The 1960's are usually portrayed by "Christians" as being nothing more than a bunch of dope smoking long haired hippie freak Vietnam war protesters. Actually none of that really happened until 1968, so we defined a decade by 2 years. Woodstock occurred in the Summer of 69, but God was at work among them behind the scenes.
The saved hippie freaks turned into Jesus Freaks and gave rise to what has been called the Jesus Music Era. Officially given a twenty year life of 1969-1989, but it probably ended around 1985 with the release of Amy Grant's Unguarded. Of course some say it could have ended in 1977 when the first issue of CCM Magazine came out. I am going to give a date of 1981 when Petra came out with Never Say Die. Still that's 12 years.
A joke about the era was that they took a secular song and put Jesus words to it so they all went "Jesus Jesus Wo Wo Wo." That wasn't true even for evangelistic groups like the Second Chapter of Acts, much less groups like The Choir. Nonetheless a tradition arose that to be considered Christian, you needed to use the name of Jesus at least a million times per three minute song. But like I said, that didn't just exclude modern bands, but all of the Jesus Era as well.
It is my firm belief that song doesn't have to name drop Jesus multiple times to be considered Christian. Being a 80s Radio DJ I was into U2 as much as Petra. It still is the same today. For every "there's something about that name" there is a "Lost in Paradise" that I get blessed by. A Leah McHenry or Celldweller release virtually gushes forth in Bible verses if you listen carefully.
Step 2, simply put, is that Christian music cannot be neatly defined, so we shouldn't try to. Instead. We should revel in its blessed diversity. That's step 3. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
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