Surfing around the internet this morning I came across a blog called the Scofield Prophecy Studies, and a post on Christian music. The blog host, Dr. Mal Couch, shared his thoughts on the contemporary Christian music, writing:

“The issue is entertainment, and nothing else! Don’t let anyone fool you that it has to do with worship or spirituality! This is a lie! … If hot-rock music is required to keep people in church this is proof that the apostasy is already here, as I have been arguing for sometime now. “

Dr. Couch added his criteria for determining if music is biblical:

(1) Can I hum the tune after hearing it? (2) Can I understand the words? (3) Do the words conform to sound biblical doctrine and truth? (4) Do the words, and the tune, honor the Lord rather than pander to the flesh and the physical? (5) Does the song emphasize grace, salvation, eternity, etc.? (6) Does it simply sound like a “love song” that has a romantic tinge to it, rather than proper spiritual love? (7) Is the song loud and blaring in order to bring on an emotional response? (8) Is it a mantra with empty repetition (Praise God, praise God, praise God, praise God)? (9) Can both old and young understand the song and be equally touched by it?

I’m curious to know what you think. Can Christian music simply be for entertainment? Or does it always have to share a biblical doctrine? Does it have to meet all of the above guidelines to be “biblical?” And can music itself even be biblical or Christian (any more than my television set can be biblical or Christian)?
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