Christian Music for the Family

          The other day I found myself unknowingly singing the lyrics to a song that had been on the radio earlier in the day. It struck me as strange because it was a song I had only heard on a couple of occasions, yet I knew it well. This event got me contemplating the great power music has in our lives and how we can cultivate that power to be beneficial to our faith. 

I have been a fan of Christian music/radio for many years because I generally feel happier and more excited about life when I listen to music that is positive and encouraging. However, I have also come to realize how formational Christian music can be, for children and adults. Charles Wesley penned many of the hymns Methodists sing today as a way of teaching about the Christian faith to those who were joining the Methodist movement. 

Christian music, whether contemporary or traditional, offers a space for us to learn about God’s love and action in the world in a less formal way, but in a way that can impact our understanding of faith greatly. In moments of struggling I have often found the words of Christian songs speaking to me and offering hope. Words such as, “…when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul” remind me of the ever present love of God in my life. 

We are blessed with a variety of resources for Christian music today and I would encourage your family to try to incorporate Christian music as a part of your family’s routine. This does not mean your family has to listen exclusively to Christian music, but set aside some car time you would normally listen to other music to turn on Christian radio or pop in your favorite Christian cd. There are several groups that make Christian music geared towards children that can be found in stores/itunes such as Hillsong Kids, Veggie Tales, Crazy Praise and Praise Baby (for infants and toddlers).  For older kids artists such as Chris Tomlin, Fee, Hillsong and David Crowder are wonderful options.

  I can only imagine how powerful it would be to hear families singing songs of praise in the car instead of songs about things with little substance. Challenge yourself this week to incorporate Christian music into your family’s daily routine and see what difference it can make!