Christianity & Culture with Kierstyn St. John

The Christian music industry is dying

• Kierstyn St. John of Zoetic • Season 1 • Episode 6

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The Christian music industry is in really bad shape. Today’s episode is about eleven other popular Christian artists who have contributed to its downfall or have been weak/heretical on what the Bible clearly calls sinful. No one is perfect, and as a Christian duo ourselves, we’ve certainly made mistakes. But the artists in this episode have made repeated, blatant public mistakes and have avoided accountability. 

This episode is to show that the rot is prevalent throughout the industry and that maybe we need to tear it down to build something new. 

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Kierstyn St. John:

I do believe that the Christian music industry is dying or dead. It is suffering significantly and today I'm going to talk about how widespread that rot goes. In our previous video I talked about the most egregious examples of the people who were, in my opinion, causing most of the rot in Christian music. These artists were Flamie Grant, amy Grant they're two different people Derek Webb and grace semler. Um. I've also talked about artists who collaborated with or endorsed some of these people um, such as switchfoot, reliant, k newsboys, etc. So I talked about that in the previous video. This video I'm going to give much more of a wide survey into christian music so that we can see not just how deep this goes but how widespread it is as well. Today I'm going to go through as many Christian artists as possible to give you a really broad but in-depth look at the industry.

Kierstyn St. John:

So my singer, emma and I took a couple of weeks and did a lot of in-depth research into the Christian music industry. Why? Well, because we're in it and I want to understand the industry that we're in. We did deep dive research into about 75 of the most popular Christian artists of today. Some of them have been Christian artists who've been going for a really long time. Other ones are much more recent, and we kind of separated these artists into three categories. And again, these findings were mostly just for us. But there were three main categories. The first category was like kind of bold and biblical, okay. The second category would be silent. So, you know, maybe they do talk about God or Jesus in their songs, but they, they're relatively shallow and they and they don't talk a lot on important cultural issues and they don't call out what is happening in the industry, which is extensive. And then, uh, the. The third category would be kind of I don't want to overuse the word woke, but progressive Christianity. Um, and all of these artists fell into one of these three categories. Um, and what was sad to me is that only eight of the 75 artists that I, that we researched into, fell into that bold and biblical category where they were really tackling these issues head on.

Kierstyn St. John:

Now, you know, for the silent artists, I really do wish they would speak up. Do I think that they're sinful for not doing so? Not necessarily, but I do think we're getting into a point in the culture where it becomes less and less excusable to stay silent, especially if you're coming from a position of influence With the silent artists. I'm not going to call most of them out by name. They made up the majority of the document of the research. Today's video will mainly focus on the major Christian artists in that last category who've leaned really progressive or who have been weak on today's issues, mainly in the sexual ethics realm. So we're just going to start going straight down the line and a lot of these people again I said this in my previous video are very prominent, have massive, massive platforms and need to be held accountable because they ideally should be standing, if they call themselves a Christian artist, for biblical truth.

Kierstyn St. John:

Okay, first person I'm going to talk about should be no surprise to anybody Lauren Daigle. So Lauren Daigle both claimed ignorance on the subjects of gay marriage and abortion two separate occasions. On the subjects of gay marriage and abortion two separate occasions. She infamously said this in an interview back in 2018 when asked about gay marriage. She was asked about that and she said I can't honestly answer on that. In a sense, I have too many people that I love that are homosexual. I don't know. I actually had a conversation with someone last night about it. I can't say one way or the other. I'm not God. So this has already been brought up before many times, so I won't spend a lot of time on it. To me, that is a weak answer and it's somewhat inexcusable because Lauren Daigle does interviews all the time. I mean, we do interviews somewhat regularly and we are way, way, way smaller than Lauren Daigle.

Kierstyn St. John:

So, like Lauren Daigle should have not been surprised in 2018, particularly that this question would come up in an interview. Okay, you get all sorts of questions like this in an interview. I don't want to say that they're designed to trap you, but you, you really. Those are opportunities to be an incredible witness, to be biblical, and I think that that response on it was weak and it was not true, because God has a lot of things to say about homosexuality and homosexual relationships.

