Music is one of those things that many of us put into boxes. We categorize it by genre, popularity, and one of the biggest categorizations: Christian music vs. mainstream music. Personally, I prefer Christian music over mainstream music for reasons I’ll discuss in this article. However, mainstream music isn’t necessarily bad; it just requires us to be more aware of what we’re listening to.
Reason 1: I want to fill my mind with truth
Although I'm not a singer or musician, music plays a massive part in my life. Not a day goes by that I don’t listen to music. Because of this, I want to fill my mind with lyrics that are positive and Christ-centered. There have been countless times where God allowed me to hear the right song at the right time, filling my mind and heart with the truth I needed in the moment.
Reason 2: It’s music my children can listen to
With Christian music, I never have to worry about the lyrics my children hear. Just like it fills my mind with truth, it does the same for them, even if they’re too young to understand the lyrics yet. They know which songs I listen to most, and it always makes my heart warm when they start remembering the lyrics and singing along.
Reason 3: It’s a great ministry tool
No matter where we live, what kinds of jobs we have, or how different our lives can be, music connects us. This is what makes it a great conversation starter. These conversations happen when a friend hears the music in your car, asks about the concert you attended over the weekend, or inquires about the T-shirt you’re wearing of your favorite artist. These small conversations plant seeds that are part of our ministry in the great commission.
Reason 4: Superb Creativity
The creativity in Christian music exceeds that of mainstream. But when you think about it, it has to. Many artists in Christian music aren’t signed to major labels that have the power to promote their music widely. The creativity and uniqueness are the hooks that draw people in.
Like I said, I don’t think all mainstream music is bad. I’ll admit I listen to a few mainstream artists, but not nearly as much as I listen to Christian artists. Over the past 20 or so years, the variety of genres in Christian music has grown significantly. No matter if you prefer rap, rock, pop, folk, country, or any genre in between, there’s a Christian version of all genres.
If you don’t primarily listen to Christian music already, I encourage you to try it. You might find that you prefer Christian music more than mainstream songs.
Felicia Holt has been writing for NRT since 2024. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and children. She is a lifelong fan of Christian music and enjoys attending concerts and spending time outdoors with a good book.
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