by: Doug Marco
With the advent of social media and public networking, we are getting a look into a window that never before afforded us this view. It used to be that you never knew what a pastor preached to his people on any given Sunday until the cassette tape arrived in the mail. These tapes rarely gave us a large glimpse into one’s ministry as a whole. Congregational and special singing was far too much of a time consumer on these forty-five minute ribbons.
Times have truly changed. Now whole services are streamed live on the web or within seconds of the closing note to the choir special. A video is uploaded to Facebook and open for the world to view. If you are like me, your Sunday news feeds are jammed packed with such posts.
More and more I am noticing a style that seems to be sweeping our Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches. It is this soft-core “Christian” rock music. It is being accepted by modernist pastors who are not concerned with true spiritual growth, but rather growth in attendance which in turn pads the bank roll. How dare you call yourself a Fundamentalist? You think just because this soft-core trash isn’t as bad as full-on Christian rock, who is it hurting? Let me tell you who it is hurting. It’s hurting your future! Maybe you can spit out the bones, but those who are still drinking milk cannot. Give your church just a few more years and that soft beat in the background will readily be in the forefront, becoming the substitute for Holy Spirit filled services. Your KJB will only be a reference book in the pastor’s study and your message of salvation will turn into a message of seed giving and prosperity. Your ministry will be a complete disgrace to the heritage of our foundation. Unspeakable sin will have overcome the leadership, and it will be excepted because that’s how the hardcore group allows its leaders to be.
Those who do this are wolves in sheep’s clothing as they travel the country preaching for all their cronies, putting on the face of fundamentalism, and it’s all a lie. They’re a cheat and a fake! Good pastors who are naïve to their ways are honestly pointing their youth and new converts to their style of preaching and leadership. They’re no better than the cheese on a mouse trap or the pop-up on a computer that is doing all it can to scam you. They’re popularity, or their perceived popularity, doesn’t give them precedence for compromise.
There are so many outside forces trying to kill our churches anyway, so why in the world are we lending them a hand? I like what the Jews in Jerusalem said to those outside forces trying to overtake them when Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem were ever rapidly trying to break this Jewish nation just as it was trying to rebuild. Nehemiah, a true man of God, wasn’t fearful to say, “…but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.” He said, “The God of heaven, he will prosper us.” What has happened to this attitude in our leaders today? THE GOD OF HEAVEN, HE WILL PROSPER US; not the music of a backslidden quartet who has never made a decision based upon God, but upon the market to which they play. It was only after the Man of God left that this newly formed Jewish community started to embrace the dangers waiting at the gates. When Nehemiah returned, he saw his stand for right wasn’t upheld by those leaders he left in his stead.
While preparing this column displaying my utter disgust with the music in our IFB churches, I was indulging myself with the music of one of the latest IFB online radio stations. Song after song, this soft-core style is present whether it is a beat in the background or the fluctuating vocals of the singers. The degeneration of our movement is quickly approaching and much of it is sponsored by the loudest voices in our circle. We know better! In our desire to reach this modern age, we’ve bitten off way more than we can chew, and our pride won’t allow us to admit wrong doing. Instead, we will risk the death of our churches and the future of our children’s children.
Isn’t it bad enough that our pastors can’t seem to keep themselves morally in line with the Bible? We would rather advance past “Go,” collect our $200 and see if we can squeak past going to jail on this time around too. We would rather play with the risk than to play by the rules. Cheaters never win! You might be able to boost your attendance with this soft-core beating music, but neither you nor your church wins. Satan has become victorious yet again; he knows that soft-core always leads to hardcore. If you don’t believe me, next time you see one of your favorite tour bus group albums on iTunes, check the related albums page or the endorsements from godless music associations. Better yet, just go and check your iPod. The Devil knows you’re a sucker for what moves you.
Although these things might not be visible in your ministry today, it will be in its future. That is what you’re putting at risk with a disgraceful substitute for godly Christian music. This trend is laying siege to ministries across the world, even creeping into our mission works on the foreign field. Let’s get our ministries back to what is right, not what is popular. Popular seems rarely right. If you want this soft-core, mumbo-jumbo in your church, well then fine… just be man enough to stop calling yourself a fundamentalist, because you just ain’t.
For the rest of us, let’s follow God’s Word as stated in Romans chapter 16. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” We spend hours beating our heads against the wall trying to figure out why church members won’t follow the simplest of biblical truths. Have you ever considered that if we did, they might? The cliché is accurate, you WILL become like those who you hang around. Your church WILL take on the same traits as those churches, evangelists, colleges and pastors you allow to influence your ministry. No one strays alone; it is much easier with a friend. Why does it seem that Dr. Seuss had more sense than the average pastor when it was stated, “A tree falls the way it leans, so be careful how you lean.” Liberal leaners are in for a fall, and they’re going to fall with ministry to follow suit. Some might argue, why split hairs? It’s either split hair or split hell wide open. I don’t want to be held responsible for the enlargement of Hell. Acts 20:28 tells us to “Take heed,” because our flock was purchased by the very blood of God. Are we a church worthy of the price paid for it, or rather, are we defecating on that precious blood with the putrid rot from the bottom of Hell?
Doug Marco
Missionary to the Philippines