Kierstyn St. John:

So then, much more recently, she was asked on the Louisiana total abortion ban. Louisiana banned abortion all the way through, I think in every circumstance, and that happened recently. And she was asked about that in an interview and she said to that kind of a similar thing I have no idea. I'm terrible, says Daigle. I know that we have a Democrat governor, but I don't know where our abortion laws are in Louisiana. So, obfuscating off the point. That's not what they were asking, lauren, like they weren't asking if you know exactly what the laws are in your state.

Kierstyn St. John:

They were asking for your opinion on abortion in general and, as a Christian, um, I believe that you should have an opinion on it and that the opinion on it, um, clearly, because life is and children are, a blessing and celebrated throughout scripture is that abortion is um a blessing and celebrated throughout scripture is that abortion is um, is deeply, I don't want to say it is sinful, it's sinful, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's tragic, it's evil. That does not mean that there's not grace for women who have had an abortion, that that the cross cannot cover that Of course it can, but the act is tragic, it is, it is the uh, you know, it's the intentional killing of innocent human life, and so, anyways, uh, you should, you should, have an opinion on that as a Christian, and Lauren was, she probably does, but she didn't say it. She, she, she obfuscated off the point. Okay, and for those of you thinking that I'm being too hard on Lauren, jonathan Merritt wrote a pro-LGBTQ article defending Daigle's responses to you know, to this, and Lauren responded to Jonathan with a heart on Twitter, writing thanks y'all. So she doesn't see any problem with any of her responses, even though both of them are extremely weak and she has a ton of influence. And you know, I I pray that she can can repent of that and start being the witness for Christ that she needs to be Okay.

Kierstyn St. John:

Moving forward, uh, to Kirk Franklin. So Kirk Franklin? Um hosted this dating show called the One. Uh, it's kind of odd. It? Um promotes premarital sex Like women are. I think people are living together, like both genders are living together. There are a lot of women in the show dressing in this like really scantily clad clothing. It's, it's just kind of odd. Um, it's. It almost looks like the bachelorette, but like they're all living together. Uh, which I guess would be worse. Um, when asked about the controversy surrounding it, this is what Kirk Franklin said I could care less probably means I couldn't care less.

Kierstyn St. John:

Um, I could care less about what the Christian music? Uh, sorry, I could care less about what the Christian community thinks of me. I could care less, couldn't care less, uh, because I see so much dysfunction even in that own community. Franklin said I see all of the painted pictures in front of all the praise, the Lord, people and God bless, but behind closed doors people are broken and struggling and not happy. Okay, that is just such a terrible response.

Kierstyn St. John:

As a as a Christian artist myself, I care deeply about Christian accountability. If I post something and it's inappropriate or over the line or unbiblical, I desperately want my Christian audience to gently correct me. Now, you know correction needs to be gentle and sometimes online correction is not gentle, but Emma and I seek that out. We embrace that accountability from you guys to basically say I don't care about Christian accountability because that's what Kirk Franklin is saying there, to me that is a huge red flag. Like you don't care about what your brothers and sisters in Christ think about this show where women are dressing, scantily clad and, you know, seems like, at least from the trailer, that's all I watched. I didn't want to watch the show. But living, you know living, or even potentially sleeping with the men in the show.

Kierstyn St. John:

He also I mentioned this before in the other video he, I feel like in the video where he was, it was Stands by the Newsboys, that was the name of the song. It looked like he was wearing lipstick in that music video. If you want to know where I'm talking about, it's a screenshot around like two minutes and 53 seconds. It looks like he's wearing pink lipstick. Like maybe I'm making too much of it, I don't know, but it was weird. Like I was like what the heck Again might just be me being paranoid and I'm completely willing to say that. But yeah, but yeah, just weak, weak stuff there from Kirk Franklin. I'm gonna keep moving on.

Kierstyn St. John:

Um, next artist is Wren Collective. Um, I think their biggest song is a song called Build your Kingdom here, which was very popular in churches, probably in the in 2010s. Um, they've done a couple other songs too. So with Wren Collective, it seems like they were endorsing Franklin Graham about something. Maybe they were doing an event with him or something and they were questioned about that because Franklin Graham is non-affirming in terms of LGBTQ stuff. So they were questioned about it in an interview and this is what they said. But make no mistake, our participation is not a blanket endorsement of his opinions. We are not homophobic. The gospel is for all, of course. The gospel is for all people. I agree with them there. But the gospel calls you to repentance. You know, saying that certain lifestyles are clearly sinful. When the Bible says that that's not homophobia, that's just saying what the Bible says.

