Unpopular opinion: Christians should consume more secular music.

Why, as a Christian, would I say something like this? I have three main reasons why:

It gives us an idea of what the world is like.

We are called to engage the people of the world. Exploring secular music is a great way to get an idea of where people outside of our little church-circles are coming from. This is the type of media that many people consume on a daily basis. We should be aware what kinds of ideas are being streamed into the ears of our neighbors. What themes are prevalent in culture? What ideas are people being trained to take on as their norm? Music holds great influence. Identify those influences. Having a better understanding of those around us will help us to engage them more intelligently.

It can make us think deeper about our convictions.

Pay attention to the lyrics. Identify the themes and ideas presented. This is a great jumping point for considering your own beliefs. Do you agree with the lyrics? How do you feel about the themes in them? Why do you feel that way? It can be a healthy challenge to do this, both with secular and Christian songs. Always know the reasoning behind what you believe, and be able to back it up.

Clean and catchy songs exist beyond the Christian music industry.

Some people refuse to listen to anything outside of the Christian music realm because they wish to stay clear of the trash that appears in much of modern music. I can understand this conviction. If you keep an ear out, however, there are some truly fantastic artists who don’t get airtime on Christian radio. Don’t be afraid to broaden your horizons! Worst case, you will occasionally hit a song that makes you uncomfortable – but that’s what the skip button is for.