Does anyone write christian based songs?

  • Thread starter Thread starter George Parler
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Great! I loved this thread!

I am a mexican christian and have a couple of christian songs with my (secular) band, which I am leaving this week because I had a very strong calling from my Lord to serve him and only him.

Please listen to "The calling" and "You exist", here's the URL

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=1251&alid=-1

They're in spanish, but I can translate them if anyone wants me to. Right now I have a project about a "concept" christian music album that will have as a theme how a guy (me, partially) who was proud and self-secure, but finds God and his life changes completely.

God bless you, for I have been blessed with this thread and all your comments.

Please pray for me because I'm a bit scared of telling the guys in my former band that I'm leaving.
 
In my prayers

That's awesome that this thread spoke to you. Use your God given talent for His Glory!!!!! Amen.

P.S. Talk to your bandmates about your desires for your music in love without preaching when you quit.

Steve
www.mercyst.com
 
LOL.. dude... this thread is like... a year old... :p

I'm thinkin' maybe they shouldn't have rebuilt the search engine.. I have a feelin' some newbies are going to unknowingly open up a couple old wounds... ;)

:p

*sigh*... well.. as long as it's sittin' here at the top of the list.. I might as well add my junk.. :p I wrote a couple praise and worship songs for a CD we're (my youth group) recording. They're still up at my NWR Site. They suck beans though.. and I'd much rather you listen to "Tell Her This", but that's a song I didn't write.. (which is why it doesn't suck beans...) :D and it's not Christian,.. so it doesn't qualify for this thread. :cool:

WATYF
 
He was in a about two months ago, give or take a few weeks. He said he brought a rig into Houston for repairs, then was going back out.
I saw him in the Cave at that time.
Be nice if he could spend more time here.
 
Good thread, I actualy read through whole thing.... phewhh! :)

I just wanted to comment to someone "dissing" band caled Apologetix. They were at our church on New Years couple of years ago and they sounded terible :) but they are good guys and if god could use a donkey then ... well ...

And I don't even know most of the songs they rewrite the lirics for, so for me, as I think for other people it doesn't matter anyway.

Also as far as "christian music" setting the pace ... I don't know.
Music is music. there is nothing inherently christian about music other then the talant that anyone posesses to create music or songs comes from the same source. how you use it is the difference. Parable of the talants comes to mind here also, but I guess I could be rambling forever so I'll stop now. :)

cheers
 
Hi Fed,

Welcome... it has been quiet on this thread for a while.

I do remember commenting on the Apologetics but it was not a "dis" on the band members themselves or their music specifically.

God can use a donkey and "from the mouth of babes He adorns praise".

My point was that I and many in the Christian community are disapointed in the "addiction to mediocracy" as Francis Scheafer called it in contemporary Christianity.

I firmly believe and am convinced there is room and a place for all who want to praise God with instruments and voice and dance and drama. God created these things for that very purpose...to praise Him.

What disapoints me (besides my inability to spell) is that the majority of what is the most popular in Christian music is of much lower quality in art, production, creativity...etc. It has gotten much better since I began listening to CCM in 1982.

My main point was that as Christians we should always "work as unto the Lord" and seek to be the best for His glory. When they built the old testament temple they used the BEST timber, gold...and craftsmen that could be found. While the songs I heard by the Apologetics sounded musicianship wise and production wise as good as the originals I felt it lacked in creativity.

God is creative! The first thing we learn about God's character in Genesis is that He created!

Think about that for a second....the first thing we learn about God is about His creative Power. As we become like Him and dedicate our lives to Him we too should become more and more creative especially in the arts. I suppose creativity to some extent is like beauty...in the eye of the beholder and subjective to some extent. I just have a vision for Christian artistic efforts to be a witness to the world based not only in word but in deed including a burning commitment to excellence in all things.

I feel many times we sell ourselves and our Savior short by our addiction to mediocracy. The members of the Apologetics are dedicated to ministry and great guys I'm sure...I know they are not in it for the money!

We should be striving for the works of Bach, Davinci etc...it is no coincidence that many of the greatest artist of the pre-renisiance period were dedicated servants of God ant there work stands the test of time.

There is nothing wrong with feel good entertaining Christian music but there is something wrong when there is a lack of supereior quality workmanship in the musical Kingdom of God and the marketing of such (it is out there) seems to be at the expense of marketing the lowest common denominator.

I'm sorry if this offends but it is my passion to encourage us to do better.

God Bless all in Christ's precious name.
 
I agree with you, Scooter, we must give our best to our Lord 'cause He is Worth it, but remember that there are level of talent in people, too. We must give 100% of ourselves, but my 100% will be different from another brother's 100%.

As in creativity, I feel that a lot of christians seem to believe that specially christian music must be unpassionate or something, I have listened only few christian records that can make my arm hairies rise, or feel "alive water rivers" in me, know what I mean?

And certainly I think we christians shouldn't "conform" to the world, but make revolution in it. Again, with all due respect to all brothers ministries aNd viewpoints.

