For a little more than a year now, I have been listening to Christian Contemporary Music as my main musical genre. I've really grown to like it. Lately, a group called The Newsboys has grown in my affection, and I talked Amy into going to a concert last Friday night in Trenton. They were excellent! And Shine is awesome performed live! I felt like I was twenty years old again. This was the first Christian music concert I've attended since sometime around 1980 when I was just out of college and I went to an Amy Grant concert with a youth group from Crossroads Baptist Church of Northglenn CO, headed by the pastor's son, Steve Taylor. Steve Taylor, I found out today, went on to have a successful musical career himself, and produced several albums by The Newsboys! Back in 1980, I wasn't really impressed with Christian music. As I remember it, the only Christian artist who ever performed outside a church sanctuary was Amy Grant. Now it's different. Many more artists, and the music is much better now. The concert I saw last Friday was better than any of the rock concerts I attended back in the 70's or 80's.
Man, I haven't been to a bona-fide Christian concert since 1988, and I feel like a dino! Back then, I saw Carman, who came to Utica, NY, to perform free. Oh wait, I did see Twila Paris in 1990, but that was in a church, not technically a "concert." When it comes to Christian events, New York State is, for the most part, bone dry. We are called the "frozen chosen" up here. It is doubtless very important to have sincere faith around a local culture so unfriendly to Christianity. Strangely enough, the nation's greatest revivals began in upstate New York- Jonathan Edwards founded a church nearby, and Charles Finney's "burned-over" district is 5 miles from my door.
Anyway, it is nice to have more "options" available for Christians. And who woulda thought that "Christian" blogging would be popular!
Posted by: Rebecca E at November 18, 2004 10:32 AM