretty much every person with a moderately high net worth who chooses to profess a belief in Jesus Christ. People such as Chris Pratt, Steve Harvey and Nicole Kidman have all spoken openly about their faith in God and faced criticism because of it.
While there is often a reason for these types of questions, one has to understand that, unless we join Bieber’s accountability circle or Kidman’s carpool group, we will likely never find an answer for these concerns.
The Bible speaks very clearly against Christians passing judgment upon others (Matthew 7:1-5, Luke 6:37-42, James 4:11-12, etc.). While many would choose to make the argument that we are supposed to hold a brother or a sister (or a celebrity) accountable for their sins, providing accountability without judgment is extremely difficult and nearly impossible. Even though we are commanded to correct a brother or sister in Christ when they are walking in darkness, commenting on an Instagram post isn’t exactly the most effective means of doing this.
Galatians 1:6 says, “If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”
Matt Alley, pastor of NewSpring Church in Greenwood, says that this verse is commanding us to walk with the believer whom we chose to correct in the process of restoration in order to avoid judgment and focus on empathy. An online group of fans (or anti-fans) don’t have the ability to walk gently and nearly with a celebrity they have chosen to criticize.
‘So how does this relate to Music Monday?’ I hear you asking, halfway through reading this story. Well, the natural follow-up question after recognizing our insufficiency to judge a celebrity’s faith is, “Should I indulge in the content they create?”
Obviously, this isn’t a question I can entirely answer for you. I don’t know what your personal beliefs are on listening to secular versus Christian music, so you’ll have to make that call on your own. However, let me provide you with a question that might solidify your confidence in your choice: is the theology in the lyrics sound?
I am aware that this question teeters on the line of contradicting the argument made at the beginning of this story. However, it is important to note that I am not saying that an artist cannot be truly changed by the Holy Spirit if some of their theology isn’t correct. What I am saying is that worship is meant to be a sign of reverence and adoration towards our God. If a song misinterprets scripture, makes a false claim or exalts man instead of God, then it cannot accomplish what the true goal of worship is and, therefore, shouldn’t be considered worship at all.
There are many dangers in singing false worship music, but one that is easily understandable would be that it can paint a false picture of God. Singing about attributes he never claims to have can affect our own theology, which could potentially lead to a weak faith.
The best advice I have to give for practically discerning a true worship song would be to read and memorize scripture for yourself. The better you know the word, the better you know what doesn’t line up with it.
This method of listening to music might seem like a simple conclusion to come to, but I believe it is a much more biblical approach than boycotting an artist simply based on reputation.
In the end, worship music can come from anyone. However, not every “Christian” song is worshipful. We must shift our mindsets from judgment of an artist to discernment of lyrics because ultimately, celebrities will gain nothing from a fan’s critical Instagram comment, but a consumer will miss out on much through believing that inaccurate “worship” is pleasing to the one who is due all praise.
