Well ... I'd just like to say once again ... I wasn't saved yet, and I listened to Earth, Wind, and Fire and I recognized the Lord in some of those songs ... we all know that being led to the Lord is a good thing ... I heard about him through songs like "Devotion" and I wasn't in a church during any of that time ... I am the "proof in the pudding" that there's a benefit to songs like these ... they can reach folks that might not be reached otherwise ... who's to say that the songs the Minister sang didn't reach someone that very day? ... "Keep Your Head to the Sky" ?, these songs aren't a bad thing and I don't think the Lord takes most of the discussion here as seriously as some have ... he loves us, and he knows that we're singing out our love for Him, however and whenever we sing His praises ...
I'm with you on this one.
excellent point and I'm glad you bring it up! And so I'll hit my point again. While you or 95% of the congregation might hear him through those songs, that doesn't account for the other 5% of the congregation that doesn't, so even though the confusion maybe for only 5% of the congregation it's still confusion. You can't operate a church under confusion as God is not the author of confusion, so therefore no matter how small a portion may be confused we must neglect to inject that into said persons at the church.
The world is confusing enough. Anyone and everyone should be able to come into the church and not be confused on such matters. The point isn't that these questionable songs can save 100,000 , but rather that they can possibly help to LOOSE 1. And in God's eye every soul is precious, so why should we start loosing people in church over things that can be EASILY avoided.
J, we all know that God isn't the author of confusion. Like I've stated in previous posts and like Floaded said in another, the method and delivery of the message of God was different in this situation. Every "secular" long song does not make people think about sex. Let's just be real, I think this is what the underlying theme of some of these posts I'm reading. It's about love, that's it. If the only song a sinner new was Alicia Keys, "some people want it all...." versus Kirk's "Silver or Gold," then his example is perfect in its delivery. We shouldn't expect people to know scripture, doctrine, gospel songs when they are new converts. So what you are saying, is nothing but confusion to them. They don't have the understanding as we do. My 5 month old son doesn't act the way my 4 year old does, because he's not at his level of maturity. Like you said, every soul in God's eye precious and we must not loose people in church over things that can easily be avoided, with this, "this shouldn't be done in the church" attitude towards everyone, looses souls. I've seen it with my own eyes and heard from people who aren't in church or don't want to be saved. They say, its more so the people in the church that are turning them away with their own beliefs and actions versus not wanting the hear the word of God.