Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, who have co-written popular "modern hymns" that are used in every kind of church from Roman Catholic to fundamental Baptist, have one foot in the world even as they write about a holy God. In a July 2013 interview Getty mentioned immoral rocker Sting and homosexual rocker Elton John in a positive light, with not a hint of warning. The interview was with Dan Wooding of Assist Ministries and was broadcast on Frontpage Radio from Nashville. Townend shamelessly lists as musical influences rockers such as Eminem and Bernie Taupin. As Jeff Royal comments, "Townend has no warning for the musical influences he lists. Taupin for example, co-wrote many songs for homosexual Elton John and was a reason for his success. Rapper Eminem has done untold harm to youth and yet no warning whatsoever." The Gettys list the Beatles as a major musical influence, and in his 2013 studio album Monument to Mercy, Townend "tips his hat to the influence of Paul McCartney and the Beatles." No rock group has had a greater anti-God influence on modern society than the Beatles. The Beatles have shaken their fist at Almighty God and His holy laws since the day they formed their band. To promote anti-God secular rockers in any sense whatsoever is to be a participant in their wickedness and to make oneself an enemy of God. "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Ephesians 5:11). Any bridge that Bible-believing churches build to Townend and Getty is a bridge beyond to the world of secular rock which they love and recommend and to the one-world "church" they represent. Yet at least eight Getty/Townend songs are included in Majesty Music's Rejoice Hymns. Twenty-nine of their songs are featured in Hymns Modern and Ancient, published by Heart Publications, a ministry of Steve Pettit Evangelistic Association and compiled by Fred Coleman who heads up Bob Jones University's Department of Church Music. Both Crown Baptist College and West Coast Baptist College, the two largest independent Baptist Bible colleges, perform Getty material in their services. (Friday Church News Notes, November 1, 2013, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143) Comments are closed.
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