Every Explorer Names his island Formosa, beautiful. To him it is beautiful because, being first, he has access to it and can see it for what it is. But to no one else is it ever as beautifulÐexcept the rare man who manages to recover it, who knows that it has to be recovered.--Walker Percy, " The Loss Of The Creature"
What I'm going to write here is a piece of passionate advocacy, and one doesn't normally introduce advocacy defensively. My defensiveness, such as it is, derives from the nature of my intended audience.--John Rockwell Stranded: Rock and Roll For a Desert Island
If I were to get stuck on a desert island, which CD would I take?
That is a very complicated question, and I have a very interesting
answer. I would take today's number one Christian Pop Artists, Point
of Grace. You may ask, why Christian? Well, I plan to tell you.
Christian music is almost like today's popular pop music, but the lyrics are completely opposite. They are about God's love and understanding for everyone. Specific issues, such as, sexual purity and standing up for your beliefs, things that they care about, are also mentioned in these songs. I know what you are going to say--that today's popular musicians sing about what they care about too, but I don't agree with mixed marriages, sex before marriage and gang killings. Christian rock or Christian pop music are my alternative to today's music. What I mean by this is that the music is in some ways like today's music, but the lyrics speak to me unlike today's popular music. I would rather listen to a group of singers praising God for His greatness than listen to people singing about lover's quarrels, drugs, getting drunk and killing people. Who wants to listen to music that is mainly about hatred and making love to everyone around? Not me! You can hear about all this on the news every night, so why would you want to hear people sing about it? I don't want to listen to this stuff, so I have chosen to listen to a happier form of music. Christian music for me is uplifting and encouraging, and popular music is not.
I enjoy just sitting down in my room listening to a favorite Christian CD. If I just sit there and listen, then they speak to me. I am reminded by my CDs of special events in my life, like mission trips and all nighters, that I don't get from popular music. Sometimes they inspire me by telling me of things I need to do for others, like call a friend who I have had a fight with and talk it out or just to send a card to someone who is hurting. Many times they remind me of the past when I first became saved and was so strong for Christ. I am still strong for Christ, but I have grown farther from God in the past few years. This music brings me back to reality and reminds me of how I should be with God. My Christian music also helps me by reaffirming my faith in God and showing me that there is always someone there for me to lean on. It uplifts my spirit and makes me want to tell others of His unfailing love for them. It is also encouraging to me when I feel down and I feel that no one understands; it reminds me that God is always there and He understands.
I want to jump back to where I stated that Christian music is my alternative to today's popular music. I really mean this. I would much rather listen to any Christian music than today's popular garbage. Miller writes, "Rock works on many levels: as shared enthusiasm, public entertainment, communal experience; but also as secret fantasy, private escape, a person obsession" (Miller 46). I really liked that quote because Christian music works on many of these same levels. Christian artists have concerts and they are usually packed for of people wanting to worship God. That is a form of public entertainment. It can also be a private escape for many people, like myself. When I just want to be alone, I use my Christian to help me get away from of the hustle and bustle of the world around me. Christian music is my escape goat from today's popular music.
Point of Grace is my favorite Christian group. They are four women
in their twenties who have made it to the top of the Christian music
industry. The group consists of Denise Jones, Shelley Phillips,
Heather Floyd, and Terry Jones. They formed in college and used to
just sing for small churches and for Ouachita Baptist College. Now
they are the number one Christian Pop Artists. They have twelve
singles, three albums, and five Dove Awards. Recently they
published
a book about themselves and their ministries. It is hard to believe
that they have accomplished so much in just four years.
Going back to the issues that are expressed in Christian music, Point of Grace holds sexual purity as one of their number one issues. This is one reason why I like this group so much is because of their stand for sexual purity. They testify that God made sex for marriage and not before and that sexual purity is the best route to go even today when sex is so loosely thought of. Their second album, The Whole Truth, is all about staying sexually pure. Some of the songs on this cd are "The Love He Has For You," "Love Like No Other," and "The House That Mercy Built." You may ask how are they testifying to this. Well, one night at a concert, "Heather boldly proclaimed, 'I'm twenty-five and I'm a virgin. It is possible'" (Courtney). Another way is in their book, where they answer questions from their fans about sexual purity. Young people of today find it hard to refrain from sexual acts because of all of the commercialization today, but I to believe that it is possible to do. You may ask why does she care so much about sexual purity, well, it is because I hold this as one of my highest moral principles in my life.
I decided to take their latest album, Life Love & Other Mysteries, because I like it better than all of my other Christian CDs. The songs are more inspirational to me. One of my favorites on this cd is "Jesus Doesn't Care." I like it because it is about how God still loves you no matter what you have done. The chorus starts out with, "Jesus doesn't care what you've done before," and people need to understand that He is always there for them whenever they need Him. What I mean by this, is that He is always there, all you have to do is call upon Him for help. It also reminds me of my best friends. We make up a group of four, like Point of Grace. We all love to sing, and we all like this group. Last year, we sang this song with our youth choir. That is why this song is one of my favorites.
Another favorite song of mine is the title song, "Life Love & Other Mysteries," because it is about how God knows everything in our lives and how He protects us from anything that may harm us. One part in this song says, "I rest in the hope where my faith has been grounded, I do not fear the unknown," and I am going to this island without fear because I serve a God who will protect me and who will help me in my time of desperation and loneliness on this island. I know that wherever I go He will be with me, guiding and directing me through life.
Point of Grace really mean a lot to me, and I hope that I have been able to show this to you. God also means a lot to me and that is why I chose a Christian group. I knew that I would probably be criticized and questioned, but I did it anyway. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13) He will never leave my side.
Works Cited
Courtney, Camerin. "Point of Grace Christian music's Dream team Grow's Up." Today's Christian Woman (1996). Online. Netscape Navigator. Internet. 10 Nov 1997. Available http://www.nauticom.net/www/catspaw/pog/mag/tcw.htm.
Miller, Jim. "Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica." Stranded: Rock and Roll for a Desert Island. Ed. Greil Marcus. Second edition. New York: Da Capo Press, 1996.
Percy, Walker. "The Loss of the Creature." The Message in the Bottle. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1975: 45-63.
Rockwell, John. "Living In The U.S.A." Stranded: Rock and Roll for a Desert Island. Ed. Greil Marcus. Second edition. New York: Da Capo Press, 1996. 188.
Stevens, Susan. "A Circle of Friends A sneak-peek at the making of an album with Point of Grace." Brio (1996). Online. Netscape Navigator. 11 Nov 1997. Available http://www.nauticom.net/www/catspaw/pog/mag/brio96.htm.
The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible. Ed. Frank Charles
Thompson. Indianapolis: Indiana, 1988.