Rock Foundations is a topic of interest to both young people and Baby Boomers who experienced the early stages of Rock history.

When I share this topic, I prefer to include a session in which the participants bring their own CDs and ideas. We listen to their music. They teach me what they know about Rock. I learn as much as they do.

The following is a summary of the entire presentation.

If you would like me to present this to your group, let me know: Reply

Introduction

A. I'm not an almighty expert on Rock music. When I was growing up, I was just a kid who loved Rock. Although I've grown up and have become a theologian, I still enjoy Rock. I'm not out to tell you to burn your CDs. I haven't burned mine.

B. But I do listen with care. In this presentation you'll learn to understand the foundations of Rock, its philosophies, values, and decisions. This is worth learning, because Jesus Christ says the foundation of something determines its strength (Mt. 7:24-7).

C. I've never stopped caring about the people who produce and listen to Rock. The two most crucial reasons for knowing the history of Rock are:

1. People like twenty-year old Amy, a fervent rock fan who worships stars like Madonna and Marilyn Manson but has little interest in Christ. Who do you know that is like Amy?

2. People like Jack, age 45, who wanted to change the world in the '60s but today believes: "The one who dies with the most toys wins--I hope." Who do you know like Jack?

Part 1: Rock Built on the Sand

I. The Adolescence of Rock.

A. 1955-65 was the adolescence of Rock, emphasizing youth experiences.

B. Example: "School Days" by Chuck Barry.

Right to the juke joint you go in / Drop the coin right into the slot / You gotta hear somethin' that's really hot

With the one you love you're makin' romance / All day long you been wanting to dance

Feeling the music from head to toe / Round and round and round you go

II. Rock Develops a Conscience and a Soul, 1965-72.

A. The folk music revival led to songs of social protest (civil rights, war, etc.) Youth accused their elders of giving in to apathy, personal peace and affluence.

1. Example: "Give a Damn" by Spanky and Our Gang

Or put your girl to sleep sometime with rats instead of nursery rhymes, / With hunger and your other children by her side...

Come and see how well despair is seasoned by the stifling air. / See a ghetto in the good old sizzling summer time.

Suppose the streets were all on fire,the flames like tempers reaching higher, / Suppose you'd lived there all your life, do you think that you would mind?...

And it might begin to reach you why we give a damn about our fellow man. / And it might begin to teach you how to give a damn about your fellow man.

3. Unfortunately, in most cases, the social conscience of Rock was human-centered not God-centered. A foundation of sand.

B. Rock sought spiritual fulfillment through drugs, brotherly love, liberated sex, and religion.

1. Example: "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison, which interchanged Alleluia and Hare Krishna.

2. Unfortunately, the spiritual search was also human-centered, not God-centered. A foundation of sand.

III. Aquarian Optimism.

A. Youth were confident of changing the world.

Example: "Aquarius" by the Fifth Dimension

When the Moon is in the seventh house / And Jupiter aligns with Mars / Then peace will guide the planets / And love will steer the stars / This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius / Age of Aquarius Aquarius Aquarius

Harmony and understanding / Sympathy and trust abounding / No more falsehoods or derisions / Golden living dreams of visions / Mystic crystal revelation / And the mind's true liberation

B. Summer of 1967, Hippies in San Francisco.

C. Summer of 1969, Woodstock. The great love-in of "the Woodstock Nation."

D. Example: "Woodstock" by Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

By the time we got to Woodstock we were half a million strong and everywhere was a song and a celebration...

We are star dust, we are golden, we are caught in the devil's bargain, and we got to get ourselves back to the Garden

IV. The Day the Music Died

A. Several obstacles opposed the younger generation's Aquarian optimism.

1. Drug deaths of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix (1971).

2. The Beatles disbanded. "All You Need Is Love" wasn't enough.

3. Rock festivals turned ugly. The Boomer generation wasn't innocent.

4. They found it hard to change the world.

5. Rock was built on sand, a human foundation, not the word of Christ.

B. Example: "American Pie" by Don McLean, the most important song in Rock history.

And as I watched him on the stage my hands were clenched in fists of rage / No angel born in hell could break that Satan spell / And as the flames climbed high into the night to light the sacrificial rite / I saw Satan laughing with delight the day the music died...

