A Hellion's View Of The Christian Music World. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

"I am not a Christian artist, I am an artist who is a Christian." Johnny Cash

I have spent most of my life in the church culture and played guitar and bass in church for decades. My wife plays keyboards and sings. I was trying to find some points that you were wrong on so I could point them out, but to be honest, Nicky you pretty well nailed it. You gave an accurate and fair assessment. Lots of abuse and bad religious systems, but also lots of genuine Christian people that live out their faith in sincerety. Extremely well done.

Hey brother. I have not seen any of your videos prior to this. It is insightful. I was intrigued by your comment about how you cuss and drink so you feel like you're not a part of the "Christian" world. I want to encourage you that I too am a a guitarist working the club scene, I LUV a good cold beer or bourbon drink and my language includes a colorful word now and then.....but I am a SOLD OUT follower of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Remember this brother...."religion" is people telling you what's "right" and "wrong"....but a personal RELATIONSHIP with Jesus is the most freeing, rewarding thing you can step into. If you'd like to talk about it, feel free to let me know, and we'll figure out how to connect and speak further. Be blessed brother!!!

You're the kind of guy that I wish more churches were full of! Real and raw. 👍

I love your honesty and I look forward to all your videos. YOU are one of my favorite people. Thanks for your time and just being so dang nice and easy to listen to. Have a great week.

Your perceptions are spot on. If you're ever in Eastern PA, you are very welcomed to have a beer with this Christian and her husband. We'll play music in the back yard.

Thanks for the insight! Love the channel, it's going to be huge.

Interesting. I was a traveling musician in the early seventies with a southern gospel group. We had plenty of diesel pushers on our tails. Holier than thou while in the venue then there’s the afterwards. It made me look at the business in a totally different way. And if you may ask? Commonplace.

I’m so glad of your experience/relationship with the Highway 96 crew. Fantastic people ❤️

Thank you for taking the time and effort to share your experiences within the Christian music world. I appreciate your directness and honesty.

Your videos are always enlightening. Thanks!🎸🎤👍

Very refreshing. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Way to make me all sappy this morning, Hines. We sure do love you and the fresh approach you bring to SOGO music. You are the best thing Steve ever did. Love you big!

Well done! One of the best videos I’ve seen!

Such a great way of sharing your thoughts on that particular industry without the cynicism. Don’t see or hear that these days! I dabbled in both Christian and Country music projects as a songwriter/artist here in town over the last 20+ years. Appreciate the positive video. I’m certain this is why you likely stay busy and work with other great musicians. Keep it up!

Man, this is one of the best observations of that world that I've seen. And things that absolutely should be pointed out. Both the bad and the good. Thank you.

Like others, I very much appreciate you being open and honest. You have a far different perspective than many of us who have been on the inside .... being in praise bands ... seeing church become more of a 3 ring circus than actually serving Christ. I was fortunate to have had an almost decade long experience with a church whose pastor had been an evangelist. The cause of Christ is about "seeking and saving that which was lost." "The good shepherd leaves the 99 to go after the one." So when the cause of Christ is on the back burner, or maybe thrown out with the trash ... what remains? I dearly love entertainment. I have gotten so much from message songs. Cats In The Cradle haunted me. When I finally had a child, a son, I made sure I spent a lot of quality time with him. And it was due, in great part, to that song of Harry Chapin. The first time I heard Bridge Over Troubled Waters was when I was stationed in Germany back in 68 to 70. My friend wanted me to hear that song. I stood in the middle of his room like a statue .... taking every word sung along with the amazing music. With the CCM industry, in the early 80s, there were investors who saw Christian music as an untapped gold mine. They gave the edict to Christian songwriters, "We want no more I got saved you get saved too songs. Get commercial ... or get lost." Since reaching out to souls yet in darkness is the cause of Christ, they pretty much said, "Be like Judas ... who only cared about money and his own selfish wants." Many who became a part of the CCM machine were and are sell-outs. Like you stated, it is not fair to use blanket statements that cover everyone. But prior to the 80s, the songs we sang were the sacred hymns like "Look and Live, my brother live." There was nothing that appealed to the flesh, the carnal nature. There is so much more I could state .... and others could state. Church attendance began to drop off in the mid 80s. It was estimated that 30% of all professing Christ-followers no longer attended church. Fast forwarding to our times, that number has doubled. The early church .... maybe day one and shortly thereafter .... was about the cause of Christ, prayer, and about sacrificial love, which is charity. In that church I attended in the 70s, my car was smashed in on one side from an accident. One man in the church walked up to me, handing me the car keys to one of his cars. That is where the rubber meets the road .... so to speak. As an added note: I have been writing Christian message songs since the 70s. Since my songs do not at all fit within the realm of the CCM pigeon hole, I was never able to get anywhere with them. If you want to hear a few of them, drop me an Email at toddm7 at comcast dot net

This is great content Nicky!

I appreciate your honesty. Fairly new to the channel but will be watching more. I grew up playing around dirk, Kelly, Scott. Sure you know these guys. I can totally relate. Also toured on a country bus. Liked it much better than all my years in sg.

Very kind and thoughtful video!