When developing an essay, going from an idea to a thesis is a process. From my journal, here are a few of my notes developing an idea about Christian music lyrics.
#idea #essay #Christian #music #self
#Argumentative commentary
Thesis:
- More diversity in lyrics is needed in contemporary Christian music
- CCM needs to expand beyond God-centered and self-centered lyrics to include more Scripture and more community
- CCM needs to expand beyond God-centered and self-centered lyrics to encourage community, exhort righteousness, and help others.
- The lyrics of contemporary Christian music need to move beyond the vertical God- and self-centered to more of the horizontal – growing in community, to avoid sin, to become the best of what God wants for us.
- Contemporary Christian music’s lyrics are too limited. While the music helps focus on how God can help us, our need for God, and worshipping God, we also need encouragement to be in relationship and in community. We need encouragement to fight sin in ourselves and to stand up against it in our society.
- The lyrics of contemporary Christian music are too narrow; they reflect mainstream culture in the focus on “I” instead of “we”
Intro: What is missing in Christian music’s lyrics today? The songs are incredible vehicles for worship, praise, encouragement, and truth, but the lyrics are also subtle reflections of American society’s ills.
- Self-centeredness
- Vertical part of the cross, but missing the crossbrace
- Admonitions, exhortations, warnings, sin seriousness
Conclusion: Try it for yourself. In your Bible study, seek to find contemporary lyrics that support and reinforce the text. It’s going to be hard to do.