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Half of American Idol’s Top Ten are Worship Leaders or Have Church Ties

Orginally published on Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 7:30 AM
by Todd Rhoades

According to MTV.com: "more than half of this year's crop of finalists — including Danny Gokey, Michael Sarver, Kris Allen, Scott MacIntyre, Matt Giraud and Lil Rounds — either have a strong affiliation with the church or are worship leaders in their communities.

"I think that Christians probably watch the show all the time but maybe don't admit it. But this gives them someone to root for in this cast who is not just talented but also follows their faith, and people want to get behind contestants who align with their views," said Joanne Brokaw, who writes the Gospel Soundcheck" column for the spirituality Web site BeliefNet.com. "Christian music has always had this cheesy label attached to it, and this shows that a Christian singer can have artistic integrity and they are people who can really sing."

You can read more here at MTV.com...

Couple questions:

1. Do you watch American Idol?

2. Do you secretly (or not so secretly) root for the Christians to win? Why or why not? Is this right or wrong?

Just wondering…

Todd

This post has been viewed 685 times so far.

There are 15 Comments:

Posted by Peter Hamm

Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 7:38 AM

I don’t watch, but it is good to know that the church is producing artists that matter. We haven’t been so good at that for a while, and things seem to be turning around.
Posted by

Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 8:57 AM

I do watch AM and I do root for the Christ follower to win. I think this year it will be Danny Gokey. I agree with Peter Hamm that it is good to know that the church and the Christian community at large can produce artists of this caliber.
Posted by Derek Vreeland

Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 9:27 AM

I also watch AI. (Thank God for TiVo). I do not necessarily root for the “Christian.” Although I think Danny is the one to beat. If some of these worship leader type make it far in the competition but do not win, I hope they stay out of the CCM scene. Nothing kills fresh talent like some of these CCM producers.

And I have to give a head nod to Peter and James. It is great to see the church excelling in the arts. I hope we continue down this road.

Derek

P.S. A vote for Adam on AI is a vote for Satan himself. He murdered Ring of Fire this week. Although I think Johnny Cash would have liked it better than most Johnny Cash fans (myself included) did.
Posted by

Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 11:00 AM

I agree with Derek on Adam...his performance was a little Freddy Mercuryesque.
Posted by bobby

Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 12:40 PM

I know it wasn’t your question, but knowing what some other performers think of the show, I find it funny that American Idol qualifies as “artistic integrity.” Lol.
Posted by jimmy

Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 2:33 PM

I watch, but my vote is based on talent, therefore, I don’t vote often. But, I think Danny is doing pretty good, he’s got great pipes! I agree with Derek, Adam butchered that song. But I can’t wait for Adam to do a Queen song, that would be so killer.
Posted by David Insell

Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 3:13 PM

I have been an American Idol fan since year 2. I love Carrie Underwood and to see her rise to the top has been amazing. I am rooting for Kris Allen this year. I voted for him 80 times Tuesday night. I root for the Christians if they are good.
Posted by Rich Kirkpatrick

Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 4:38 PM

I watch.

And, Gokey is apparently my worship leader twin, so I have to root for him!
Posted by

Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 4:46 PM

Yes, we watch it. We don’t necessarily root for someone or vote for them just because they claim to be a Christian. Of course, it would be awesome if Gokey won and had the platform to share his faith, but I vote based on talent. That’s what the show is about.
Posted by John Morris

Friday, March 20, 2009 at 12:29 AM

I’m leary of any Worship Leader who would go on American Idol. Quite frankly, it speaks to me of a desire to indulge ambition rather than truly embracing what I see as the role of a Worship Leader. To me, a Worship Leader is a completely separate calling from an artist. Maybe Gokey and the others are really artists and the role of Worship Leader doesn’t fit them. But I don’t believe one can be both.