I went down to the sacred store where I'd heard the music years before / But the man there said the music wouldn't play / And in the streets the children screamed, the lovers cried and the poets dreamed / But not a word was spoken. The church bells all were broken / And the three men I admire most, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost / They caught the last train for the coast the day the music died

V. In the '70s, Rock stood at the crossroads. The decisions made then have affected it ever since.

A. Their human-centered foundation was unstable. They were left with two logical options.

1. Nihilism, nothing-ism: no purpose, no spiritual answers, no social answers. Give up.

2. Seek social and spiritual answers from beyond themselves, from God's revelation.

B. Some chose nihilism. Example: "God" by John Lennon. It is a creed.

God is a concept by which we measure our pain. I don't believe in... [14 items]. I don't believe in Beatles!

I just believe in me, Yoko and me. That's reality. The dream is over. What can I say? The dream is over Yesterday...

I was the walrus but now I'm John, and in self defense you'll just have to carry on. The dream is over!

C. Many chose an illogical, noncompassionate option: ignore society's problems and have fun.

1. From 1972-74, many artists returned to songs from Rock's adolescence, 1955-65.

2. "Yesterday Once More" by the Carpenters.

Lookin' back on how it was in years gone by and the good times that I had, makes today seem rather sad

So much has changed. It was songs of love that I would sing to then, and I'd memorize each word.

Those old melodies still sound so good to me as they melt the years away. Every shalalala, every wo-o-o still shines.

3. Many hailed this as a Renaissance, but it was a retreat, a rejection of the social conscience and the spiritual hunger of that whole generation.

4. This choice is hedonism: ignore the needy world; just grab all the pleasure you can get.

D. Rock has been in retreat ever since. Songs with a conscience or a soul became endangered species.

Example: "I'm Not Gonna Let it Bother Me Tonight" by Atlantic Rhythm Section.

I picked up the paper this mornin' and read all the daily blues. / The world is one big tragedy. I wonder what I can do? / About all the pain & injustice, about all of the sorrow. / We're living in a danger zone. The world could end tomorrow.

But I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight. No, I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight. / Tomorrow I might go as far as suicide, but I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight.

E. Question: How do these decisions continue to influence people like Amy and Jack today.

Part 2: Rock Built on the Rock

I. While some chose nihilism and others chose hedonism, others humbled themselves before God's revelation and received Christ.

A.This resulted in the Jesus People Movement and the birth of Jesus Music. This was Rock based on the Rock, Jesus Christ.

B. Example: "Rock and Roll Preacher" by Chuck Girard.

When I was young my life was rock and roll music / Just diggin' the wonderful sound / I'd get home from school and when I'd finished my lessons / I'd listen to music till the sun came around...

But who'd ever thought I'd be a rock and roll preacher / Instead of just singing the blues / Who'd ever thought I'd be a rock and roll preacher / Singin' my songs so you could hear the Good News

II. Some churches objected to the mixing of Rock and Christianity.

A. Larry Norman responded with a song entitled"Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?" Recently it was performed by Geoff Moore and the Distance.

I ain't knockin' the hymns, just give me a song that has a beat. / I ain't knockin' the hymns, just give me a song that moves my feet. / I don't like none of them funeral marches, I ain't dead yet...

Jesus told the truth, and Jesus showed the way. There's one more thing I'd like to say. / They nailed Him to the cross, they laid Him in the ground. Should of known you can't keep Jesus Christ down.

I feel so good everyday, I don't want to lose it. All I wanna, I wanna [say], one more time now, Why should the devil have all the good music?

B. The debate still continues today.

C. In 16th-19th century Europe, many churches had composers writing organ and choir works. Of those thousands of opuses, only a tiny fraction stood the test of time. Every generation and culture has a right to produce lots of music so the best can rise to the top.