Kierstyn St. John:

The other thing that Wren Collective said the lead singer of Wren Collective said that was like highly concerning was um, this however you feel about the implications for sports, which is a wider conversation, for sure, calling a trans woman a man is hateful, so this is what he's saying. He's saying calling a trans woman a man, which is what he is uh, not the lead singer, but a trans woman is a man's saying. Calling a trans woman a man, which is what he is not the lead singer, but a trans woman is a man. Calling a trans woman a man is hateful, unkind. Don't participate in this kind of hate speech. History won't be kind to you. So this is just an absolute capitulation to the world. This is an absolute affirmation.

Kierstyn St. John:

And then he says it seems that your position in a different interview, that all LGBTQ expression is sinful and that there is no room for doubt about that. Yes, that is a Christian perspective. That is clear and biblical. And then he says, fair enough, there's room for that. No, there's, there's only room for that. If you're a Christian, there is a room for what. There is room for what God says is right and true and noble, and what he says is not. That's the only room there is, but he pretends that there's a bunch of acceptable opinions. What I'm saying is I think there has been room for conversation around what is sinful and what is not. There always has been. No, I completely disagree. If God calls something an abomination, that is the end of the discussion. There's no room for you to answer back to God on that. There isn't. So that is again Chris Llewellyn, who is the frontman of Wren Collective, just a complete bowing down to the gods of our culture, and I don't think that there's really any more prominent God than LGBTQ stuff.

Kierstyn St. John:

The last thing I'll say about that is that there is a cost to following Christ. I talked about this in the previous video. Yes, jesus wants you to follow him. He wants everybody to follow him, but following him doesn't mean staying in one place. Right, if you're following someone, you are moving from one place to another. Jesus wants you to follow him and you're going to be in a starting place and throughout your entire life he is going to sanctify you and put you into a different place, and that's what the Christian walk is. Here we go, moving forward to Mercy Me. So Mercy Me, obviously massively popular Christian artist. This happened a few years ago. This is the lead singer of Mercy Me.

Kierstyn St. John:

I think his name is Bart Miller and he was asked about gay marriage and this is what he said and you can tell me where you see the issue with it. People have asked me what I think of gay marriage. This is Bart Miller speaking. I wish there was a loophole that says it was okay, says it was okay because that would make life easier for all of us. So he's basically like scripture clearly says it's not okay, but I wish it didn't, but I wish I wish it said something else.

Kierstyn St. John:

Here's the thing there are things that are tough to accept in scripture. Everybody would agree with that. That being said, I don't I don't wish scripture was different. I don't I. I love scripture as it is. Are there certain things that are maybe a little bit tough to accept? Yeah, but if you, if you say that I wish there was a loophole that says it was okay because that would make life easier for all of us, it it crosses the line over into apologizing for God. I'm so sorry that God is so mean and he doesn't let you live the way you want to. And if I were God. There's the pride right. Remember that was Satan's first mistake. If I were God, I would make it so that all this behavior is totally fine. But I'm not God, so I'm sorry. I know God's so mean Like that's what it gives off to me, and I just think that for a prominent Christian artist that's really inexcusable to say and so. And then he also said, I think same interview I care for some of my gay friends more than I do some of the church. That is uh.

Kierstyn St. John:

Scripture makes it clear that yes, love all people, care for all people, witness to all people, but but your first priority is your brothers and your sisters in Christ. Like you should. I think there's even a passage that says you should care for them first, so that the, so that the world sees how you care for your brothers and sisters in Christ, so that that last line isn't as objectionable as the other one before that. But yeah, the I wish there was a loophole in the gay marriage thing. That's just you can't stop apologizing for God and what God says. You may not like it, but that's your problem. Like again, there are certain things in scripture that I haven't liked, that have been hard for me, that I that have. That have taken me a while to accept, but that's on me Like that's not on a perfect God. Okay, moving forward to Toby Mac Um, toby Mac was asked about, um, the ruling on gay marriage back in 2015.

