I have always been wary of Christian music. There is just something about those infomercials showcasing auditoriums filled with people with eyes closed and arms raised swaying to what I deemed to be overly simple melodies that made me switch the channel as quickly as my thumb would allow each time I was channel surfing.
Conversely, I often lecture my students on keeping an open mind about music. Over my nine years of teaching, I have said more times than I can count that it is wrong to discount or subscribe to exclusively an entire genre of music. I have always told my students, "If you think you don't like country music, you probably haven't found the right country artist or band yet."
Well, the teacher became the student when she was blind-sided by a Christian rock concert.
In December, my husband informed me that he had gotten tickets to a Christmas concert at a church in his work territory. We will occasionally attend events in the town which he works so that he can be seen as a member of the community who cares (which he does). I thought, "Oooh! A Christmas concert at the church... carols, candlelight, maybe we can sing along... yay!" I dressed in a conservative, black sweater dress and heels and we headed off.
As you have probably guessed by now, I was misinformed about this concert. It was not the first time nor will it be the last that my wonderful husband didn't quite convey the mood or theme of an event. (Like the time he told me to wear a cocktail dress to an event which actually turned out to be a cover for taking me out for a romantic night at our favorite restaurant... SUCH a good surprise, NOT the right outfit. Or the time I ended up wearing a sequin-trimmed mini-dress and gold high heels to a casual New England seafood restaurant- a story for another time or another blog.) It turns out that we were in attendance for a rock concert in the gymnasium of the church by a group called Barlow Girl and their opening act, Reilly, a violin-rock Christian group.
I felt quite over-dressed being surrounded by jeans, t-shirts, and hoodies and not a little skeptical of what we were in for... why were we surrounded by such cool looking people? Where were the khakis and tucked-in button downs and long-sleeved floral dresses? Why were actually in the older half of the audience?
My questions were answered when Reilly took the stage and the room and my chest were filled with driving music- melodies that I would voluntarily listen to, eerily similar to bands I already enjoy. The difference was a passion amongst the musicians that I suspect cannot be achieved unless performing TO praise, as opposed to performing FOR praise. My husband and I stood there in disbelief and with tears in our eyes. The music and the passion were so powerful. The band members were our age, extremely talented, and looked like people you'd want to hang out with. Their unapologetic love for Jesus shone through their work. We were compelled to buy two CDs and a t-shirt immediately following their set.
Then came Barlow Girl. These three sisters are just about the cutest, trendiest, most sarcastic, and fun girls you can imagine. One of them plays drums for goodness sake! As I took in their witty banter between fabulous songs, I found myself wanting to be one of them. Here were these ladies in their late 20's, dressed so cutely with cool haircuts and BEAUTIFUL voices who were doing what they loved- playing music and praising God.
As a Catholic, I had not really ever had the opportunity to be preached to by a female, and the experience was so moving and relate-able to me. At the end of their performance they asked the audience to close their eyes in prayer and the lights were turned down. When we opened our eyes the sisters were gone from the stage. How selfless to play music all night but to not want to be applauded. It was literally and figuratively eye-opening.
So, I am a convert. I haven't done much more exploring of new bands, but I listen to my Reilly albums in the car and you know what? It makes me feel a lot better than I do when I hear some nonsensical song about sex and seduction on the radio. I am inspired by these artists. It takes so much more courage to do what they do than to try to shock the audience and world with distasteful outfits or lyrics. I yearn to be like them- to not let my inexplicable need to fit in override what I truly love. When will I be free of caring what anyone else thinks but Him?
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