What bugs me about Christain radio...

I love Christian music. In my years as a Christian there may be no one thing that has brought me into the presence of God more than Christian music. It's powerful. I'm all about it. I love it. What I'm beginning to love a lot less, though, are some of the Christian radio stations that play the Christian music I love so much. Don't get me wrong. I think it's great that there are thousands of radio stations that proclaim God's truth through music. But the all too cynical side of me can't help but wonder how much Christian radio is about the message and how much is about marketing an easily consumable, hollowed out version of the real thing.

As an example, I've noticed a trend lately among Christian radio stations that really bugs the heck out of me. There seems to be a movement in Chrsitian radio to promote themselves as being "family friendly." I know... you're thinking with more than a hint of sarcasm how unbelievably scandalous that is. But it irks me... more than just a little. The type of irking that has me fuming and spouting and gritting my teeth whenever I think about it.

"Family friendly" That's their tagline, their motto, their identity. That's what they promote as their reason for existing. To be family friendly. Really? How sad. Really, that saddens me. Now before you start praying for my soul, sending me copies of the 4 spiritual laws, or writing me off as a pagan heretic, you might be relieved to hear that I really don't have a problem with Christian radio stations being family friendly. They probably should be. But shouldn't they be more? I can't help but feel that by choosing "family friendly" to be their identifying characteristic they are missing something... like... the whole thing. Instead of helping the guy down the street connect with the life-transforming God, their goal is to give the Christian soccer mom something to listen to while her kids are in the car so she won't have to worry about them hearing something of questionable content from some sinful, secular station. In effect, Christian music becomes nothing more than a "wholesome" alternative to the big bad world, and that's not good enough for me. It's so much more because it is about an awe-inspiring God who changes lives, gives hope to the hopeless, and empowers people to do great work in the world.

I realize I am blowing this out of proportion and overstating my point, but to continue down that path... Jesus didn't die so we wouldn't have to listen to secular radio. I would venture so far as to say that in the grand scheme of things, that might be down the priority list a little bit. Really, Christ didn't die so we could live good, moral lives either. That just comes with the territory. As the constantly ridiculed for allowing themselves to be Christ's ambassadors in the mainstream band Switchfoot sings, "We were meant to live for so much more..."

Blessings,
Geoff