Kierstyn St. John:

So some of this stuff is a little bit older, but he said um, he said I always felt my music is for everybody. It's music about loving people right where they are and counting on a faithful God. I want my music in every home, falling on open ears, listening to the beautiful story of grace. So he's obviously trying to get away from that question. He doesn't want to directly address it, but he needs to, um, because, again, scripture is clear and I'm fine with him saying um, I want my music in every home, falling on open ears, listening to the beautiful story of grace. I'm fine with that. I think that's fine, I like that and I've always felt my music is for everybody. Now I I'm fine with that too. Um, I feel similarly like I love it when we have non-Christians listen to our music, uh, and I love it when we have Christians listen to our music, right, and I think it's wonderful that both do. That being said, the part about it's music about loving people right where they are.

Kierstyn St. John:

Here's the thing Again, god. It's a little tricky, but God loves you where you are, but he doesn't want you to stay there. He wants you to be sanctified, he wants you to carry your cross. This is the Christian walk. You are not your desires, you are not your sin In heaven. All of our sin and our sinful desires, not all of our desire because not all of our desire is sinful but our sinful desires are going to be removed from us in entirety. All of our pain, all of our suffering and all of our sin is going to move, be removed completely from us. We will be changed. We will be ourselves, but different. Okay, and that's the Christian walk and that's what God wants for every believer, right?

Kierstyn St. John:

Um, and so when it says you know it's about loving people right where they are, yeah, but they can't stay there. No Christian can Like the person that you are. When you become a Christian should be a very different person from who you are five years, 10 years, 15, 20 years down the road, like the gospel, and the power of the gospel and scripture changes people, right? So that's the issue I have with that. I just think that it is. I'm glad it's not like completely affirming of the LGBTQ stuff, but it's also very weak. We're going to move on to 10th Avenue North, donahue. Mike Donahue, who is the lead singer of 10th Avenue North, has been really political and I mean, okay, that's fine, but please make sure that your politics line up with scripture. And I would say that both people who lean left and both people and people who lean right can use scripture out of context to justify certain things. In 2015, mike Donahue used it to call for tolerance and understanding in the wake of the Supreme Court's legalization of gay marriage. And so he says here until you've sat down with some gay couples and listened to their stories, please don't just start tweeting hateful, judgmental things.

Kierstyn St. John:

Jesus walked on earth. Jesus encountered all sorts of people. Jesus even encountered people who were not Jewish. Again, in Jewish culture in Jesus's time, homosexuality was not very prevalent because it was really against the religious laws of that day. But outside of Jewish culture, homosexuality was extremely prevalent because I believe at that point they were under Roman rule and they had just been under the rule of the Greeks, which we know how prevalent homosexuality had been back then. So you know, jesus came in contact with all sorts of people. Also, god is omniscient and he knows the human heart of every single person. And if God knows all of that, if he knows all of us better than we could ever know ourselves, that means that when he speaks on homosexuality he knows more about it than any of us would. Okay, and so deferring to God on that is not an issue if it's clearly laid out in scripture, which it is so calling for tolerance and understanding.

Kierstyn St. John:

In the wake of the Supreme Court's legalization of gay marriage, that decision, the Bergefeld maybe one of the singular worst decisions in the history of the Supreme Court. It doesn't even make sense from a legal perspective, but certainly one of the most morally damaging decisions. There have been others as well, but one of the most morally damaging decisions, societally damaging decisions ever made. That doesn't mean you have to be a Christian artist that says exactly that, but you can't make Christians feel bad for just standing on the truth of scripture, you know, in the wake of that decision. Then he says this is Mike Donaghy speaking again. Jesus said I didn't come to the world to condemn them. I came down to save the world. Okay, but save them from what? Save them from what, mike Donahue From their sin. That's what Jesus came to save them from. So he continues Mike Donahue, it's a really important thing for people to grasp that. The homosexuality community they know how the church feels about it, you don't need to reinforce it anymore. Well, obviously, mike Donahue, we do, obviously. Actually, the church failed in having this conversation because things have only increased, like with all the transgender stuff, since that point, since Obergefell, things have only just continued to slide down that slippery slope that all of us conservative Christians weren't about and and and we were laughed at for. So up until this point.

