The spirit of entertainment

[Brother Ben]

The spirit of entertainment or the tale of seven virgins

Mat 23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
Mat 23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
Mat 23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
Mat 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

Another aspect of CCM, Southern Gospel, and even showy hymn singing is the spirit of entertainment. I often observe when people get up to sing these types of music, they often act in an unnatural way. They don't sway and gaze glassy eyed around the room when they are talking to you, or when they are praying, but when you put them on the platform (stage) and put a mike in their hand, all the sudden, they are "Johnny Show Singer - LIVE! at your church" This is sickening and an insult to the humble message of Christ.

The tale of seven virgins. I have a friend and he has (six or) seven daughters, I forget. They used to be quiet, reserved, chaste, and we always appreciated that. However, he got the notion to purchase some of the common blue grass type intruments, so popular especially here in the South. They took lessons and practiced often, and before you know it they became pretty good. He now carries them from meeting to meeting putting them up before hundreds of people showing off their blue grass sound. Well, it wasn't long until we noticed that they kinda came out of their shells. The once quiet, reserved, girl, were now, bold, talkative, and acertive (sp?). Now there is nothing wrong with a sister being confident, as long as it does not go against a meek and quiet spirit, as stated in scripture, but that is not what we observed.

These young ladies were the victims (at their Dad's leading) of the spirit of entertainment. I live just outside of Nashville, TN. They call it 'Music City USA.' The entertainment industry is here and there is almost a demonic force you can feel. It is wicked. This industry gobbles in and spits out people every day. Some of Nashville's alcohol and drug addicted homeless, are those who thought they would come to NASHVILLE and make it big. One of the things I notice is all the people who started, you guessed it, right in hometown USA, singing in their Baptist and Charismatic churches. This is a reproach. They get up there on the stage with their spackled on make-up, foofy hair doo (men and women,) and sing, with breathy feel, Amazing Grace! Wicked! Not amazing grace, but their taking this anthem of God's saving wonder and dragging it through the vomit of worldly entertainment.

Why would redeemed people seek after such "entertainment?" Because there is a spirit in that thing! It is NOT the sweet Spirit of God that inspired David the Psalmist either. I know that in all the CCM, Southern Gospel, etc., mess there are a few good songs, and a few good artists, but the logic of going there for music is the same logic of going behind McDonalds and digging through the dumpster for a good burger. If you go at the right time, you can find one, but is that the well from which you want to draw your nutrition? Then why do we settle for the slop from Satan's hog trough called Worldly Christian Music?

I was listening to a nationally syndicated IFB music channel on the radio the other day and I noticed that many times the singers over fluxuated their voice. It was the spirit of entertainment. They got that from watching too many episodes of the 700 Club (bilge.)

There is sooooooooooooooo much good music out there. If any of you receive this message and desire to change some things in your listening library, just let me know and I'll put you on the trail of music that brings glory to God AND!!! is good for you spiritually.

Beware of the spirit of entertainment!

2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Watchfully,
Bro. Ben

[George]

Brother Ben thank you very much for posting this story. It says a lot. There is much talk about the "beat' in this type of music. I have been struggling with that concept because as I have said before there are songs that have a "beat" to them that are not ungodly nor wrong. As an example I have a recording of the United States Marine Corps band playing the Stars and Stripes Forever. That definitely has a "beat" and causes me to react to it.

Your exposition of the spirit of the wrong kind of music is great. It goes beyond the so-called beat of the music. I must say there are also some of my favorite hymns that have quite a "beat" to them such as Power in the Blood and Victory in Jesus.

Unfortunately a lot of the Churches in this country today have become all about entertainment and not The Word. Certain types of music go with certain types of people which go with certain types of behaviours which are very ungodly and downright sinful. The current CCM movement distresses me greatly. I saw a survey some time back of over three hundred of these CCM songs. The Bible tells us one of the primary, if not the primary purpose, of our songs should be praise to God. Of these over three hundred so-called Christian songs only ONE of them mentioned anything about praise.

Going back briefly to the music and the people...there is currently a CCM group that is very popular with our young people that is an absolute abomination to God. On the front of their newest CD is featured rather prominently a large pentagram, the symbol of witchcraft. The members of the group have long shaggy hair and each one of them is covered with tattoos. In interviews with them they all glorify and proudly boast of their consumption of alcoholic beverages. What they play and sing is drug music. That is all it is plain and simple. I know. I used to be into drug music.

This type of music affects our Churches to the point the preachers of such places come in often in Hawaiian shirts with modern shaggy haircuts and sit on a stool as they deliver their 'sermon." Often the back of the auditorium is filled with tables of merchandise featuring all sorts of things people can buy so the preacher can line his pockets. And I thought Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple!

