A Hellion's View Of The Christian Music World. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

It never ceases to amaze me how Jesus constantly warned about how the church would be filled with legitimate believers and false believers; those who claim the name of Christ but don't act in accord with their profession. I was involved in the CCM scene in the late 80's through the early 2000's and remember back when things were VERY different. I'm thankful for the enduring Christian connections i made during that era, and am thankful for a pastor who gave me realistic expectations for what sort of people to expect to find anywhere people claim the name of Christ.

25 yrs in Christian music. Thanks for sharing your truth. I searched Highway 96. Cool. Truth is, in 2024, The real broken remnant is scattered all out here. 😎

I’m a Pastor and on one end there are levels of accountability and consequences for our actions depending on what platform you have. On the other end there should be forgiveness, grace, mercy, and restoration because we all sin.

I’m a missionary who had an entirely different church experience overseas, but coming back to the US church world I see a lot of disturbing things.

I’ve been a Christian all my life, and this is accurate. There are wonderful, amazing people in the church and people I wouldn’t trust to take out my trash. But this is true of any group, organization, club, or gathering of people. The church is unfortunately not exempt from human nature. I appreciate that you cover both the good and the bad, rather than overemphasizing one or the other.

I remember being a Christian in a rock band. The church needed us to be a Christian Rock Band. To play only church sanctioned events and crap like that. I always thought “Jesus was a carpenter, not a Christian Carpenter”. Did the church tell Jesus what, when, and how to build when he was a carpenter? There were so many examples of Jesus doing things with people the church didn’t approve of. I caught a lot of shit from the church for not submitting my extra curricular activities to their whims. I heard years later the head pastor secretly told everyone to not come see us perform. Because we were playing at the Local TexMex Bar n’ Grill. Everyone needs to learn that organizations and people will let them down. Schools, teachers, the government, the DMV, churches, and Christians. We are all made of the same stuff.

Some people are followers of Christ, some just wear a label. Thanks for seeing and speaking about the nature of the true Christian. So many times all the world hears is bad. Thanks again.

Hey, We all make steps towards good in Gods timing, nobody elses, we‘re not here to try to impress other people with some kind of holier than thou competition. It‘s in Gods timing, nobody elses, You do you. ☦️

I once attended a church where the pastor had been in radio. When he converted, he was really excited to get out of all the backbiting politics of his secular radio station to work at a Christian station where he thought it would be all love and grace and forgiveness. Instead, it was much worse. The reason was that everyone was expecting everyone ELSE to be loving and forgiving to THEM rather than expecting themselves to act that ways to others. At the secular station it was restrained a little by a sense of professionalism. So it was really toxic. The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast shows how churches can go really haywire when there's size and numbers and money and celebrity in the mix.

You got my sub on this one. I'd like to add that many secular organizations that are driven by ideals (nonprofits) have similar issues for all types of employees.

You're the kind of guy that I wish more churches were full of! Real and raw. 👍

Thx Nicky, ya I use to work with a friend doing Word records and southern gospel as well. One time was working with Jimmy Buffets manager and he would say you christian record people always want everything and never want to pay for it. He was mostly right , but It was tough at times having to get enough money from record label to finish a project. Sadly now, so much less money going around for those same mid grade records.

Your perceptions are spot on. If you're ever in Eastern PA, you are very welcomed to have a beer with this Christian and her husband. We'll play music in the back yard.

Played drums for a charismatic church for a few years and man did I get some chops. 2-3 hour worship services, single songs that went for 30 minutes and blood on the snare drum. Never had another gig where I had to remember to bring band-aids! Also got slightly better at dancing heh

I did a little ccm before it was called ccm in Nashville in the 90’s. I noticed that it was fraught with the same problems that the rest of Nashville had. Money b money and Folks b folks I reckon. But I do give thanks to God EVERYDAY for my Sunday morning gig. Great church, great people, great gig.

So much to say, put no good words to say it all. Nicky V is no better or worse than the Christians that surround him. As a child of God, Nicky V has a responsibility to speak out about the good, the bad and the ugly. There is a lot of ugly in the Church and there is a lot of Good in the Church. Perhaps this whole topic revolves around priorities. Where is the top priority of a Christian life? It should be the same top priority of a Christian musicians life, as it should be the same priority of any Christian craftsman's life. The top rung of the priority ladder is Love God and Love people. Peoples ladders seem to be mixed up......mine too sometimes. Thanks for a worthwhile video.

I love your honesty and I look forward to all your videos. YOU are one of my favorite people. Thanks for your time and just being so dang nice and easy to listen to. Have a great week.

Way to make me all sappy this morning, Hines. We sure do love you and the fresh approach you bring to SOGO music. You are the best thing Steve ever did. Love you big!

I’m so glad of your experience/relationship with the Highway 96 crew. Fantastic people ❤️

Thanks for the insight! Love the channel, it's going to be huge.