Kierstyn St. John:

Um, you guys might be saying, okay, well, you're naming a lot of older Christian artists, like Mercy Me and 10th Avenue North and Amy Grant. Even these are older people. So what about more modern Christian artists, like ones that have come up more recently? And so I have some of that too. Okay, dante Bo is a very prominent Christian artist who just got recently popular, I would say. Over the last few years he was affiliated with Maverick City Music. Maverick City even lead worship there. It's called Amen Church and it recently it said it recently took out that the Bible is the inspired word of God from their statement of faith. Why the heck would you ever take that out of your statement of faith as a church? He is also very close friends with the um. The pastor of that church, whose name is the guy's name, is Field Harrison. His first name is Field and he performed at an event with Field Harrison, and Field Harrison is very progressive. This is what he said at that event Field Harrison speaking. Now again. This is a friend of Dante Bo, who is a very prominent Christian artist today. This is Field Harrison speaking.

Kierstyn St. John:

They say that nobody of the same sex should ever get married. Now again, this is a friend of Dante Bo, who is a very prominent Christian artist. Today. This is Field Harrison speaking. They say that nobody of the same sex should ever get married. They say Christians say that's who says it? Jesus goes mute on this issue. No, he doesn't, and I'll explain that in a second.

Kierstyn St. John:

Jesus says love is sacred. I don't ever remember Jesus saying that, but whatever, there's only one unforgivable sin the sin. Ever remember Jesus saying that? But whatever, um, there's only one unforgivable sin the sin against the Holy Spirit, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. And if you think preaching love isn't blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, then I don't know what it is. So that's a weird thing to say. When people love each other, to break that up that is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. So flip it around like that. So he's basically saying if, if there's a gay couple and they love each other and they want to love each other in Eros like that sexual type of love that they're, that is sinful Um, if you say it's sinful, um, that is blasphemy against the Holy spirit and it's time for someone at church to speak up that what we are preaching is ridiculous. So this guy is wild. This field Harrison guy um is is is wild, wild, wild. A lot of people walked out of that event. They should have I mean people, I mean I probably would have just started yelling about it Entirely heretical, false teacher, false prophet. And Dante Bo is close to this guy. As far as I know, he still serves at this guy's church.

Kierstyn St. John:

We also know that Dante Bo was axed for Maverick City Music. So Maverick City Music did let him go because he was involved in what they called a nude selfie scandal on Instagram. I'm gonna post the picture. It's not nude, like you're not seeing, like full body nudity, but it's definitely a weird, suggestive picture, certainly not the type of picture that I would ever post. Um, ever he. He openly praised Lil Nas X. Lil Nas X writes like music that is openly satanic, so for a Christian artist to praise him completely unacceptable. Wild, wild, wild. Um. So that's Dante Bo, okay. So, like again, I pray for his repentance, I pray that he comes back to the Lord, but he's, you know, this is way too many things that he has not repented of and apologized for and it needs to be made clear.

Kierstyn St. John:

Um, maverick City Music also had a lead singer named Chandler Moore, also relatively popular in the Christian music industry, who posted this like weird motion photo of his wife twerking into him like she's twerking into his area. He says he captioned it. Hashtag um. Hashtag H Grace Moore. I think his wife's Hannah uh knows how to twerk. Hashtag Hallelujah Jesus.

Kierstyn St. John:

Well, good for the two of you, but that's that's, that's for you in your bedroom. That's a married couple thing in your bedroom, in the privacy of your own home, whatever. Uh, that is not something for you to post online to thousands and thousands of people. It is so highly inappropriate. Again, I am married and I cannot even imagine posting anything remotely in that realm, anything remotely that I mean. It's overtly sexual. I mean it's it's it's again a motion picture of her pressing her backside into his front side. So, yeah, it's an issue Like, do that in the privacy of your home, but that sex is beautiful and sacred and it is not for the public eye to view. And the reason why this is important. Chandler Miller is also very popular today, but Israel Houghton, who was massively popular I mean he really started this gospel music movement and Israel Houghton massively talented, massively talented. So is Kirk Franklin, but it's you know, israel Houghton defended Chandler more on this. Israel Houghton said this about this massively inappropriate picture I'm blown away by the saints in these comments, but if you go to their pages, there's plenty of inappropriate posts.

