WITH ALL DUE RESPECT — WORRY LESS ABOUT MY PLAYLIST AND MORE ABOUT YOUR HOUSE
Are you sure you want to have this conversation?
Because there is a certain irony in being questioned for liking rock music while far weightier matters sit quietly, comfortably, and unquestioned within your religious structures. With all due respect, if the loudest concern is what kind of music a preacher listens to, then something has gone terribly out of balance.
The Word of God has never placed artistic preference at the center of holiness. It has, however, consistently confronted power without humility, religion without mercy, and faith without justice. Jesus spoke plainly about this imbalance. He rebuked leaders who obsessed over minor details while neglecting what truly mattered. He said that they carefully strained their drinks to remove the smallest impurity, yet swallowed something far larger and more dangerous—justice ignored, mercy withheld, faithfulness abandoned (Matthew 23:23-24).
History confirms the danger of misplaced priorities. Entire denominational systems have, at times, managed to overlook racism, excuse injustice, and remain silent in the face of oppression—all while rigorously policing cultural expressions like music, clothing, or appearance. These are not small oversights. These are moral failures. And no amount of stylistic purity can compensate for a lack of love toward one’s neighbor.
The prophets were relentless on this point. They declared that worship divorced from righteousness was offensive to God. They warned that songs and gatherings, however sincere they sounded, meant nothing if they were not accompanied by justice rolling freely and righteousness flowing steadily through the land (Amos 5:21-24). God was not offended by melody; He was offended by cruelty hidden behind religious respectability.
Even the apostle Paul addressed this tendency. He reminded believers that rules about external things—what is touched, tasted, or handled—may appear wise and disciplined, but they lack the power to change the heart. They restrain behavior while leaving pride, prejudice, and lovelessness untouched (Colossians 2:20-23). A clean image can still conceal a corrupt spirit.
Music, like any created thing, can be used well or poorly. But it is not the measuring stick of godliness. The true measure is love. The Bible says plainly that without love, even the most impressive religious expressions amount to nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). If love is absent, orthodoxy becomes noise; if justice is ignored, worship becomes hollow.
So with all due respect, the concern should not be whether a pastor enjoys rock music, classical music, or silence. The greater concern is whether the church has confronted sin where it truly destroys lives—whether it has repented of prejudice, spoken against injustice, and reflected the compassion of Christ in a broken world. These are not secondary issues. These are the matters closest to the heart of God.
A faith that majors in minor things will always miss the weight of glory. But a faith anchored in truth, humility, and love can withstand disagreement over style while still bearing faithful witness to Jesus Christ.
You still there, bro?
BDD
