So, how did you do? How many of these pictures are of Christian artists? The correct answer is three. Now the real trick, which ones are they? I tried to make the first picture somewhat easy… not sure how much it helped most of you… it is Jars of Clay. The second picture is of a decidedly non-Christian band called Panic! at the Disco. The third one is one of the best Christian acts around today… Relient K. The fourth picture is of the Christian band Flyleaf and the fifth picture is of the secular band Fall Out Boy. How many of you kinda thought that the last picture might have been a Christian band? Why? Is it because they are smiling?I ask this because we received an advertisement in the mail today at church that has pictures of Christian artists Jeremy Camp, P.O.D., Flyleaf, Jars of Clay, Skillet, Switchfoot, LaCrae, and Delirious and in the center of the ad there is a question… “What do all these artists have in common?” The answer that I was supposed to have was merely waiting on me to flip the card over and read, “You can get their newest music videos and corresponding Bible studies FREE!” That wasn’t how I immediately answered the question, though… nor did another person to whom I showed the advertisement. We couldn’t help but notice that out of all those pictures that only two people (in the Switchfoot photo) even halfway looked like they had an ounce of joy in their lives.

I get it… believe me I do… the cool thing right now is to look stoic and “ultra-serious,” but at what cost? Have our Christian artists gone so far now that they have bought in to selling the “rock star” image above and beyond promoting the image of Christ? I TRULY need to know opinions on this as I am thinking about artistic layout and design right now… if I smile like Steven Curtis Chapman does for all his albums (don’t check me on that one), do I become outdated and “uncool” or do I stand out in a sea of loneliness, frustration, and desperate souls thirsty for life?