The pastor of a church I’ve recently visited gave a sermon on how all Christian Contemporary Music, especially Christian rock music is not an acceptable form of worship music, and he asserts that God is not pleased with that style of worship music. His argument is that since rock music “originated for the purposes of sin, darkness, and sexual immorality,” rock music is a bad tree that can only produce bad fruit. He said that even if some Christian rock musicians are sincere in what they do, they are still producing sinful music because rock music was created “for the sole purpose of sin, darkness, and corruption.”
This pastor is stating an opinion based on his own personal preferences. Some of the earliest worship music consisted of what we call the Psalms. When it was first sung in the Temple it was contemporary music.
The same is true of the traditional hymns. When they were first sung in Church they were contemporary compositions, and some of them were secular songs with Christian lyrics substituted for the secular ones. (In a reverse twist, some early rock & roll was actually adapted from southern gospel music.)
The point is all the traditional hymns of today were contemporary music at one time. The idea that God stopped the clock on acceptable worship music several hundred years ago cannot be supported.
Personally, I like both traditional hymns and contemporary worship music. My favorite way to worship is with a mixture, the best of of both. But God doesn’t condemn anyone because of the worship music they sing. They condemn themselves for refusing to accept the blood of Jesus as payment for their sins (John 3:18).
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing (Psalm 100:1-2 KJV).