Listening

God will use music that is devoted to Him to carry His message and to help people enter into His presence. I believe that He has created the concept of music and song to be used for His purposes. Psalm 92 states:
(1) ...It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night,
3 On an instrument of ten strings, On the lute, And on the harp, With harmonious sound.
4 For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

FoxNews.com has reported on Facebook that, "The growth of Christian music among millennials and younger listeners increased by 45% last year."  Christian artist Brandon Lake was a guest on Fox and Friends recently in advance of the Grammy Awards - he was nominated for his album, Coat of Many Colors.  He stated that people are "sick of fake and they're sick of something that's just getting them by. They want something that's gonna make them alive and fully alive and that's Jesus Christ."

In December, the website, Rapzilla reported on a study by the Gospel Music Association about Christian/Gospel Music. It quoted from a GMA press release that said, "With 54 million Americans tuning in weekly, the genre continues to be a beacon of hope and inspiration for a diverse and loyal audience."

Some of the findings include:

• 54 million adults listen to Christian and Gospel music several times a week or more, according to GMA, making it one of the most popular genres in the country.
• 40% of listeners identify as part of an ethnic minority, reflecting the genre’s inclusivity and cultural relevance. Gender representation is almost balanced, with 52% female and 48% male listeners.
• The majority of listeners (62%) are under the age of 50, with Millennials (22-36 years old) and Gen X (37-55 years old) making up a substantial portion.

Brandon Lake is also quoted in a recent piece at Relevant Magazine.  He commented on collaboration with other artists, which can lead to more impactful music.  The article relates:

Worship collectives have seen a massive emergence in this decade, and many of today’s biggest artists got their start in a collective. Even as these artists venture out on their own, the desire to collaborate remains at the core of what they do.

Take Brandon Lake, for example. Once a staple of Maverick City Music, Lake is now touring as a solo artist, but his favorite tour each year is co-headlining with Phil Wickham. For Lake, working alongside other worship artists isn’t just fun for audiences — it’s vital for the Church as a whole.

“The Kingdom is present when the table gets wider,” Lake said. “The positive side of having more people at the table is that there are more perspectives of who God is—not a different truth, but just a different side of His face.”

Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan have a Hillsong background, and they are collaborating to share what God is doing in their lives and music. Fielding says: "The scriptures tell us the church is like a body, with many different parts,” he said. “It’s easy to think worship songwriters are all hands, doing the same thing. But this emerging generation of songwriters and worship leaders is enriching the church by taking unique approaches. We’re all better for it.”

Another group of Christian artists that we have featured on Faith Radio is One Voice Worship, out of Seattle. One Voice Worship. The Relevant article says:

The group never expected a worship movement to emerge from the Northwest, but they’ve discovered a real hunger for authenticity. And what’s more authentic than genuine worship?

“We’ve gotten to speak to so many artists who encourage us to stay true to our vision,” said Cole Hastie, a founding member of One Voice Worship. “It can be tempting to do what someone else is doing, but we know we’re here for a reason, and we’re sticking to that plan as best we can.”

He added, “If we had mapped this out ourselves, we’d have messed it up. God was doing something all along, and now we just get to be part of it.”

Worship leader Anna Golden also shares about the authenticity with which artists are attempting to communicate. She notes that worship music has "evolved," and states: "It’s necessary for people with a biblical base and a Jesus perspective to make music for a wide audience...It brings a healthy perspective to genres that might otherwise lack it.”

Joel Houston, a founding member of Hillsong United, shared his perspective on what God is doing in Christian music: "As Christians, we should champion people trying to break the mold because the creative spaces are a mission field,” Houston said. “Good art has the ability to enter our soul without our permission and draw people into the presence of God—even if they don’t know what it is. As an artist, it’s not my job to write music that’s going to save the world. My job is to bring what I’ve got as an offering and put it out there..."

Christian music has become the soundtrack for so many people's lives.  Faith Radio is committed to not only sound Bible teaching, but also uplifting music that glorifies God and helps to bring you into an awareness of His presence.  Through music that honors Him, we can maintain an awareness of God and be reminded of who He is and what He has done.

Brandon Lake also underscores the importance of authenticity in music.  As contemporary Christian music began to gain a foothold, there was a season, I believe, of struggling for relevancy.  There were tremendous singers and musicians who were using their talents for the Lord, but they were struggling to be heard.  God was moving, but following the Jesus Revolution, was the world listening?  So, there became a performative element to the music, a packaging and even a commercialization of the genre.

But, I believe the Lord was bigger than all that.  Christian music can stand on its own, and that is reflected in these statistics. Now, He is calling singers, songwriters, and musicians to follow His direction, to inspire creativity, and to surrender to His direction.  Through collaboration and not competition, Christian musicians are helping to make one another stronger, and we, the listeners, are better for it.