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They are "men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain" (1 Timothy 6:5). Dense enough to believe that we will change the world by becoming more like them. Dense enough to think that by "crossing over" from Christian to secular and downplaying the message of Christ that they will somehow convert the secular world to Christian. Dense enough to think that this is some kind of new ministry concept. Dense enough to think that they can have all the trappings of being a rock star and all of the approval that God bestows upon those who commit their lives to ministry.

Matthew 6:24 says, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth" (or music, as the case may be).

And 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 adds, "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?"

Is there a division between popular Christian and secular music? There used to be; it's all but gone now. And it's not because the secular world has become more like us. Think for a moment where CCM will be a 20 years from if current trends continue. Think where popular Christian culture as a whole will be. Don't you get it? We're not going to change secular culture … secular culture will consume US!

When in the course of human history has real Christianity (as opposed to religious Christian culture) overtaken and consumed popular secular culture? The attempts in the past have produced grotesque caricatures that God never intended. The gate has always been narrow and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:13-14).

Unless CCM as a whole repents, I estimate it will take 10 years at the outside before CCM no longer exists. It will be like country music has been for years, where performers throw in a little of their Christian heritage and values in their songs but their songs and their lives are devoid of the power of God.

Repentance is what is called for. But sadly, we stubbornly continue to insist that there is nothing to repent of.

Revelation 2:5 says, 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent."

Jim Pruitt has been a fan of contemporary Christian music since the early 1970s. You can read his bio at his website, the Jesus Artist Resource Center, where he includes other essays on a variety of topics.

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