¡Saludos y bendiciones desde Mexico!
 
Hah... I finaly done it ... :D I managed to stir something. I knew I shouldn't of said anything but alas it's too late :D

sorry everyone it's not that I'm not open for debate, it's just it takes so much time and in the end everyone usualy stands by their conviction anyway :D

I defenetly agree with what you say (and your spelling problem :D ) about givin 100% and all. well maybe what Apologetics does is their 100%. I am not trying to defend them but since they are our point of reference for now.

Anyway I don't think we should lump all CCM into one big problem.
I'm sure there are all kinds of people in CCM business and ministry, some "black sheep" and some are in the wrong clothing :) all together.

And as far as Bach ... hm... I don't know ... yes his works are amaizing and are still played but are they ministering to anyone or making anyone think about their existence or whatever... and how many actualy know that he was a christian and by the way said something like "all music should be for the glory of God and for lifting of the spirit".

well here I go againg... :D this is lengthy already and I didn't even make a point.

let's just go back to making music that glorifies Him and maybe we will get some stories to tell like some on this thread of people beeing ministered to. :)

blessings

oh yeh Scooter here is a song I wrote ... do you think it will stand the test of time... :D (just joking with you bro)


or at 256 kb/s
 
I've written one......

Never thought of it as a bad thing to do......
But...I can't get anyone to sing it....I do not sing so....it will more than likely remain unheard.....Oh well...here it is....

This might be a bit of a stretch.
It is a Inspirational/ Gospel lyric.
The structure conforms to an existing melody.
Hi Fi streaming melody


Still Standing Here
©2001
Intro
Down in the shadows
In that valley so cold
I can hear your voice lord
Echoing softly
It fills my heart with love and hope

Verse 1
I’m still standing here lord
Still Standing
Still Standing, still praying
Still laughing and singing
I’m still standing, standing here for you
Till your day of mighty glory
When you come again my lord
At the end of the world’s greatest story
I’ll be standing here for you

Chorus
Days will come
Nights fly fast
Seasons change
Time will pass
I’ll be standing here
To greet you my lord
When I nearly fall
You catch me, now all’s well
I’ll still be standing here for you

Verse2
I remember the day I first saw the light
You shone your love down on me oh so bright
You showered me with peace and harmony
Just like I hoped it always would be
I’ll be standing here
To see you my lord
I’ll be standing here
To greet you my lord
I’ll be standing here
To meet you my lord
I’ll be here, I’ll be here for you

Verse 3
You’ve showered me with your sweet tenderness
I’m Filled with joy and true happiness
You’ve shined your light on the path of truth
I’ll always be standing here for you

Chorus
Days will come
Nights fly fast
Seasons change
Time will pass
I’ll be standing I’ll be standing here
To greet you my lord
When I nearly fall, nearly fall
You catch me, now all’s well
I’ll still be standing here for you

Tag
Bless us with your glory
At this the end of the world’s greatest story

Repeat verse 2
I remember the day I first saw the light
You shone your love down on me oh so bright
You showered me with peace and harmony
Just like I hoped it always would be
I’ll still be standing here for you
I’ll be standing here
To see you my lord
I’ll be standing here
To greet you my lord
I’ll be standing here
To meet you my lord
I’ll be here, I’ll be here for you

I’ll still be standing here……..
 
HI FED,

I agree with you about everybody having a different level of what they can attain when doing what is 100% of their maximum ability. I do not want what I said to discourage anyone from exercising creativity because they are afraid they don't measure up to someone else and I realize my post may have given some people that impression.

My frustration with most of the comercial CCM that gets airplay (at least where I live) is lacking in creativity and sometimes professional quality. The two songs I heard by the Apologetics on the local radio station caught my attention because they sounded idenitcal in musicianship quality and production quality to the originals and it gave me the impression that they had so much wasted potential. It seems like taking short cuts that lead away from doing something truly artistically relevant. Everyone of them is undoubtably a better musician than I will ever be.

I suppose my hang up about this whole thing is:

1. There is better music out there creatively than what ever gets signed, produced and played on the radio or distributed; but the general CCM buying public doesn't know or doesn't care.

2. The record companies (Christian or not) are not charities and I don't expect them to be. They sign, produce and distribute what sells or what the companies believe will sell by our buying patterns etc. This leads to a lot of cookie cutter formula productions and the original band or style may have been good but we get flooded with watered down copies of the originals. This is not unique to CCM by any means....I just want more from the people that do this for a living and feel Christians should not necessarily be following the trends of the world.

There are many ways to be "salt" in the world and if we always follow the worlds trends we have lost our "saltiness" and salt without its flavor is useless and thrown away. We focuss on expressing God's character by our actions and words with good reason but we often ignore other areas like creativity that also reflect God's own character.

3. Because we as a community of believers don't expect, strive or request for higher artisitc creativity and standards those who do have the ability to do so don't have the opportunity to do so.

