That’s some of the most legalistic junk I’ve heard.  Those in Christ live under FREEDOM, not slavery.  If the woman in Hillsong wishes to take a “model-esk” type picture, then she is FREE to do so.  It’s not racy one bit.  Girls enjoy looking and taking beautiful pictures, there’s nothing wrong with that at all.  I think it’s a great picture.

 If it causes you to stumble, is that her fault or yours?

i do not see any problem with the lyrics.

I’m a woman who loves Jesus with all of her heart. I have Jesus and the spirit leads me in life. Listening to Hillsong all i wanted to do was praise him. To sing “Hosanna” on the roof tops as loud as possible. I got an itch or a yearning to get up and sing my heart out in praise to God. I grew up with GOSPEL music that made me feel the same. I don’t believe that the whole taking this out then you can sing it to your boyfriend argument is fair. Jesus is a personal relationship. The love of Christ can be compared to the love of a spouse. You love no one or at least in scripture it says you are to not love anyone more than your spouse. Not even your children. But no one more than God. So the love of your spouse is the strongest love you have next to God there is going to be similarities. Doesn’t mean any of those similarities are sexual but the desire to be with God and your spouse for them to comfort you in times of need. To have trust and confidence in you.

Without the God in my relationship there would be none. So I think it is unfair of you to have that argument because there is no other relationship in this world like the relationship with your spouse and Christ. Just like your relationship or love for your spouse is closely related to the love of your children. you could take a love song and instead of saying darling or baby add your kids name and it would work as well.

My music choice has changed so my worship taste in music has too. That is why I love hillsong. The genre is so closely related to Indie Rock and I love it. I feel the spirit and I think if one can feel the spirit then it is up to the individual to find what brings forth that feeling of love for Christ and the Holy spirit when listening to worship music.

I am soooooo weary of the U2 guitar sound…

-Vocal Coach Ken

“While we might be rightly critical of the self-centered grammar of such choruses (which, when parsed, often turn out to be more about “me” than God, and “I” more than us), I don’t think we should so quickly write off their “romantic” or even “erotic” elements (the Song of Songs comes to mind in this context). This, too, is a testimony to why and how so many are deeply moved in worship by such singing. While this can slide into an emotionalism and a certain kind of domestication of God’s transcendence, there remains a kernel of “fittingness” about such worship. While opening such doors is dangerous, I’m not sure that the primary goal of worship or discipleship is safety…[Such a view] suffers from a “quasi-rationalism that sneers at such erotic elements in worship and is concerned to keep worship “safe”.

From James K.A. Smith “Desiring the Kingdom”.

“Cartman: All right, guys, this is gonna be so easy. All we have to do to make Christian songs is take regular old songs and add Jesus stuff to them. [some sheet music is shown. Cartman has already crossed out the original author's name] See? All we have to do is cross out words like “baby” and “Darling” and replace them with [writes next to "baby"] Jesus. All right, Butters, give me a beat. [Butters doesn't understand, but starts drumming. It's rather good] Okay, nice. Very nice. All right, Token, give me a smooth bass line…”

Enjoy!! http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/south-park/season-7/south-park-709-christian-rock-hard/#clip10912

I don’t really see the problem with the lyrics. You said if you take out “I’ve got a Saviour and He’s living in me” it becomes one of those songs where it could be talking to a boyfriend/girlfriend. But what if you don’t take it out because it is already embedded in the song, then you know exactly who they are talking too. Plus after I read this I put on that Hillsong CD and just listened. They mention God and Jesus A LOT! So what if they refrain from it for one song. I agree with the previous writer where throwing it just for the sake of it being there is not the right thing to do. And as a songwriter you should be able to appreciate the fact that it’s not easy to write a song, so maybe throwing You in there was a little easier that trying to fit the word Jesus in every line.

As for Kutless they didn’t even write the song, they just covered it for a worship album as you know. And you called their singer a “hunky beefcake singing in front of a rockin’ band, belting out a tune to predominantly teenage girls, half of whom are already infatuated with the singer.” Are you saying that guys who are a “hunky beefcake” (which the hunky part he definitely had no say in the matter, he’s just another one of God’s awesome creations) cannot be a singer if that is where his passion lies? As for the teenagers and their hormones, I think he is trying to do his best at not letting anything happen by singing a worship song and trying to Draw Them Closer to God!

As for the whole mainstream and marketing thing I totally agree with you. That picture of the Hillsong singer is just wrong for any band, but especially for a Christian Worship band.

I agree with you that maybe there should be concerns as to how mainstream some of our christian bands are going where they have the temptation to take the glory, rather than give it to Jesus. I don’t believe nessasarily that that has happened here, but i can see how it would be a temptation when you get bigger in the music industry…

These songs may be simple lyrically, and don’t go quite as much in depth, but i believe them to be more intimate love songs to Jesus. Is there something wrong with that? I don’t totally understand why there is a huge problem with the lyrics. To me they sound theologically sound. Sure, maybe the name Jesus isn’t thrown in there every other line, but throwing the name in there just for the sake of doing it, isn’t really the right thing is it?

Good thoughts, appreciate the article.

There are several bands (that I listen to, by the way), who are christian bands, whose songs will not be sung on Sunday mornings though(Michael, you know my taste in music), who make the same vague references to God, rather than proclaiming His name when they refer to Him. Part of my beef with these bands, is that for me, part of the allure of their genre, is their unashamed declaration of their message. When the music is in your face, but the lyrics are unclear, the passion and the message is lost on me.

Good discussion!