Although I am in strong opposition to most of what is called "Christian" music today; I cannot and will not denounce across the board all Christian musicians. I don't personally listen to some styles of Christian music because they do incite worship in me, but instead titillate the flesh. In fact, I do believe all styles of CM have been perverted to some extent and I do not sense the anointing of the Holy Spirit in most of the music. This is not limited to music. I frequently see preachers on television that prance across the stage; posturing and acting out a preaching style while the articulate a sermon, yet there is no anointing. That's another problem altogether.

I also am not naive enough to believe people are going to listen to some styles or one style of music continually. Bluegrass Gospel will not turn on the worship in most people and neither will twangy, nasal, Country Gospel music. I certainly can't worship God with Death Metal music and liturgical, pipe organ, music depresses me.

What is the perfect style? I can't tell you the answer to that question. It's like the question that was posed to a wise, old, black preacher who knew God in the depths of his soul. He was asked, "Preacher, what is unction?" He answered, "I can't tell you what it is, but I can tell you what it ain't." In the same sense, I can't tell you what is the correct style but I can tell you what it ain't.

That sounds like a convenient cop out, so let me give you a well-deserved explanation of my answer. I believe the mantle of anointing was dropped by the last generation that had God's anointing on their music. It wasn't a sudden event so that you could point out the date and time. As that generation departed gradually into their eternal reward they gradually handed down the mantle. The next generation failed to pick it up, instead they fashioned a new mantle that was more exciting, but that is completely without anointing.  The result is that Christian music became perverted from being fashioned by the influences of the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit. We can see the parallel of this in the mainstream churches; the way they conduct services and ministry and the fashion or designer doctrine that avoids any commitment to God.

There is usually some sort of musical style change from generation to generation. This is to be expected and people shouldn't get too alarmed when this happens. Yet the style has changed dramatically over the last couple of generations. Even though there have been a few musicians that have written and performed anointed music during this time, I believe that we have had at least two generations pass without the mantle being picked up. As a result, our present generation and the coming generation are working under a false mantle. This is the reason why I can't point to the style or styles of music that is appropriate for our generation, because it never really developed. This is evidenced by the fact each subculture in the World System has a corresponding subculture in Christendom complete with its own music style and imagery.  The fact that each of these corresponding subcultures has their own Christianized music version of the sub culture they emulate is indicative of worldly influence rather than the influence of God. There is no originality, no creativity, and no distinctiveness in the Christian versions. It is simply borrowed musical styles taken from World System patterns that were designed by Satan for his kingdom.

Christianizing those styles has brought the weapons that Satan designed to deceive the masses even into the heart of the church's future, namely its youth. Satan didn't have to storm the doors of the church to sway these little ones.  Instead, he was invited, clothed with the finest sheepskin, and given the run of the house.

There are some sincere people who are genuinely saved but caught up in this scheme of the enemy of our souls. Why? Because they do not know any better. Many were raised in church under dead preaching and bad examples of Christian leadership. The prophets have shut their mouths on the subject choosing rather to prophesy smooth things in the classic spirit of Balaam. There are too many hirelings in the pulpit, yes-men to a deacon board, who will not speak out and have no knowledge or spiritual authority to do so.

Many anointed musicians are wasting their talents because they have not discovered the fallen mantle. They write songs from devoted hearts only to have secular and apostate producers and performers change the words. Even though occasional songs slip through that have meaning and anointing, most lie on the cutting room floor, so to speak, or never make it to the cutting room. For example, I have a friend who is an accomplished and legendary songwriter. He wrote a song pleading for the church to minister to the dejected, hurting, souls and convicting them for their coldness in not doing so. He said the song was turned down time and time again by both producers and performers. Most of them told him the song was too serious and needed to be changed. He refused to change it and finally found someone to record it. The result was it went to number one on the charts and was recognized with the highest award that the industry can give a song that year. Even the corrupt Dove Awards representatives recognize an anointed song even though they frequently honor the demonic and apostate musicians as well.  This is proof that a huge number of professing Christians want to listen to anointed music, but the carnal and often secular producers and program directors make the decisions to prevent anointed music from being marketed.

What's the answer? Of course the answer is to pick up the fallen mantle, but first this generation will have to find it.  They will not find the mantle in the halls of secular music companies or Christian music companies that have sold out to the same corporations that sponsor sex and violence on television and in movies.  The current wave of Christian musicians will have to discover the mantle on their knees in full surrender to God of their talents and future.  The result will be a new Christian music style or styles that do not resemble the satanic world system's music. It will be distinctly Christian, anointed and powerfully convicting. More than a reformation, it will be a revolution.

Some might say, the world would not listen to such music. I will reply that they don't watch Christian movies either or become interested in anything else the church does. We can't just invent things the world likes in order to get them interested. What are we going to do, invent "Christian" pornography to get pornographers interested in the church? Where will such a process end?  I say that it ends in failure every time with the cost of apostatizing the Church.  I believe we have not given enough credit to God for His ability to prove the reliability of His own works. He doesn't need our carnal modifications of His programs and implements. Doing so only dilutes their effectiveness.

When God sends a man that man is uniquely Christian, separated and anointed. He sent His book and it is uniquely Christian, separated and anointed. His music used to be the same. Today it is hard to find a man of God, uniquely Christian, separated and anointed. It is even difficult to find His word being preached with the mingled message of the New Age and pop psychology. Even the printed Bible is mingled with the doctrines of men who put their name on the cover.  I do not know of any other book whose authorship is replaced with the names of so many people who had nothing to do with authoring the book.  Today, the music has also lost all its distinctiveness and has become blended and mingled with the world spirit.

I don't enjoy writing the rebukes of the "Christian" music industry and its participants and certainly do not hate anyone. Yet strong rebukes are necessary when people harden their hearts and minds to God's Holy Spirit or are seeped in deception. God is speaking through me and others to denounce mutated music and at the same time is calling for courageous men and women who will search for and pick up the fallen mantle. The result will be a fresh new anointed music that will join with the word to revive God's kingdom, if there is to be another revival before the coming of Christ. This may be impossible without a purging of today's church; however young people have challenged the deadness of their elders before and it can happen again.