Hillsong? Bethel?

abcaines

abcaines

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There's little dispute that Hillsong and Bethel flaunt false teachings but from time to time, they (accidentally?) produce very sound worship music. Even if the lyrical work is sound, would you avoid the song because of it's publisher? What about royalties? What about causing others to stumble?
 
I don't like Hillsong much, but yes, they have occasionally produced some very good worship music. (I have yet to see one from Bethel as yet, myself.)

I wouldn't go out of my way to use their music, but if I happen to find myself singing a scripturally sound song and it turns out to be from Hillsong, what of it? We worship God with the words, not the copyright.
 
If you are doing everything right in your Church and have a CCLI, you are giving them money every time you use their music thus enabling them to continue with their false doctrine!

"The Goodness of God" is very special to my wife and I because of what God brought us through with her surgery last year but I hear that Don Moen is also credited with it so I try my best to pretend it is not a Bethel song.

As a rule, I stay away from all Hillsong, Elevation, and Bethel but I am also not as involved in our worship team these days. I guess if I had my way, went fully down the rabbit hole and separated completely from the cesspool of today's CCM "Worship Industry" culture, we would probably stick to 100 year-old (and older) hymns along with a psalter.

I used to really like the stuff that Maranatha! Music put out in the 1980s/1990s even as a hardcore IFBx (I'd secretly listen to KWVE while stationed in San Diego).
 
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Ransom said:
I don't like Hillsong much, but yes, they have occasionally produced some very good worship music. (I have yet to see one from Bethel as yet, myself.)

I wouldn't go out of my way to use their music, but if I happen to find myself singing a scripturally sound song and it turns out to be from Hillsong, what of it? We worship God with the words, not the copyright.
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Our worship team does a Brooke Lidgertwood song and IMO it's a really nice song as performed by our worship team. I heard it sung by her, it was like nails on a chalkboard.
 
I asked a similar question to this awhile back, and the short version to most peoples answers, including mine, is that I don’t generally practice secondary separation. But I also don’t judge other people who can’t get past their conscience on guilt by association issues.
 
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ALAYMAN said:
I asked a similar question to this awhile back, and the short version to most peoples answers, including mine, is that I don’t generally practice secondary separation. But I also don’t judge other people who can’t get past their conscience on guilt by association issues.
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I remember you posting something.

Today's question arises from a discussion our pastor had with us on the worship/sound table team. We examined both sides of the issue. Ultimately, we decided to make it a matter of prayer.
 
Thanks all of you for the cool headed responses. They run the gamut of the discussion we had today at church. Our pastor has some great resources he's using; a network of pastors... A lot of wisdom from both sides.
 
abcaines said:
There's little dispute that Hillsong and Bethel flaunt false teachings but from time to time, they (accidentally?) produce very sound worship music. Even if the lyrical work is sound, would you avoid the song because of it's publisher? What about royalties? What about causing others to stumble?
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I think this kind of question arises because Christian artists are looked on (mistakenly) as ministers, and they presumptuously put themselves out there as such.

I don't remember these kinds of discussions with the gospel recordings of Elvis or Johnny Cash, and I think it's because they weren't up there as ministers. They were artists that cut a few Gospel tracks.

Now, playing the recordings in church would have been something different.

I think music done right in church is congregational, generally unaccompanied, simple, and temperate.
 
Ekklesian said:
I think this kind of question arises because Christian artists are looked on (mistakenly) as ministers, and they presumptuously put themselves out there as such.

I don't remember these kinds of discussions with the gospel recordings of Elvis or Johnny Cash, and I think it's because they weren't up there as ministers. They were artists that cut a few Gospel tracks.

Now, playing the recordings in church would have been something different.

I think music done right in church is congregational, generally unaccompanied, simple, and temperate.
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i totally agree.... ..proper church music... or worship music as it;s called now... is that which doesn;t highlight an individual singer or musician.... ...and doesn;t put a spotlight on the performer... ..it;s a congregaton singing together.... ...what happens with professional musicians who travel around performing their music in church is nothing but entertainment.. ...not that there is anything wrong with it..... but it shouldn;t be considered ministering or even worship in my opinion... ... but it is just my opinion as i am often reminded.. ..a lot of people in my own church feel otherwise about it.. ...
 
I am thankful for our church. There is a place for large ministries. They have the talent to produce their own music, arrange music incorporating older hymns from time to time and using a variety of publishers.

3circlemusic.com

3Circle Music | Home

3Circle Music is a ministry of 3Circle Church, with campuses along the Gulf Coast of Alabama. We exist to reflect the beauty and artistry of our Creator in all that we create; declare God’s unchanging character and redemptive work, through all generations; and engage people in fervent response...
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We have a number of campuses. The guy at the top of the page leads the worship at our campus.
 
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