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Christian Music Discernment Guide

Name: GodlyScore Review: Christian Music Discernment Guide
Item: Casting Crowns
Rating: 4.8
Author: GodlyScore

Music is one of the most spiritually formative influences in our lives. What we listen to shapes our thoughts, emotions, and ultimately our worldview. This guide rates popular music artists through the Godly Score.

GODLY

Casting Crowns

Christ-Centered

★★★★★4.8/5 · GodlyScore 96/100

Explicitly Christian band with gospel-centered lyrics throughout.

★★☆☆☆2.2/5 · GodlyScore 44/100

Jesus Is King era shows genuine faith, but back catalogue is deeply problematic.

☆☆☆☆☆0.5/5 · GodlyScore 9/100

Recurring occult and demonic imagery in performances and videos.

★★☆☆☆1.9/5 · GodlyScore 38/100

Secular worldview, no Christian content, romantic obsession themes.

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Why Music Discernment Matters More Than Most Christians Think

Music is unique among art forms in its ability to bypass rational defenses and plant ideas, emotions, and values directly into the soul. Colossians 3:16 instructs believers to "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly... singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." This verse implies that what we sing shapes what we believe and feel — music is formative, not merely entertaining.

The average American listens to over four hours of music per day. That is four hours of ongoing spiritual formation — either toward godliness or away from it. Most Christians give far less thought to their music diet than to their food diet, despite music's arguably greater power to shape the heart.

A Framework for Evaluating Music Biblically

The Godly Score evaluates music artists across four primary dimensions: lyrical content (profanity, sexual themes, drug glorification, spiritual darkness), visual and performance content (music videos, live show imagery, promotional materials), the artist's public persona and stated worldview, and the presence of redemptive or virtuous themes.

A common mistake is evaluating only lyrics while ignoring visuals. Several artists score well on lyrical content alone but have music videos or live performance imagery that is deeply spiritually problematic. Lady Gaga, Lil Nas X, and Sam Smith have all produced performance art that is explicitly Satanic in imagery, regardless of what any individual lyric says. Matthew 7:16 — "by their fruits you shall know them" — applies to the full body of an artist's work, not just their most defensible singles.

Practical Guidance for Christian Listeners

For music with no explicit spiritual content either way — much mainstream pop and country falls here — the primary questions are: Does it glorify sin? Does it promote a worldview hostile to Christian values? Does repeated listening move my heart toward or away from Christ? A Taylor Swift love song is different from a Cardi B track glorifying sexual immorality, even though both are technically "secular music."

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 says "test everything; hold fast what is good; abstain from every form of evil." The Christian music discernment calling is not to retreat from all secular music but to test it honestly and make informed choices.

Building a Healthier Music Diet

Start by auditing your current playlist through the Godly Score lens. Identify what you're regularly feeding your soul. Replace the most spiritually harmful content first. Intentionally incorporate more explicitly Christian music — the worship and hip-hop genres have never been richer than they are today. Artists like Lecrae, NF, Andy Mineo, Maverick City Music, and Hillsong offer content that is both genuinely excellent musically and spiritually nourishing.

The GodlyScore Discernment Framework

GodlyScore evaluates media and public figures across nine biblical signal categories: profanity (Ephesians 4:29), sexual content (1 Corinthians 6:18), violence (Psalm 11:5), LGBT normalization (Romans 1:26-27), spiritual darkness (Ephesians 5:11), glorification of sin (Romans 1:32), deception mechanics (Proverbs 12:22), virtue strength (Philippians 4:8), and redemption arc. The score reflects not just whether content is present but how it's framed. Score: see full guide.

Further Resources

See our Biblical Discernment Guide for the complete methodology. GotQuestions and the Gospel Coalition provide thorough evangelical analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Casting Crowns?

The Bible doesn't prohibit secular music. However, Philippians 4:8 calls believers to fill their minds with what is pure and admirable. Christians should evaluate secular music honestly: does it glorify sin, promote a worldview hostile to Christian values, or move the heart away from God?

Is all secular music sinful?

No. Not all secular music is sinful. Music without explicit Christian content can still reflect God's common grace — beauty, truth, human connection, joy. The concern is music that actively promotes sin, spiritual darkness, or anti-Christian values, not music that simply isn't about Jesus.

What Christian music do you recommend?

Top recommendations: Lecrae, NF, and Andy Mineo for hip-hop; Maverick City Music, Hillsong Worship, and Elevation Worship for contemporary worship; Shane & Shane and Keith & Kristyn Getty for more traditional hymnody. All combine genuine musical quality with Christ-centered content.

How do I talk to my kids about music discernment?

Start by listening with them rather than simply banning content. Ask questions: What is this song saying about relationships? About how life works? Does it match what we believe? Give them the tools to evaluate media themselves rather than depending solely on parental gatekeeping.