That is what is so exciting about home recording advances! It puts the recording, writing, production and distribution at a grass roots level that gives us a chance to bypass the pitfalls of the recording industry.

Doing covers and writing new lyrics as one form of expression is O.K. with me (Amazing Grace is a re-written lyric to a drinking song by a converted drinker/alcholic). But to do a concept band that does nothing but re-lyric popular secular songs to me gives the world the impression that we (with God's help) can't come up with anything on our own so we are going to borrow what you (without God's inspiration) came up with and repackage it. Would that make you if not a Christian want to become one? What about the band that is striving for artistic and creative integrity that could have been produced instead?

I am not saying there is no place for something like the Apologetics on some level. I just feel we as a CCM community should put more emphasis on recognizing and promoting more creative endeavors. Too many times we settle for what is good at the expense of finding and promoting God's best.

Forgivist thou me If I beateth a dead horse to death. I just want to express my heart and vision more clearly.

I encourage you bretheren to be creative as He is creative and be creatively inspired by Him.
 
Y'know, I don't get Christian music. Nobody in their right mind would go out and record five albums of nothing but love songs, or songs about their cat, or that kind of thing. What, do you guys not have lives? You're human beings, correct? Does every single song you write have to be about Jesus? The least you could do is try and be original. God, I get sick of sitting in church and listening to the perky crap they expect us to sing. Every other chorus is some variation on "Jesus, Jesus, oh Jesus, oh how I love you Jesus," blah blah blah.

Just my two cents.
 
its elemental.

dancing and singing.

its good for you.

jesus is my brother.

he likes this thread.

:)
 
Well what do you know. I didn't know this thread was resurected.

I haven't been here around for awhile. I droped by over in the "MP3 CLINIC" to post some songs I wrote and uploaded to NWR. I stuck my head in over here, and wa-la, here ya'll are. It's kinda like a "Ripleys", believe it or not thing.

<><
George
 
Since it is back I will tell what I don't like about christian radio in Houston.

KSBJ certainly has a great ministry but what makes them think that younger people 15-30 only listen to the radio on Friday and Saturday nights. They must think that, because that's the only time they stop playing silly pop and superhits of the seventies. (Exception: Sunday morning's "Enter His Gates"-way cool)

I tell ya, I can turn on the station once everyother week and hear the same song set. The reason this frustrates me is because I know without doubt that there is a ton of new music never getting the chance for airplay and because what they do play is so narrow minded in style.

My prayer (Hello, Lord?) is that someone would be raised up to start a truly contemporary radio station playing predominately alternative(not thrash) music and...well ok, throw in a pop song every now and then.

Instead of KSBJ doing this, the keep spending money to get thier pop outside of the Houston limits with repeaters.

I DONT GET IT!

It's a little frustrating. Sorry for shouting but, it's the younger crowd (BTW, I'm 37 going on 20), the hope of our future that always seems to get the short end.


I wanna rock.
 
It's not radio, but we have a satilite system called "SKY ANGEL".
It's through a "DISH Network" receiver but tuned to a different satilite. The subscription 9$ per month, or a one time, life-time payment of 399$. There is about 4 different 24/7 music video stations. All the programing is christian oriented. Ours stays on the music videos about 90% of the time. It also has several radio stations that can be heard. The only draw back is that you have to be home to watch and listen. It dosen't work very well mounted to the top of my truck.

But I do agree with you a lot of christian radio stations are pretty lame with their formats. I do believe though, that in certain areas that is starting to change. Just no as fast as we would like to see it happen.

But when it's all said and done, God is still God. :)

<><
George
 
George Parler said:
But when it's all said and done, God is still God. :)
Click to expand...

ha... ain't that the truth.... (doing my Mr. Lunt impression :) )

I belive in personal Jesus, at the end of the day the quesiton is "How is you walk with him?" ... hey that's kind of like your song George he he....

And you don't need to answer to me or anybody else to that question but to your self and of course God already knows the answer :D

I'm not directing this to anybody so don't take it personaly but all this talk of "THEY are playing this and that..." and "and THOSE people are this and that..." is kind of ... well .... can't find the words....

All I'm saying is, ye we can talk about this but again God is the one that gave people that run radiostation their job. so they answer to Him for it... so...so...

I just can't make a point here... forget it..... :D

I'm an idiot :D :D where is closest IA meeting here? :D
 
I know what you're saying, I think. Style preference of music has nothing to do with one's walk with God. It is just that, preference.

I was told once by a well meaning elderly gentleman, that the music I played was not true gospel music. When I asked, What is true gospel music? With a strong conviction he said, Why it's Southern Gospel. So I asked him if King David sung Southern Gospel. He said, Why no, he sung Hebrew songs. I said, Well I guess King David missed it. And what could the Lord have been thinking when He said David was a man after His own heart? The gentleman had no comment.

<><
George
 
Hey George, that answer was really awesome, without being disrespectuf with the man, you made a great, great point out there!
 
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