As I scanned over Dan Kimball’s comment on my Blog below, I was sidetracked and waded through some of the links and side-bar advertising he’s promoting. These items for sale include a quartet album with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash.
These men are not heroes of the Faith. To be promoting and advertising these four singers is not my idea of a Biblical promotion of the faith.
Kimball also advertises an album by Roy Orbison, who is considered to be the father of Rock and Roll. Some of Orbison’s more memorable works are “Ooby Dooby,” “Only The Lonely,” “In Dreams,” “Oh, Pretty Woman,” “Crying,” “Running Scared,” and “You Got It.” Draw your own conclusions about how these songs fit in with a Biblical Church ministry.
Kimball includes, on most of his web pages, a photo image of Ersel Hickey – a rockabilly/pop singer from the late 1950’s. He seems obsessed with non-Christian Rock music.
Our conclusion must be that the ECM methods are superficial, shallow and are degrading our Biblical faith by trying to mold the “church” into a part of the pop culture. Disheartening to say the least.
ECM is shallow and superficial.. yet attractive to the youth of the world.
1 Timothy 1″19 “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck”
In the interest of full disclosure, back when I was Pastor of my church, we held a regular Tuesday “Ranch Meeting” night in a church member’s homes. We encouraged our young people to bring their Bibles and their lost friends. Some of our kids played guitars and we sang:
- “Can You Hear the Savior Calling You?”
- “Precious Lord”
- “Where Could I Go But to The Lord”
- “Just a Little Talk With Jesus”
- “Christ Is All I Need”
- “Amazing Grace”
- “My God is Real”
- “I’d Rather Have Jesus”
And many. many more. These young people loved the music and the message.
We would give a good clear Gospel message and encourage them to trust Christ as their Savior.
The young people, saved and unsaved were excited and we saw hundreds and hundreds of them trust Christ as their Savior. We then encouraged new and old believers to attend a good Bible believing, preaching Church.
However, when Sundays and Wednesdays came around, our regular services were normal preaching, teaching services with singing of the old-time hymns. These youth learned to love the Lord, our fellowship, our hymns and our church.
Many of them joined our church. A large number of them graduated high school and then enrolled in Bible College.
We never let our church services devolve into a youth magnet, but they loved the fellowship of our believers!
A Church does not need rockabilly bells and whistles in the services to be a scriptural fellowship of believers.
1 Cor. 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”
Notes From A Retired Preacher 
Hi Jack,
If you look at the songs by the quartet you are mentioning (the Million Dollar Quartet CD) you will see beautiful hymns such as:
When God Dips His Love In My Heart
Just A Little Talk With Jesus
Jesus Walked That Lonesome Valley
I Shall Not Be Moved
Peace In The Valley
Down By The Riverside
Blessed Jesus (Hold My Hand)
As We Travel Along On The Jericho Road
You might not know this, but Johnny Cash came back very strong to the Lord in his latter years and recorded many beautiful gospel CD’s. Carl Perkins also came back to his Christian faith and was living as a disciple of Jesus in his later years as well. They both had strong roots in the church and as Christians.
I don’t think I am obsessed with non-christian music, I just happen to love the early to late 1950’s music. It’s nothing different than people liking sports. The athletes may not all be church going godly people, but you can appreciate their skill and abilities.
We don’t use “rockabilly bells and whistles” as you put it in our church. We play a mix of contemporary worship songs and hymns. In our earlier Sunday morning gathering (we have three of them) it is mainly hymns we sing.
Dan
As beautiful & spiritually-rich as so many hymns are, the music itself is also a spiritual blessing. Wedding ungodly music (yes, there IS such a thing!) to Godly words is wrong. I hope this is not breaking a rule of your blog, bro. Jack, but if anyone is interested in a fascinating study of music, check out our free online Bible Institute, at http://www.bbnradio.org , Course number 5030, the Study of Music is well worth anyone’s time. You must sign up 1st to listen, but it is all absolutely free, just like our salvation in Christ! God Bless you all!
ducky is a he, I think he was raised rc, but even though he was raised rc he doesn’t seem to attend…and he has a less than complete knowledge of the Bible.
He is a slightly more respectable troll, in fact, he’s a pet troll. LOL! The other 2 I named are NOT respectable in any way! :shudder: 8(
tmw
TMW,
Great inquiry by Ducky..
Will pray for him/her…
I left a comment on your Blog..
In CHrist eternally,
ExP(Jack)
ExP-This is REALLY cool! After you and Nanc posted, one of the people I mentioned in the post, as examples of unregenerated thinking, asked a very good question about justice.
“But have we no possibility of justice at least through the law? That seems so bleak. ”
My answer…”Ducky-Justice would demand our eternal punishment.
The Good News is that G*D poured out our punishment on Christ…WE NO LONGER OWE HIM A DEBT OF PUNISHMENT…it is PAID IN FULL!
Justice gets escorted out and we get Mercy and Grace AND a free trip to Heaven instead of Hell!
This is one time that Do not pass go is great! Because you get a better deal!”
What do you think? I’m praying!
tmw
Yes TMW,
The words of Hymns have meaning. Several have special meanings to me.
“Be Still My Soul” should apply to believers today — and in the near future, terribly on its way for our beloved country.
ExP(Jack)
ExP-What is happening is written of in Scripture, but it is still heartbreaking to watch it happen. As I have told friends, you don’t know what really good news the Good News is, until you know what the bad news is first!
I’ve been doing a study on Romans on my blog lately. I did Romans 7 yesterday, how can we appreciate grace until we understand the Law? And try to apply it?
The ecm tries to bypass(tries nothing, they flat out ignore original sin)our sin nature, and be nice. They will ‘nice’ and ‘play’ their way to Hell along with the foolish, and that is going to be a lot of people! I grieve over that!
Good morning, G*D bless and Maranatha!
tmw
How about “Be Still My Soul”, I had that sung at the end of my late’s memorial service, that one was for me! Some how the pap that is poured out just doesn’t have the same comfort value, nothing to cling too!
Will the sun shine us for the brighter day ? We are waiting for a new emerging power for getting a benefit.
Amen!
I guess I’m like the old hymn says, “hungering & thirsting to hear (The Old, Old Story) like the rest…”
Thanks Bro. David,
I know I keep beating this — but I see so many squander the message for the method.
The everlasting, beautiful message is that “Christ died for sinners, of whom I am chief.” He arose from the grave proving himself to be God, and offers eternal life to any and all who choose to believe or trust their eternity to Him.
Bro. David, I know you know that — but I had to say it again for those who know not.
For souls,
ExP(Jack)
Wonderful post, bro. Jack!