Hmm... Ok, maybe this isn’t the correct title for this article
but I really don’t know what else to call it. Earlier this week I heard that
Brian “Head” Welch (check out his testimonial here) had gone back to Korn! My
immediate reaction was “Oh no...” but after doing some research I found out
that he hadn’t left his Christian Rock band, Love
and Death and was in fact taking them on tours WITH Korn. I was talking to
Jay and we said how amazing it would be if, instead of Korn affecting Welch
negatively, Welch would impact Korn positively. The thought of Welch
backsliding into his old ways of 'drugs, sex and rock ‘n roll' freaked us
out as it would be terrible for the Christian Music Industry. But what an
amazing opportunity Welch and his band have of being able to witness to Korn.
I never really thought about this before but once a
musician states publicly that they are Christian they are held accountable by
EVERYONE. Can you imagine Jon Foreman, front man of Switchfoot, praising God in all his songs and then living a life
totally against all that we, as Christians, believe? How then are we supposed
to take him and his music seriously?
Granted, we all fall... No one is perfect but it must be so
difficult for Christian musicians, especially the ones we look up to, to live
the “spotless” lives we almost expect of them.
Now I don’t know too much about this guy but he is ALL the
rage in South Africa at the moment... I found out the other day that Justin
Bieber is a Christian! I was shocked! Whenever he was in the news it was either
for him being a drug addict or making a girl pregnant or whatever else the
media could conjure up. But apparently he is a very strong Christian!? In my
opinion, once you voice your faith (especially on a public platform like Bieber
has done) you become an ambassador (of sorts) for Christians everywhere.
I don’t know him personally, so I’m not sure what stories
are true or not, but being such a massive role model, it is crucial for him to
set a good, Christian example for his fans! What kind of example is he setting if
the media stories are true?! He is in such a prime position to be an amazing ambassador
for Christ. I’m not too familiar with his music, so I don’t know if his lyrics
are God-honouring... But I ask you, what kind of message is he sending to the
millions of fans around the world?
Other Christian musicians who are prominent figures in the
world include Carrie Underwood, Alice Cooper and Lecrae to name a few...
I can’t stress how important it is for such people to be
good role models for the millions of people who listen to them. Our modern-day culture
has given celebrities such immense power... Just look at Lady Gaga and the influences
she has on her “Little Monsters” - it’s frightening!!
This is all very large scale, but Christians are ALL
ambassadors for Christ, you do not have to be famous to make an impact. Luke
15:10 says “There is rejoicing in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents”. God has placed
those around you for a reason... Living in line with God can impact those you
may not even expect! Don’t miss the opportunity to shine God’s light into all
your relationships - there are few things worse than missing such an
opportunity.
“In the same way, let
your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify
your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
Hey Jalex
ReplyDeleteThere is a fine line between one's career and his/her religious life. Secular actions in one's occupation can influence their religious life, and one's religious life can impact the way they work. Thus there is a symbiotic relationship between the two. The best way to control these influences is to follow God's Word and this will be reflected in all aspects of one's life. However, if we judge 'Public Christians', especially without knowing if what we read about is true,are we not the hypocrites ourselves?
Hey Edwin!
DeleteVery insightful comment, thank you!! I agree wholeheartedly when you say there is a symbiotic relationship between the two. Christianity isn't defined by just going to church, it's about how we carry our faith out the other six days of the week. I agree it's wrong to judge them, especially if we do not truly understand the situation. Do you not believe there is an added pressure on them to live out their Christian lives, especially with so many eyes on them, waiting for them to slip-up? They are in such prime positions to have such an incredible impact! I do not want to judge Justin Bieber, but when I look at the amount of shirtless pics he posts on Twitter I can't help but ask myself how this may lead to thoughts of lust, especially with his more fanatic fans...is such behaviour even necessary?
I do indeed believe that there is additional pressure on them to live up to their 'public image', and so doing somewhat outrageous things, such as tearing off one's shirt mid-concert, like JB, or wearing dresses made of meat, in the case of Lady Gaga, helps to keep them relevant in terms of the music scene and social media in general. However, the pressure that they face is in absolutely no way an excuse for their arguably outlandish behaviour. Both Gaga and JB claim to be Christian, but what if they are not in reality? What if it is just a marketing ploy to attact more listeners? Even if they really are Christian, they should find different ways in which to stand out. Take for example Carrie Underwood: she has a perfectly successful career, and has done so 'legitimately' , that is to say, without doing inappropriate things to get where she is today, let alone things that call into question her faith.
ReplyDelete