What Mumford has discovered, along with his masters at Universal, is that this goopy, self-serious emotionalism sells like crazy. And since he apparently has no interest in new musical ideas, you end up with a relentlessly monotonous body of work that amounts to more of a brand than an oeuvre.

Is criticizing the racist roots of Puritanism out of bounds? That’s what some Calvinists are debating following Christian rapper Propaganda’s scathing indictment of Puritan history.

T.G, an unidentified Puritan divine, wrote a 1616 treatise on why Christians should not go to stage plays and listed seven reasons why not: “The Puritan authorities hated and feared the theater because it portrayed immorality and could be used to promote subversive ideas.”

At age 19, Lecrae attended a conference at the prodding of a friend and heard James White deliver a message that he says “turned his world upside down and showed him his need for a savior.”

I'm really happy to see new material from some of my favorite musicians, but I know that I'm not the same person I was when I started going to rock shows in church basements. I no longer put band stickers on my car or wear their buttons on my jacket. I no longer listen to Christian radio or buy my music from Bible bookstores. But these are some of the people who taught me what I know about faith, hope and love—and I'll be forking over some cash this year to hear them do it again.

“I record for a label that lets me work at a church instead of having to always be on tour. And I love how it all interconnects. This dynamic is what makes me a healthy person. I am blessed!” When Laura Story penned her now-famous song “Blessings,” she could hardly have imagined the way it... Continue Reading

He decided he wanted to meet (John) Stott, and a friend helped connect them. Simon called the theologian and offered to take him out for dinner. He said Stott told him he didn’t go out much anymore and instead invited the musician to his flat for tea and biscuits. Paul Simon’s latest album, So Beautiful... Continue Reading

Like CCM, Christmas music is defined by its lyrical content, not its music (though sleigh bells, chimes, and children’s choruses seem to be in every Christmas album from reggae to bluegrass). So, like CCM, it has spun off dozens of subgenres. On one end of the spectrum are “seasonal” albums that make no reference to... Continue Reading

“The Majesty of His Birth,” a collection of traditional Christmas carols, is a new album by former PCA pastor Hugh Davis. Each of the eight carols in the collection are orchestrated in unique ways to help the listener hear the news of Christ’s birth in a fresh way. The style varies throughout the collection, ranging... Continue Reading

Rigorous theology helps people avoid mindless conformity. Without timeless rules, we all have a tendency to be swept up in the temper of the moment. But tough-minded theologies are countercultural. They insist on principles and practices that provide an antidote to mere fashion You can feel a jolt of energy surge through the audience of... Continue Reading