In Christ,
George

[Brother Randy]

Brothers,

I would have to agree that this is very much the spirit that is in a lot of churches today. When we where going to the Assembly of God Church you could see it was very much about entertaining most of the time. With all the instruments somewhat dancing and mostly choruses being sung. I guess if people aren't on an emotional high they have no desire to worship God and really listen to the preaching of the word. those in leadership seem to think the only way the can compete with the world is to make church fun and exciting. It is my belief that this is also the reason why our churches today are so weak and in tune with the world.

Thank you Bro Ben for bringing this important area of our life up.

Bro Randy

[nightingale]

Food for thought...Thank you Brothers....Love in Christ, Sis Debbie

[Andrea]

This is wonderful!! Thank you so much for taking time to help us grow in our knowledge and relationship with the Lord.

[Brother Ben]

I found the following quote from A.W. Tozer. Though the times he is describing sound like he made it yesterday afternoon, it is interesting to note that he died in 1963! If worldly entertainment in the churches was bad prior to 1963, then what do we have today - other than apostasy.

..............begin quote.............

For centuries the Church stood solidly against every form of worldly entertainment, recognizing it for what it was-a device for wasting time, a refuge from the disturbing voice of conscience, a scheme to divert attention from moral accountability. For this she got herself abused roundly by the sons of the world. But of late she has become tired of the abuse and has given over the struggle. She appears to have decided that if she cannot conquer the great god Entertainment she may as well join forces with him and make whatever use she can of his powers. So today we have the astonishing spectacle of having millions of dollars being poured into the unholy job of providing earthly entertainment for the so-called sons of heaven. Religious entertainment is in many places crowding out the serious things of God. Many churches these days have become little more than poor theaters where fifthrate “producers” peddle their shoddy wares with the full approval of evangelical leaders who can even quote a holy text in defense of their delinquency.

[moses]

I agree with your first post. I've been around bluegrass circles and I've seen the same thing with conservative families who put their children (especially girls) onstage. I don't believe girls or women should even be performing as part of a small group for the public, as it is antithetical to the role of a woman. Even for a man in good Christian music there is a strong temptation to simply perform so as to draw attention to himself and his skills instead of praising God and/or even just making good music if it's not specifically Christian.

You mentioned the way people get glassy eyed and sway - and I would add doing hand motions; I've noted that this happens only if the music is supposed to be gospel. There are secular groups that make less of a show and seem to have less of the spirit of entertainment than the "Christian" ones. I also hate the breathy singing and fluxuated voice you mentioned. It is all designed to create a sensual sound.

As for music in church, I feel that there should pretty much be only congregational singing. Anything else tends to degenerate into entertainment or a performance, which has no place in the church.

The quote from Tozer was good. I hadn't seen it before. Have you seen this one from Spurgeon?

Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?

by CH Spurgeon

AN EVIL IS IN THE PROFESSED CAMP of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most short-sighted can hardly fail to notice it. During the past few years it has developed at an abnormal rate, even for the evil. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments. The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the Church that part of her mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. From speaking out as the Puritans did, the Church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses.
My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church. If it is a Christian work, why did not Christ speak of it? "Go ye..." into all the world and speak the Gospel to every creature. That is clear enough. So it would have been if He had added, "and provide amusement for those who do not relish the Gospel." No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to Him. Then again, "He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers ... for the work of the ministry." Where do entertainers come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people or because they refused? The concert has no honor roll.
Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all His apostles. What was the attitude of the Church to the world? "Ye are the salt," not the sugar candy something the world will spit out, not swallow. Short and sharp was the utterance: "Let the dead bury the dead." He was in awful earnestness!
Had Christ introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into His mission, He would have been more popular when He and His disciples went back, because of the searching nature of His teaching. I do not hear Him say, "Run after these people, Peter, and tell them we will have a new kind of service tomorrow, something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it. Be quick, Peter; we must get the people somehow!" Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them, but never sought to amuse them. In vain will the epistles be searched to find any trace of the gospel of amusement. Their message is, "Come out, keep out, keep clean out!" Anything approaching fooling is conspicuous of its absence. They had boundless confidence in the Gospel and employed no other weapon. After Peter and John were locked up for preaching, the Church had a prayer meeting, but they did not pray, "Lord, grant unto Thy servants that by a wise and discriminating use of innocent recreation we may show these people how happy we are." If they had ceased not for preaching Christ, they had not time for arranging entertainments. Scattered by persecution, they went everywhere preaching the Gospel.
They "turned the world upside down." That is the only difference! Lord, clear the Church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed on her, and bring us back to apostolic methods.
Lastly, the mission of amusement fails to effect the end desired. It works havoc among young converts. Let the careless and scoffers, who thank God because the Church met them halfway, speak and testify. Let the heavy-laden who found peace through the concert not keep silent! Let the drunkard to whom the dramatic entertainment had been God's link in the chain of his conversation, stand up! There are none to answer. The mission of amusement produces no converts. The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing scholarship joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the other as fruit from the root. The need is Biblical doctrine, so understood and felt that it sets men on fire.