Kierstyn St. John:

Guys, this was a private celebration of their love. No, it's not private. The picture is posted on Instagram, so it's not private. Unless they know you personally, they're not going to take anything you say personally. Okay, if you, if I won't use me as an example, but if somebody posts a picture of their spouse or them twerking into their spouse and you're a Christian leader, you're a Christian, you have thousands of people following you. You're going to get feedback on that. You're going to get negative feedback on that. It should. It should not be surprising that that is again highly inappropriate to be posting.

Kierstyn St. John:

And um he, uh, doubled down on this. Chandler Moore doubled down on it. He, he played the victim. He said, oh, people are so, are so mean to me. Well, don't, don't post that, like I never condone, like death threats or anything super mean, but like don't, don't, can, can you not? Maybe maybe people don't want to see a a, a a, a sensual, a sexual moment between you and your wife. Maybe we don't want to see that. Maybe the people who follow you just think you're a good singer and want to hear you sing. Like, is that fair? Okay, I'm gonna move forward to Montel Fish.

Kierstyn St. John:

Now people might argue that he is not a Christian artist. Well, some of his songs do directly talk about Christianity, although they do so kind of in a weird fashion. But also an article from Christianity Today wrote on Montel Fish and said this Montel Fish is a Christian musician. There you go. So Christianity Today thinks he's a Christian musician. So Montelfish is a Christian musician. There you go. So Christianity Today thinks he's a Christian musician. So Montelfish is a Christian musician whose songs took off with tens of millions of streams. But, unlike artists who have risen through the ranks of CCM, his main platform isn't a worship stage, which is fine, neither is ours but, and so on and so forth. His calming lo-fi music stands in dark contrast with the high production value of today's top worship bands. In a world that increasingly defies labels and genre, phish represents a slew of indie, faith-based artists who are finding success on platforms like TikTok and skipping the format in the contemporary Christian music artists. Ccm was long built upon, so they validate him as a Christian artist and his bio is a picture of a cross, so it seems like he at some, at some level, identifies himself as a Christian artist.

Kierstyn St. John:

Uh, but I'm going to read some of the lyrics to one of his most popular songs called Hotel Room. I'm sure you can guess where this is going. Uh, maybe he's friends with Chandler Moore, I don't know. Uh, but here's some lyrics to that. Don't endorse these lyrics, obviously. That's why I'm reading them. When I met you in that hotel room, I could tell you were so bad news. But I keep messing with you, messing with you, and now you're messing with me, messing with me. Okay, I think we understand the innuendo there. I just keep going back to this hotel room. I just don't know what the H-E double hockey sticks to just tell you. She said forget all the slow dancing, baby, I could take it to the bathroom. I know you ain't even got to ask me, baby, we could take it to the bathroom. She moves with my palm. She always gives it to me.

Kierstyn St. John:

Again, did Chandler Moore write these lyrics? Yeah, did Chandler Moore write these lyrics? Like it's the same person that his wife is, you know, dancing on him. These lyrics are so inappropriate, Like they are overtly sexual. They are more sexual than lyrics. I've heard non-Christian artists say the fact that this guy is, like again, halfway calling himself a Christian artist and halfway not. These lyrics are so over the line, like in terms of the realm of Christian music.

Kierstyn St. John:

Again, I hold to the fact that I do believe that sex is beautiful. I don't think we should completely avoid it in our lives. That being said, there is a time and place for that type of talk, and that is between a married couple, only in the privacy of their own house. Like would never write a song about it, ever, ever, ever, ever. I can't even imagine. Okay, so that's Montelfish, also very popular Kaleidoscope. So King's Kaleidoscope has written some really interesting music, but one thing that I am not a fan of is that they used the F word in a song called the Prayer, and you see this happening more and more and more.

Kierstyn St. John:

If I fall or if I misstep, if I call you with my last breath, will you be there for me after? That's totally fine, because I'm wasting in the silence and my fear is effing violent. Okay, why do you even need to say that word Like? Why is that a lyric that you need to say you just don't, you could. It's a two syllable word. You could replace it with anything. My fear is very, is the first word that came to my mind. That's not a really good. My fear is very violent. No, no, you wouldn't say that. Replace it with a two syllable word Like. It's not that hard to do. You don't need that word in there.

