From: ras@controls.hccd.harris.com (Russell Soule)
Subject: Re: Amy Grant
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 19:52:28 GMT
Organization: Body of Christ

In article <8869@alvin.mcnc.org>, brooks@mcnc.org (Ted Brooks) writes:
|> In article <9APR199208160542@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov>, vvrcd@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov (ROBERT DIBACCO) writes:
|> > 
|> > Just thought I would share my thoughts on this issue because I am a 
|> > supporter of what Amy is doing.  The other day I heard a Christian DJ make 
|> > a comment about her crossing over and he said.  "It is nice that there is 
|> > finally a nice role model for kids to look up to out there besides MADONNA" 
|> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|> This was my EXACT thought while leaving her concert last summer in Raleigh, NC.
|> I'm sure most of the people in this newsgroup can remember what it's like to
|> be a teenager (think back real hard now) and remember how difficult it can be
|> to deal with peer pressure, self esteem, and a million other things that can
|> (and do) cause people to head down the wrong path. Even if they don't get saved
|> listening to AG on a secular radio, she's still someone in the secular scene
|> standing up and saying,"You don't have to be a sleaze and a degenerate. There's
|> a better alternative". (A nice contrast to Madonna. I peronally can't stand
|> Madonna, not because of her music, but because of her lifestyle, image and
|> antics.) And if they don't get saved on the spot, so what - a seed is still 
|> planted. She can do a whole lot better job witnessing to the lost by going
|> to where they are instead of "preaching to the choir".

AMEN!!!!!
Jesus was persecuted by the religous leaders for going among the poor, the sick,
the prostitutes and taxcollectors. Amy is persecuted for doing the same thing.
Sometimes we can be so arrogant thinking the world will come to us. We are to
go out into all the world. I thank God for Amy. She is truely following the
great commission. Groups that sing only blantantly Christian lyrics are great 
for helping those who are already saved in their walk with Christ. But someone
like Amy is going to reach ALOT more people who aren't saved yet. Sounds like
she's doing just fine to me.

And if you doubt her Christianity, look at Michael W. Smith's "How Long Will Be
Too Long". It's quite religious, and Amy and Wayne Kirkpatrick wrote the lyrics.

|> 
|> > I mean come on sure her lyrics aren't blantantly Christian but they are 
|> > wholesome.  Furthermore what about the song ASK ME denouncing child sexual 
|> > abuse and how God can bring healing to their lives.  Amy displays a love of
|> > life and I believe it is because she is on the right track.  
|> > 
|> > Finally, I have one other question!  Why don't people bad mouth Michael W. 
|> > Smith for crossing over?  What is he doing that is any different?
|> 
|> Probably because he hasn't been as successful in becoming a household word
|> in secular households.
|> 

[ rest of Ted Brooks' article deleted...sorry Ted ]

I think the reason Michael W. Smith hasn't been bad mouthed as much as Amy is
because his "Go West Young Man" album isn't quite as drastic a departure as Amy's
"Heart in Motion". I haven't bought "Heart..." yet, but I have borrowed it from
a friend, and I didn't see very much of God in it. I guess ASK ME is religous,
and I seem to remember one or two others that struck me as religious. But all
of the other songs are the double-meaning type of songs that Stryper caught
so much flack over. You know, the one's that could be between you and God, or
could be between boy and girl.

"Go West", on the other hand, has God all over it. Even "Place in this World" 
seemed quite religious to me, even after it got all that secular air play. There 
may be one "secular" love song on it, but I know from interviews that its lyrics 
were written by Wayne Kirkpatrick as a gift from Smitty to his wife, and there's 
nothing wrong with that. But songs like "Love Crusade", "Go West", "Agnus Dei", 
and "Seed to Sow", just to name a few, have very Christian themes and lyrics
to them.

That is why, IMHO, MWS hasn't caught the flack that Amy has.

|>  
|> Ted Brooks
|>  ______________________________________________________________________
|> | Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are my own, and do not reflect    |
|> | those of my employer. Advice is free, but you get what you pay for.  |
|> |                               ________                               |
|> |                         _____|  1955  |_______                       |
|> |                        /      Chevrolet      /                       |
|> |                       /______  BelAir  _____/                        |
|> |                              |________|                              |
|> |______________________________________________________________________|



Russ Soule


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