"Secular" Music in Church?

There exists in the minds of many Christians a tension between things that are “sacred” and things that are “secular.” I do not believe this divide exists biblically. It is more accurate to function under the reality that some things exalt and point to Jesus and some things do not. The question, “Is it permissible for a church to play a secular song in a service?” operates under a false premise. The question should be, “Can playing a song that is not overtly biblical serve to bring glory to God and point people to Jesus?” With that being said, last week at REVO the band covered the song “Grenade” by Bruno Mars. The song was not used as a worship song. The audience was not instructed to stand and participate, and words were not put on the screen for the church to sing along. The song was used as a connection piece that would increase excitement about the launch of a new sermon series, and as an illustration that revealed a relational dynamic in need of Jesus in order to be corrected and made healthy. “Secular” service elements in “sacred” services are often extremely beneficial. Respected teachers in the evangelical community use stories, props, art, and other creative elements to set up, point to, or unpack biblical truth. When removed from the context of the sermon or service for which these elements were planned they may appear to have no relationship to the Gospel, but in context, are used to set up a comparison, illustration, or analogy that will ultimately serve to point people to truth. REVO Church is prepared to push the limits, face criticism, and think outside of established methodologies in order to connect with and point people to Jesus Christ and His life-changing Gospel.