Q. Almost everyone I know—even my Christian friends—act like any Christian band is automatically no good. They put down my songs without really listening to them. I'm really having a hard time defending Christian rock. What can I say?

A. First of all, some people are just offended by Jesus. They don't want to listen to music that has anything to do with Christianity, no matter how good the music is. Secondly, lots of people—including your Christian friends it seems—choose music based on how cool it will make them look to their friends or the opposite sex. They don't listen because it's not what everyone knows, it's not what's popular on mainstream stations.

But there's more to it. Some genuine music fans—and this includes believers—are suspicious of any art that comes with a message attached. They hear "Christian music" and notice that music comes second to their agenda. They assume that means the art comes second. But that's not fair. In fact, the level of talent in Christian music is very high right now. Believers on Christian labels and in the mainstream are making good art, but old assumptions die hard.

So how can you change your friends' minds? Honestly, you might not be able to. You can let them in on what new albums you're hyped about, but you can't force them to be excited too. So maybe you shouldn't worry about "defending" it as much as just enjoying it. Maybe they will overhear you playing something that grabs them. Maybe not. But that shouldn't deflate how God uses Christian music in your life.

With your non-Christian friends, focus on living as much as you can like Jesus. Years from now, your friends won't remember the music you listened to, but hopefully they will remember your commitment to Christ and the difference it made in the way you treated them.

Mark is the founder of WisdomWorks Ministries. You can learn about his conferences, read movie and music reviews, and more at planetwisdom.com.

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