Editing Contemporary Christian music (section)

== Controversy ==
{{criticism section|date=July 2023}}

Brian Schwertley of the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church (denominational group)|Reformed Presbyterian]] tradition wrote in 2001 that the inclusion of CCM in a worship service violates the [[Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image|second commandment]] and the [[regulative principle of worship]] because it adds man-made inventions, lyrics, and instrumental music to the biblically appointed way of worshipping God.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schwertley |first=Brian |title=Musical Instruments in the Public Worship of God |url=http://reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/music.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212233146/https://www.reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/music.htm|archivedate=2013-02-12}}</ref>

"The responsibility of the church is not to provide escape from reality", according to Donald Ellsworth, the author of ''Christian Music in Contemporary Witness'', "but to give answers to contemporary problems through legitimate, biblical means".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ellsworth |first=Donald |title=Christian Music in Contemporary Witness: Historical Antecedents and Contemporary Practices |date=1979 |publisher=Baker Book House |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan}}</ref>

According to [[Vice (magazine)|''Vice'']] magazine, CCM "has often functioned as a [[Propaganda in the United States|propaganda]] wing of the [[Christian right]]", presenting views on topics such as the [[war on drugs]], [[Christian nationalism]], [[mission trips]], [[school prayer]], and the [[LGBT community]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hesse |first=Josiah |date=July 14, 2022 |title=Christian Rock Has Demonized LGBTQ People for Years. Now It Needs Them to Survive |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/christian-rock-music-lgbtq-musicians-acceptance/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Vice |language=en}}</ref>

=== Label rejection ===
Several high-profile bands have rejected the label "Christian music", such as [[Needtobreathe#Categorization|Needtobreathe]] and [[Mutemath#Religion|Mutemath]], with the latter suing their record label over being marketed as such.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-05 |title=INTERVIEW- Unmuted: Did mother Earthsuit beget Mute Math? {{!}} The Hook - Charlottesville's weekly newspaper, news magazine |url=https://www.readthehook.com/80056/interview-unmuted-did-mother-earthsuit-beget-mute-math |access-date=2023-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505161050/https://www.readthehook.com/80056/interview-unmuted-did-mother-earthsuit-beget-mute-math |archive-date=May 5, 2014}}</ref> Of the categorization, Needtobreathe said to Rolling Stone: "Any label is limiting. That one in particular is especially limiting. To me, I think people pass over the band all the time because they read that....I hate the idea that they somehow feel like I didn't make the music for them, that we didn't play music for everyone. Christian record deals came and we said no to all of them. Waited a couple years until the right record deal came, which was Atlantic, which we've been on ever since. But we just said to them in passing when we first started, we want the records to be available to everyone."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Freeman |first=Jon |date=2016-08-23 |title=Needtobreathe Talk Christian-Band Stigma, Experimental New LP |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/needtobreathe-talk-christian-band-stigma-experimental-new-lp-101938/ |access-date=2023-10-04 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>