Shout to the Lord on American Idol

If you did not get to watch American Idol last night. The last song of the night. I was shocked to hear Shout the Lord by Darlene Zschech. It was interesting to note they changed the words from My Jesus, to My Shepherd keeping rest of the song’s integrity in tact. Now, the skeptic in me says see they aren’t acknowledging Christ. Thus turning the song into an inspirational love song about themselves like they did with Mercy Me’s I Can Only Imagine a couple years back. However, one should be impressed with the fact that it was shared on such a large stage and audience. I believe this gives Christians a great opportunity to share the Gospel with those who need to hear the truth.

Since we have been studying the Truth Project by Focus on the Family on Wednesday’s Nights, one of our church members sent an email with these encouraging and thought provoking words about it,

“No Joke! American Idol ended tonight with the contestants belting out Shout
to the Lord (by Hillsong). I’m going to side with the Apostle Paul on this.
I don’t care necessarily why they did it, I care that Christ was proclaimed
in song. All 30 plus million that watched tonight heard that nothing matters
more than Jesus being Lord of their life. All of the tragedy that was shown
tonight was ended with the last line of the song, “nothing compares to the
promise I have in you.”

It would been a great ending had they not followed up with the Ben Stiller
bit after they went off the air.

Considering our topic tonight during the Truth Project in seems apropos.
Here is the fallen man and the redeemed man in contrast. One bowing to the
Almighty, the other bowing the knee to self. At least from the Christian
Worldview they have a reason to give back. If the unregenerate was
consistent with their worldview they shouldn’t care about starving children.
It’s just natural selection working itself out. I am thankful, however, that
they do borrow from our worldview on this one.

What would happen if His Church “stood in the gap”? What would happen if we
boldly and unashamedly proclaimed the good news? What would happen if God’s
people came out of hiding and tore down the inconsistent and unbiblical wordviews of the unregenerate? Imagine the miracles we would all see. More importantly, imagine how God would be glorified.

I don’t know about you guys, but I often feel more like the servant who hid
his talent than I feel like the servants who double their talents. May God
grant us all a passion for the lost, a passion for proclaiming the Gospel no
matter what it cost us. May He grant us the courage to stand even if we are
the only ones standing. The reality is that we are never alone. By His power
and for His Glory we stand and proclaim the good news of salvation to a lost
world. May He grant us the strength to endure until our final breath or His
return in Glory. If our final breath comes before he returns, may He pass on
this passion and courage from generation to generation until His return.
This is my prayer for myself. This is my prayer for TCC.”