D. The two most crucial reasons for approving of the use of Rock music by Christians:

1. Twenty-year old Amy, a fervent rock fan who worships stars like Madonna and Nine Inch Nails but has little interest in Christ. She represents Generation X.

2. Forty-five-year old Jack who wanted to change the world in the 1960s but now believes: "The one who dies with the most toys wins--I hope." He represents Baby Boomers.

E. Bible translators provide the Word of God in people's heart language. For many people Rock music is their heart music. Christian Rock musicians are missionaries who seek to communicate the Gospel of Christ to Amy and Jack by means of their heart music.

III. Christian Rock is not free of dangers. Danger #1: Shallow lyrics and theology.

A. Why should the devil have all the good lyrics?

B. Why should traditional Christian music have all the good theology?

C. In the '70s, the lyrics and doctrine of Christian Rock often was shallow. It has improved.

D. Example of a song with lyrical and biblical depth: "Grave Robber" by Petra.

There's a step that we all take alone, an appointment we have with the great unknown... / But there's one who has been there and still lives to tell. There is one who has been through both heaven and hell. / And the grave will come up empty handed that day. Jesus will come and steal us away

Where is the sting, tell me, where is the bite, when the Grave Robber comes like a thief in the night? / Where is the victory, where is the prize when the Grave Robber comes and death finally dies?

E. Some other artists who regularly produce material which is biblically sound include: Phil Keaggy, Wayne Watson, Twila Paris, Scott Wesley Brown, Don Francisco, Michael Card, Petra, DC Talk, Newsboys, Glad, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Babbi Mason, Steven Curtis Chapman, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith. (And many more.)

IV. Danger #2: Commercialism--that Christian Rock becomes a mere business, not a ministry.

V. Danger #3: Idolatry--that Christian Rock glorifies its stars, not God.

VI. God's prophet to early Christian Rock.

A. Keith Green is the most important figure thus far in the history of Rock built on the Rock.

B. He warned of the commercial temptations in Christian Rock. He offered his music for free.

C. He warned fans not to idolize artists and urged artists to dedicate their skills to God's glory.

VII. Danger # 4: Apathy toward God's mission vision, the apathy trap.

A. From 1965-72, many youth rejected their parents' values of personal peace and affluence.

B. Today many Baby Boomers are embarrassed by this. "How naive, we were," they say. "Yes, I sold out to materialism, but hey, what could I do? I couldn't change the world."

C. What if all Christian Rock did was call people to be saved as individuals, but it left them unconcerned about the aching problems of society and the world?

D. Even though most Boomers are no longer into protest and revolution, God is still a revolutionary who wants to change the world--through the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ to all nations, and Christian impact on society.

E. Example: "Asleep in the Light" by Keith Green

Do you see, do you see, all the people sinking down? Don't you care, don't you care? Are you gonna let them drown? How can you be so numb not to care if they come. You close your eyes and pretend the job's done.

The world is sleeping in the dark that the church just can't fight, 'cause it's asleep in the light. How can you be so dead when you've been so well fed? Jesus rose from the grave, & you, you can't even get out of bed. Oh, Jesus rose from the dead. Come on get out of your bed.... Don't close your eyes. Don't pretend the job's done

"Come away, come away, come away with Me my love. Come away from this mess, come away with Me my love."

F. The Boomer generation saw a mission, to change the world, but they gave up.

G. Truly biblical Christian Rock music calls us to change the world through God's global mission of salvation in Christ.

H. If you agree, make this your prayer: "Live to Tell" by Geoff Moore and the Distance.

Now this is my prayer: Lord, help me to live what I say. / For so many times I know that my actions betray. / Let it be like it was with my Savior, Let my life tell His story of love.

Cause someone is watching, someone is listening. / Dying to know what we know so well. / It will help them believe it, if in us they see it. / That's why we must live to tell.

I will live to tell, of the One who has rescued my heart. / I will live to tell of the One who can bring a new start. / Take my life and let it be, a reflection of You For the whole world to see the God who is alive and well. / I will live to tell.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.