Discernment of Music
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The following discernment fills an important gap - of bringing the findings of discernment ministers together. I systematically went through their work and filtered the relevant cases of discernment from questionable discernment or simply from moderately problematic content, in order to generate a list that only includes artists and songs with truly problematic lyrics or background. I did not go as far as to consider if a song should be played in a church or not - this is the sole responsibility of the respective overseers / elders / pastors. The focus of this summary is to have a guideline for the 'average' believer, who wants to protect him- or herself from negative influences.
Let us recognize the obvious and specific problems, but never lose the joy of worship over secondary issues.
Musicians To Avoid
▼ For more details, click on the respective title. ▼
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Andrew Peterson (Promotion of witchcraft)
Audrey Assad (Former Catholic believer)
Bethel Music (Bethel Church)
Brandon Dent Jr. (Seventh-Day Adventist)
Brandon Lake (Bethel Music)
Brian Doerksen (Former Vineyard, The Bridge Abbotsford)
Charity Gayle (Oneness Pentecostalism, Modalism)
Cory Asbury (Bethel Music)
Cypress Spring (See songs below)
Dan Haseltine, Jars of Clay (Music composer, The Chosen)
Darlene Zschech (Catholicism, Hillsong United)
Elevation Worship (Elevation Church)
Felix Mendelssohn (Freemason)
Franz Liszt (Freemason)
Grace Baldridge (Semler)
Hillsong United (Hillsong Church)
Israel Houghton & New Breed (Lakewood Church, Unification Church with Mother Moon worship)
Jai-Jagdeesh (New Age, Yoga)
Jake Hamilton (Promotes Passion Translation)
James Fortune (Violence)
Jesus Culture (Bethel Church)
JGivens (Left the faith)
John Michael Talbot (Catholic)
Josh Garrels (Catholic)
Keith & Kristyn Getty (Calvinists)
Kevin Prosch (Vineyard, adultery)
Matt Boswell (Calvinist)
Matt Maher (Catholic)
Matt Papa (Calvinist)
Maverick City Music
Michael Gungor (Former Christian)
Misty Edwards (Alcohol abuse, adultery)
Newsboys (Interdenominational incl. Catholics)
Paul Baloche (Episcopalian & Catholic 1, 2)
Sarah Hart (Not Sarah Pearson)
Sarah Kroger Quaglia (Catholic)
Sting (Catholic)
Tasha Cobbs-Leonard (Sow-A-Seed manipulation through fabricated prophecies)
Tauren Wells (Pastor at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church)
Taylor Swift (Witchcraft)
Tim Hughes (Holy Trinity Brompton)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Freemason)
Yolanda Adams (Unification Church)
Songs To Avoid
▼ For more details, click on the respective title. ▼
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All I Need is You by Lecrae
Are You Ready by Hillsong United
Beloved by Jordan Feliz
Beneath The Waters by Hillsong United
Break Every Chain by Tasha Cobbs
Broken Things by Matthew West
Burning by Mike Bikle and Misty Edwards
Chainsaw by Family Force 5
Closer by Bethel Worship
Country Boy Swag by Cypress Spring
Dance With Me by Jesus Culture
Days of Elijah by Robin Mark
Deep Cries Out by Bethel Music
Do Something by Matthew West
Ever Be by Aaron Shust
Exhale by Plumb
Eyes On Tha Prize by Czar Josh
Feel It by TobyMac
Fill Me Up by Antioch Music
Forever (We Sing Hallelujah) by Brian Johnson, Kari Jobe
Fresh Wind by Hillsong Music
God's Great Dancefloor by Chris Tomlin
God's Not Dead by Newsboys
Great Awakening by 4Him
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
Hard Love by Need to Breathe
Head To The Heart by United Pursuit
Heart Like Heaven by Hillsong United
He Is Jealous For Me by Crowder
Higher by Unspoken
Holy Fire by Jeremy Camp and John Mark Comer
Hymn of Heaven by Phil Wickham
I am Mountain by Gungor
I Believe by John P. Kee
Impossible by Building 429
In The Garden by Alan Jackson
I Worship You by MercyMe
It Is Well by Bethel Music
King of My Heart by Sarah & John McMillan
Kisses of Your Mouth by Heather Clark (Bridal Paradigm)
Love Has Come by Mark Schultz
Move (Keep Walkin') by TobyMac
My Year by Aaron Cole
No Man is an Island by Tenth Avenue North
Obsession by Nathan Shaver (Bridal Paradigm)
Old Church Choir by Zach Williams
Open The Eyes Of My Heart by Paul Baloche
Priceless by For King & Country
Raise A Hallelujah by Bethel Music
Raise Up by Semler
Real by Nichole Nordeman
Reckless Love by Cory Asbury
Rescue by Lauren Daigle
Say I Won't by Lecrae
Seasons by Hillsong United
Set a Fire by Will Reagan, United Pursuit
Simple Gospel by United Pursuit
Spirit Of The Living God by Meredith Andrews
Take Me Back by Cypress Spring
Take Me To Church by Hozier
Tell Your Heart to Beat Again by Danny Gokey
Testify by NeedToBreathe
The Cross Has The Final Word by Cody Carnes
The Father's House by Cory Asbury
The More I Seek You by Gateway Worship
Touch The Sky by Hillsong United
Way Of Life by Cypress Spring
What A Beautiful Name by Hillsong United
What If by Prince
Your Love Never Fails by Jesus Culture
Other Discernment Ministers
(No collaboration)