In the discussion about Christian music, there's always a question lingering in the back of my mind: how do you balance being a Christian music celebrity with biblical, Christian faith?
Sure, there are a lot of bands who sing about Jesus, and there are a lot of bands made up of Christians who offer great entertainment without a specific faith message. But can an entertaining, top notch, mainstream-quality rock band be open and bold about their faith and still attract fans?
You better believe it, and one band that's been doing it for years is the Newsboys. Not only have they garnered multiple Dove Awards and Grammy nominations, four RIAA certified Gold CDs, sold more than five million records, and scored 22 #1 radio hits, they're passionately dedicated to sharing the gospel around the world.
Frontman Peter Furler has the ability to captivate the audience with his amazing vocals and dynamic stage presence, and then stand before a crowd of thousands, who sit hushed in silence, as he passionately shares the truth about sin and redemption. I've seen it myself, and have always been amazed at the band's dedication to offering quality entertainment and a no-nonsense approach to Christ. Furler speaks truth, and does it in love and without any hesitation.
The band recently performed a "Reach" event in Tucson, Arizona at the Tucson Electric Park. The event was sponsored by Family Life Radio and was open to the public and totally free of charge, offering a night of entertaining music as well as a solid presentation of the gospel.
One volunteer named Dale told me that an estimated 14,000 people were in attendance, with many coming forward to make commitments to Christ. He said traffic was backed up on the interstate for miles and miles as people tried to get into the show.
I'm not surprised. The Newsboys put on one heck of a show, and if you can see it for free, and bring a friend who can hear about Jesus, it's worth waiting in traffic to get in.
But what makes the Newsboys great isn't only what you see on stage. They're passionate about not just spreading the word of the gospel, but also getting their hands dirty, from their work in with Baja Christian Ministries in Baja, Mexico building houses for the poor to their volunteer work with Ethnographic Media, serving as a film crew for the making of the documentary "Miss HIV."
Even when the band can't actually share a gospel message during the show, they still are able to be godly light to the world. "We played a show in Morocco not long ago for about 15,000 Muslims, and it was like something out of Indiana Jones," recalls Furler. "Snake charmers, people eating eyeballs, etc. This is a place where the name of Jesus will get you killed! Nevertheless, His name went out subtly through our songs, and when it did it was probably the loudest His name had been spoken there in ages. It's a dark place, for certain. But we were able to love these people by just living with them for a few days. That's what it's about."
The band has focused attention on helping their fans not just hear about Jesus, but delve deeper in to a study of God's work, not just evangelizing but making disciples.
All of which proves only one thing: Yes, Christians music artists can be celebrities, and when they handle that status with responsibility and grace, they can reach the world with the gospel.
RELATED POSTS
Christian music's Newsboys help with filming of documentary "Miss HIV"
Newsboys live CD/DVD in stores now
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Add to Facebook
Add to StumbleUpon
Subscribe
I love that the Newsboys played in Morocco... now that's dangerous, and all too often Christians don't do anything dangerous...think of all the "safe for the whole family" Christian radio stations putting out vanilla pop day after day to soccer moms whose biggest fear is that their local Starbucks will be out of mocha java something or other.
I actually remember writing to the organizers of the Christian music event in Morocco asking if there was a way I could be part of it; I have always wanted to go to Morocco, and what better reason to do so than to take music that shares the Gospel over there to the "snake charmers and eye ball eaters." Hey, it's not American culture, but it's their culture, and if anything, it presents a very unique place to witness to who Christ is, to people who may have never considered Christ before. I wish the Newsboys would go to even more "exotic" places rather than play to the same crowds over and over again here in the States. Of course, we love them here, but if they can handle Morocco, then what is stopping them from playing Sao Paulo, Istanbul, Oslo, Nairobi, Mumbai, Moscow, Vienna, etc.?
Mark, you crack me up. "...'safe for the whole family' Christian radio stations putting out vanilla pop day after day to soccer moms whose biggest fear is that their local Starbucks will be out of mocha java ..." That's hilarious. Those are some of the same stations that wouldn't play Jason Gay's music b/c they had to say "gay" on the radio. (He's now Jason GRAY.)
The Newsboys have played worldwide. Their archive of tour dates shows they've played Netherlands, South Africa, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Holland, Norway, Russia, Finland, and the UK. They were just in Israel, I know that, and played for a totally mixed crowd of faiths. Their upcoming December tour dates take them to Mexico, El Salvador, Guatamala, and Costa Rica.
You rock,
Joanne
host of the GS blog
To Mark--I'm curious what you have against "all the 'safe for the whole family' Christian radio stations putting out vanilla pop day after day"? Believe me, I'm not a soccer mom and I'm not a Starbucks fan; my biggest fear is that I'll be homeless next month. That "safe for the whole family" christian radio you're talking about has helped keep me uplifted, encouraged, and focused on God through some VERY difficult years. No, it's not perfect, but it's so much better than the secular stations that often make me blush at the things they talk about on air. SO why the rag on Christian radio?
And I AM a big newsboys fan. One of the things I love about them is that they don't play it safe! Their music is totally about living the Christian life, and being devoted to Christ.
Post a Comment
By submitting these comments, I agree to the beliefnet.com terms of service, rules of conduct and privacy policy (the "agreements"). I understand and agree that any content I post is licensed to beliefnet.com and may be used by beliefnet.com in accordance with the agreements.