This week, I was excited to hear that Motion City Soundtrack will be the spring concert at Winona State University, (presented by UPAC). I personally enjoy the music that Motion City Soundtrack puts out, however there was a time in life when I never would have listened to them.

You see, when I was a teenager, I wasn’t allowed to listen to “secular” music. Instead, I was only allowed to listen to “Christian” music and so I had to explore a sub-culture of music put out for “Christian” audiences to find music that connected with my life. I will also admit that I secretly got a membership to BMG music and bought some Warren G, Snoop Dogg, Bon Jovi, and even Nine Inch Nails....when Mom found my stash and listened to some of the music, I was in more than a little trouble. In order to keep the peace in our house, I decided to follow Mom’s rules while I was still living at home.

When college rolled around, I was free to explore all the music that I wanted (meaning I was not stuck listening just to what 104.7 KCLD thought was popular). As I continued to study my faith at college, I began to understand the music I was listening to in a profound new way. I became disturbed by the designation of secular and Christian music. I was living in a community that continued the distinction and labeled secular music as “bad.” (Some even called it music from the devil.) I found this disturbing because when I would listen to secular music, it would often speak to emotions or a life experience I was going through and it would help me process some of those emotions. The lyrics combined with the music would move me in a profound way that would allow me to better understand the human condition. 

As I reflected on this and my study of faith, I realized that secular music explored the human condition in a way that most Christian music didn’t. Secular music faced the messiness of life and did not shy away from exploring the pain many of us feel in life, which is something that faith tries to address. Instead of hearing how people were, the community I was a part of was closing its ears and successfully shutting its heart and mind from understanding those it was supposedly called to witness to. I came to a conclusion that all music is a gift and an invitation to learn and grow from, because it comes from people and it communicates to us their values; their struggles; their hopes; etc.

Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in the state of Washington in a chapel service at my college, called the artists of secular culture the prophets of our day. I think he was right. Secular musicians help describe the world as it is with all its bumps, bruises, and celebrations, and if I, as a Christian, really care about the world around me, I need to listen if I truly believe that God has called to heal and mend a broken world.

In their song, “A Lifeless Ordinary (Need a Little Help),” Motion City Soundtrack states, “I like to tell you that I’m ready for whatever’s coming. But to be honest there’s a part of me that loses control,” and then in the chorus answers with the following: “I think I can figure it out. But I’m gonna need a little help to get me. Need a little help to get me. Need a little help to get me. Need a little help to get me through it.”

I think that is a powerful message stating how, as humans, we often say we have everything under control, but in truth, we are scared and out of control and long for someone to help and come beside us. As a Christian, I believe that God, through Christ, is that person who comes beside us and helps us through it and then draws us into relationship with others to walk alongside them in their time of need.

Motion City Soundtrack helps me share that story with others because they have captured the reality of life in a way that people can understand. I am thankful that I broke free from the “secular” vs. “Christian” duality. Now I encourage everyone to go hear Motion City Soundtrack on April 17th at Winona State, (they do come from Minnesota), and hopefully their music will speak to some reality in your life.