When I became a Worship Leader, I had a decisive moment with God where I realized I couldn’t play in the band I was in anymore. I knew that I had said YES to something different. To me, being a Worship Leader is about devoting yourself to the local church, a life of prayer and ministering to The Lord, and giving up the allure of stardom. Now, if you write a song that really goes somewhere, so be it. But you stay focused on the local church. I think of guys like Tommy Walker, who are definitely big names, but whose focus has remained on leading their local congregations despite their fame and recognition. I think if you want to be an artist, don’t lead worship. If you want to be a Worship Leader, don’t promote yourself like an artist. But whatever you do, keep holy things like worshipping the Lord holy. Don’t mix secular and sacred. It will only end up polluting and diluting the sacred instead of enlightening and “calling up” the secular. Just my opinions. I believe an undiluted, concentrated, uncompromised worship experience that brings in the presence of the Lord is far more effective in reaching lost people than a hybrid of “some God” and “some world”

Now, I watch AI, and love it. I’m really enjoying the amount of talent on there this year, and I’m a big fan of Adam Lambert. I like his uniqueness and the fact he isn’t trying to fit any mold but his own. I like that he is controlling the game rather than the game controlling him. I appreciate what he’s doing because I think it’s more true to the spirit of the show. It’s worldly, filled with not great stuff, but it’s what it is. I don’t want to have to guess what I’m watching. He’s good at performing and he fits in that world.

Once again, just my opinions.
Posted by

Friday, March 20, 2009 at 6:40 PM

Worship Leaders and Christians on American Idol is only a reflection of a lack of support for musicians within the church.

This is the sad reality. We spend more time criticizing them than we do encouraging them. It’s funny how we won’t support them when they’re in our churches but we’ll buy their music once they appear on American Idol.
Posted by Andy Wood

Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 8:39 AM

I have watched AI since season 4. It’s a multi-generational family thing with us. And yes, I’m a huge Danny Gokey fan. I’ve been attracted to his story and the character, confidence and skill he has displayed since his first introduction.

I think this actually speaks well of churches of various stripes as breeding grounds for musical talent and development of confidence, etc. But if somebody is going from there into commercial music, CCM isn’t the only demon (if it’s a demon at all). Somebody got Whitney Houston from a church choir, and I don’t see a whole lot of wonderful from her NOT being in CCM. And don’t even get me started on Jessica Simpson.
Posted by

Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 10:34 AM

What I meant by speaking poorly of churches is that - we should be able to use raise these talents and continue to use them within our churches.

If the church is only working as a breeding ground for talent that the secular then uses to further its anti-christian agenda then we’ve missed it.

It would be like developing preachers to become motivational speakers in the secular world. It’s like raising 3 Hebrew boys to go and be used in Babylon.
Posted by Andy Wood

Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 10:59 AM

You’re right Bob, if every single time someone went into the world they became like the world. But someone DID raise 3 Hebrew boys to go and be used in Babylon. Used by God, that is.

We’re back to the tension between IN the world and OF it. If as a pastor I could possibly raise up somebody in my church who knew he wasn’t called to be a pastor, but nevertheless could gain the world’s attention by the quality with which he spoke, taught, or yes, electrified an audience with his passion and ideas, I would be honored.

I’d also keep his cell number close by and let him have it (in love of course) if he started compromising his testimony.
Posted by Brian Hutchinson

Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 10:44 PM

I think these people being on this show can do wonders & that maybe God planned for them to do this. I learned along time ago (couple of years that is) that we should not talk down on what God has called others to do. I did that for a Christian band that rewrote secular songs with Christian lyrics. I bashed them, then God spoke to me (here comes the responses now!!!) & said don’t bash what I have called others to do.

Do you know these contestants on American Idol? Do you know God’s plan for their lives?

I don’t ......I know one only because he is one of the worship leaders of a great church. A church that is getting behind him with prayers & votes.

Are you going to bash bands like Red who their recent album debuted at #15 and would have been higher if the Grammy’s weren’t that week (Quote from their manager.)

They are just a few of the “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere” Christians.

Maybe just maybe we should focus our bashing on the devil who has dragged the name of Christ threw the mud publicly; ripped off people all around you & me; and who has a bigger church then yours + everyone else’s combined.

Bash him not your brother or sister in Christ.

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Hi... I'm Todd Rhoades. I'm a Christ-follower, husband, father and I love to connect leaders with other leaders. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step on Twitter.