The Genre Game

When I was younger I played in a variety of bands. None of them coming anywhere near the success I dreamed about alone in my room with my guitar. I imagined concerts all over the world and interviews with Rolling Stone and 7ball . I rehearsed the answers to every question imaginable.

Of course one question that would come up would be if we called ourselves a Christian band. My well-rehearsed answer was that we were simply a band of Christians. I'm pretty sure I had no idea what that meant then either.

I do know that I didn't want to write nothing but praise choruses. I want to write lovesongs and songs about pain and art. I was afraid that if our records were sold at One Way or in the Christian section at Where House music that somehow our art would be stifled. And my fears weren't without precedent. The Prayer Chain's Bendy Line and POD's cover for the Fundamental Elements of Southtown showed how the Christian music industry can handle controversy.

When it all comes down to it though I do not know that God cares at all about these kind of labels. This is the God who inspired the Psalms and the Song of Solomon. This is the God who designed the Temple and the Grand Canyon. Whatever we call it anything that can bring glory to God is well deserving of the label "Christian"