So I am in this band. We are NOT a christian band. Our mission as a band, of 5 christian dudes, is to play shows to kids who don’t share our beliefs and not concentrate solely on reaching people who are just going to listen to our music and assume it is all about God being good.
After being on tours for a year and a half it’s become apparent to me that some of our members don’t seem to feel this way as much as I do. They are perfectly content playing in weird places to kids who come up after the show and tell us how they wouldn’t have listened to us if we weren’t christian. Don’t get me wrong, it generally isn’t the kids fault (as it wasn’t mine), but those are NOT the kids I want to play music for. Showing christians that “God is good” does absolutely nothing for the world.
I write this blog after reading a status that a bandmate posted on our facebook stating, “Please call your local CHRISTIAN radio station and request ‘Brain Damage’”. Does he have any idea how much this singles our band out to people? Not to mention, if people are calling their regular radio stations requesting it, those stations will go find that song to please their listeners!
I’m afraid this may come off as me simply being afraid to announce that we are christians in this band. That is not the case at all. I am perfectly comfortable answering that question when asked, which happens often. However, I am not an evangelist. I would much rather effect somebody by my actions and way I live my life (which is not always the best). Another reason: I don’t necessarily like associating myself with the term “christian”. There are very few, self proclaimed “christians” that I know who are the furthest possible thing to what a christian should be. I, myself, can be hypocritical at times and don’t like people taking my personal hypocrisy as that of what a christian is. Christians already have a bad rep from hypocrites as it is.
One quote often heard in our van is, “I am fine playing christian places/events, but I just don’t want to get stuck in it.” Oh, really? Then why do YOU keep agreeing to constantly playing them and not even trying to look for any other options?! Why are we doing a full US tour for 2 months with a WORSHIP band?! WHY?! People in our generation have just stopped making any sense.
Anyway, all of this is to say that I am incredibly tired of playing at churches, to church kids, to church parents who force their beliefs on those kids, and not pursuing the goal that we have set out to accomplish.
