What Do You Think of Contemporary Christian Music?

By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services on Sep 13, 2008

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Q: What do you think of contemporary Christian music? Our church is beginning to use it more and more, but to be honest I'm having a hard time getting used to it. My teenaged children like it, however. -- Mrs. L.W.Y.

A: When we began using contemporary Christian music in some of our evangelistic Crusades, we honestly received a fair amount of criticism at first.

But our goal was to make young people feel welcome so they would come and hear the Gospel -- and over the years countless thousands came to Christ. As long as the music's message was clear and biblical, God used it to help open the door to the preaching of the Gospel. The same is true in the Festivals my son Franklin now holds all over the world, and in the Celebrations his son Will is beginning to hold. I often think of the Apostle Paul's comment: "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22).

At the same time, I would hate for us to lose sight of our great musical heritage as Christians. Over the centuries, God raised up countless men and women whose musical and poetic gifts enriched the lives of God's people and opened the hearts of millions to the Gospel. Those hymns and songs still have a powerful and rich message for us. And we must never forget the greatest hymnbook of all -- the book of Psalms.

Let your pastor know of your concern; a wise pastor will find ways to blend the old with the new. And pray for your church and its leaders, and thank God for their concern to reach out to a new generation with the message of Christ's love.

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Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.