Music and Christian Culture

Noll's article is an excellent topic for discussion.  I thought he hit on a number of important issues, a few of which prompt some comments from me.

I particularly appreciated his comment that "singing is a deeply rooted expression of culture."  In this respect, I think that the evidence indicates that much, if not most, of contemporary worship music is reflective of a church culture that is increasingly worldly.  Across the board, from the worship music, to the liturgy and to the preaching, the church is following the lead of the world.  This is why so many of our mega-churches rely on consumer surveys.  What kind of music do you want?  What kind of message do you want to hear?  What do you think should happen in worship?  The overwhelming effect is that the idea of distinctively Christian culture (as with distinctively Christian truth) is traded away for consumer success.  Just the other day, I tuned into a contemporary Christian radio station and listening to the grunge-rock praise song that was playing, I wondered, "Why do we have to adopt distinctively worldly forms, especially in a time when the culture is increasingly debased of virtue and beauty?  A culture of despair is making music of despair, and we Christians can't wait to embrace it.