Notice the headline didn’t state “Christian Artists”, in this recent news article Aly & AJ state that they’re really not interested in being labeled Christian artists, they prefer to be inclusive.
Q: A couple years ago, you were up for contemporary inspirational artist at the American Music Awards. Do you consider yourselves a Christian music act?
A: No. I don’t think our music has lyrics in there that would be actually stating the fact that we are Christians. It comes from a Christian standpoint where we are affected by our faith in our everyday life. But at the same time, I wouldn’t say we’re only Christian artists. We just happen to be Christians. I think it’s better to be inclusive, not to shut anyone out.
That’s why we want to be able to have our music in a Christian bookstore but also have it out there in the mainstream. That’s the most important thing to us because I just think everybody needs to hear our music instead of just one little group. You can be any kind of religion and listen to our music. And I think that’s awesome.
I appreciate that viewpoint from these young girls. We need more of that mind set across the gamut of professions and jobs don’t we? What do you do? Are you a Christian doctor? Or, a doctor that’s a Christian. Are you a Christian actor? Or an actor that’s not ashamed of your Christian values?
Aly & AJ, opening for Hannah Montana, reinventing themselves on second CD
Photo Credit: Amber Watch Foundation
The real question we believers must ask ourselves, regardless of position, is if what we do is glorifying the Lord. Is what we do a result of obeying a direction the Lord has given, or is it directly related to making money? Where our treasure is, there our heart will be, also. It’s time for all believers to seek Him with an honest, soft heart.
Aly and AJ must ask themselves these same questions, but every other believer earning money from a gift must do the same. There are natural gifts born in the flesh and gifts given by the Holy Spirit when we receive Salvation through Yeshua. Once we’re His, they all belong to Him, and God’s gifts aren’t for sale. How many Christian authors write books to make money? If they weren’t going to make money, would they still write the books? Songs of Worship are to edify the body, not make money! Praying for others and preaching the Gospel, Holy Spirit led, would never charge listeners to come and seek out the Lord.
As in the days of Yeshua (Jesus,) we live in the midst of a perverse generation. It’s time for what we call the church to come clean before the Lord and break the bondage of fame and loving money. Yeshua, and His disciples later, didn’t have conferences, sell Spirit inspired works, or charge admission to anything. When the early church gathered, they supported one another willingly. Their hearts were focused on the Lord and Heaven as Home. I’m sure they expected Him to return in their lifetime. If we’re honest, we hope it’s during our own. Yet, here we all are pressing toward the bank and, for some, a money legacy instead of The Mark.
We’ve gotten so far away from SIMPLE TRUTH as a body of Believers, it’s getting hard to tell the difference between the church and the world.
Back to the article, these sisters are making money singing. They alone know if it’s in obedience or if they are doing just to make money, but what they aren’t doing is using the church as a money maker!!! What they aren’t doing is showing hatred instead of lovingly sharing the truth with joy. What they aren’t doing is keeping grace for the elect who’ve been selected from a man-made standard drawn in the sand.
I admire these sisters for being honest. They have a gift. They are using that gift before the public eye, not just the church. Many Christian artists are gifted (the Lord never revokes His gifts); but along the way to Christian stardom, receiving the glory and money for and of themselves, not out of directly obeying the Holy Spirit, moment by moment, they have left their first love. They love attention and money: A man can’t have two masters…plain and simple.