Kierstyn St. John:

And it's a compromise of your witness, because if you are a Christian artist, I mean look, I don't want to speak for everybody. I'm sure most of us have accidentally said a four letter word here or there. It's slipped out. I know I have. I do think it's sinful that I have. I try to repent, uh. That being said, I don't put them intentionally in my music. I don't do that because it's that is a very intentional decision and that song is going to be heard in the, in the case of King's Kaleidoscope, by millions of people and I don't want that to happen. So, again, I think that some of King's Kaleidoscope's music is really interesting, but that to me is just not okay. It's not okay.

Kierstyn St. John:

Wren Collective, mercy Me, toby Mac, 10th Avenue, north Dante, bo Chandler, moore, israel Houghton, montel Fish and King's Kaleidoscope In the previous. So that's 11 people. In the previous video we talked about Derek Webb, flamie Grant, amy Grant, semler, switchfoot and Reliant Case. That's 17 people spread out across the entirety of CCM. Okay, some of these people make more contemporary music, some people make more gospel oriented music, some people make more worship oriented, some people do rock, so it's a wide variety. Some people do more acoustic or low fire indie. So a ton of different genres, right and, uh, a ton of different. Like ages too. Like I talked about Amy Grant, who rose to prominence in the 90s, and then I also talked about Montel Fish, who became viral on TikTok probably a couple of years ago. So these anything from super far back to most recent, it is widespread throughout the industry.

Kierstyn St. John:

This is pretty comprehensive, again. I could say more, but this is probably good for now, and I know that some people may say he who is without sin cast the first stone. So here's what I'm gonna say. These are Christian leaders. Again, these people have massive audiences, massive platforms.

Kierstyn St. John:

Okay, if anyone wants to dig through our stuff on our Zoetic profile and do the same and hold us accountable, be my guest. I will consider everything and I will apologize if we've truly done something unbiblical. I hope we haven't, but we're not perfect. That being said, if you are making major, blatant mistakes and you are not repenting of them when you are called on them, when you are deflecting and gaslighting you know, and you avoid accountability, um, I don't think you should have a platform within Christianity. I mean, you can still make music it's a free country but you're not a Christian artist Like these are.

Kierstyn St. John:

These are really bad things. Most of these things are about, um, engaging, either engaging in ungodly sexual behavior directly or excusing people who do, and so, yeah, uh, it is so, so sad to me because there is going to be, I think, just this massive, as we're seeing, kind of uh reckoning in this industry, which I do believe, is suffering. I believe it's dying, um, it, the rot is so and other artists are going to need to rise up and take that place. You know, of course I would recommend our music to you guys. We really really try to talk about important things from a biblical worldview.

Kierstyn St. John:

I usually explain what the songs are about as well. But there are other Christian artists I mentioned them last time too that I would really encourage you to check out. Gabriel Bello, it's a really solid guy. He makes smooth jazz. Our friend Pablo Pisa-Gandara writes awesome acoustic music. John Cooper, pretty solid Disciple, pretty solid from what I can see. Bryson Gray is a little more political, he's more in the rap genre, but he seems to be solid as well. Again, I haven't like looked at every single lyric to every single one of their songs, but you know, I, as from what I've seen be discerning, be careful, um, but this is what I've seen.

Kierstyn St. John:

You know, I think that, um, antoine Bradford and Matthew West have said some good things, um, within Christian music, and that's more on the CCM side, or, uh, you know that, that side of things, and so it is out there it is a lot harder to find Support again, support the Christian artists who really love the Lord and love scripture. And yeah, I mean, like, not everybody's music is going to be everybody's cup of tea. I think you know we make jazz, pop music. That's our specific musical genre. That's not going to be everybody's cup of tea, that's fine. But I just listed a bunch of different artists in a bunch of different genres because I just want to be a resource for people to be able to find Christian music that's creative, that's interesting, but that doesn't compromise on what the Bible says is true. So that is going to be it for me. Spread the news, all right, thank you.