Recently, I had a chance to talk with Will Graham about Christian music and how it has helped him during his Celebration Events. When asked for his thoughts on how some detractors think of them more as concerts than revivals, he was very clear. "When I do events, they're not 'entertainment events.' As an Evangelist, I see that people will come and see the bands and that draws them in the door for me to get up and preach."
Stocking the Pond
Will Graham is not the first Graham to use popular music to help get people in the door. He is also not the first Graham to take flack for it. He explained, "My grandmother was asked about using bands at Billy Graham events because my granddaddy used bands. He started using dcTalk and Michael W. Smith in 1994 in Cleveland, Ohio. It was the first Crusade where we had 'rock 'n roll' music - Christian rock 'n roll. My granddaddy was criticized and people were asking 'What in the world are you doing?' My grandmother gave the answer. She said, 'They stock the pond so Bill can go fishing.'"He continued, "That's what it is. We're preaching. The people that come in for the music may not know Christ. The water may change and the fish may change so you have to change how you fish. Sometimes you've got to fish high and sometimes you have to fish low. If the water is muddy, you have to use a different color lure. I don't do "church services." This may sound crass, but I don't do events to please the church. I do events to see people come to know Christ. I believe that if the church has the right heart, they're going to be excited."
Some people within the body of Christ are quite adamant that there is no such thing as Christian rock or Christian rap. They believe that using modern music is too worldly. Some groups have even gone so far as to proclaim that any music that uses drums or electric guitars is "satanic." Will has heard comments like that himself and he had a simple response for them.
The Language of Music
He said, "Ron Hutchcraft said it best when he said that music is not a style, it's a language. Instruments and music styles are not evil. What's evil is the heart of man. I've known a lot of Christian artists who are highly respected, but their hearts are far from God. To me, the heart is the issue. Bands that I work with, like Tripp Lee, Diamond Rio, Skillet and Matthew West, they have a heart to use what God has given them to reach others."Flyleaf, another band that Will Graham has worked with, has earned his respect because they too "walk the walk." He shared a story about an event that Flyleaf played at that brought tears to my eyes.
He said, "You look and Flyleaf and, to older people, they look weird because they dress like the kids do. But behind the stage, Lacey and her husband are on their knees praying for the kids to come to know Christ. That's the caliber of them as people and as artists. They pray that God will use their music to reach people for Christ. I have known a lot of Christian artists through my granddaddy and I've never seen anyone else do that (even though they may)."
Will continued, "Lacey shares her testimony on stage and shares how she contemplated suicide at one point in her life. That really reaches people and there are kids out there that are right there themselves. One night, there was a girl in the audience who came to know Christ. She went home and emailed us and said, 'I was going to commit suicide tonight but a friend invited me to come and I gave my life to Christ after hearing Lacey.' So here is an artist that most churches would never welcome in, who helped save a life."
For Will Graham and the bands that he chooses to work with, that is what it is all about - saving lives and sharing grace.
