Customer Reviews

At the Crossroads: An Insider's Look at the Past, Present, and Future of Contemporary Christian Music

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Where did Christian music come from and what were its early driving forces? What mistakes were made that caused many of the problems we wrestle with today to arise? What exactly IS Christian music? Is music to be used only for ministry? Where is Christian music going? How do we, or even CAN we, meld our music with business, and what about the partnership with the mainstream record companies?

These are questions that Peacock confronts head on, using history, reason, common sense, and, most importantly, solid Biblical scripture and principles. He has truely strived to give a fair and balanced view of the situations that we are in, and then appealed the the Scriptures to give Biblical solutions and answers to the problems and roads that we are facing. No matter what position you take on any of the above issues, you should be touched and encouraged by what Peacock lays out here, since he does it gently and Biblically, and he really is one of the best equipped men to do something like this. Steven Curtis Chapman wrote "I know of no one who has wrestled more profoundly with these issues and how they may relate to the arts, especially Christian music, than Charlie Peacock."

If you're planning on entering a career related to CCM in any way this should be required reading, but even as a fan it's something you'll want to pick up. It should radically alter the way you think about Christian music and view its place and mission in the world, as well as affect your over-all Christian walk as you try to approach life from a Kingdom Perspective. I give At the Crossroads my full support and recommendation, both critically and as someone who has a passion, love, and concern for CCM and its future.

Charlie Peacock has done the CCM community a fine service by writing this book. He clearly spells out the evolution of Christian music tracing it from it's roots in the Jesus movement of the 60s and 70s. Though not a lesson in history it does lay the groundwork to share the various viewpoints and belief systems of the pioneers that brings the reader to today's modern times. The author addresses some age-old issues of motivation and quality vs. quantity. The views and conclusions expressed in these pages mirror many topics that society addresses each day beyond the walls of CCM and gospel music. Take for example a recent airline commercial that featured a wise old company patriarch admonishing his staff to make personal contact with their clients after being fired by a long-time customer. Charlie addresses how our modern "worldly" tools and mechanisms often get in the way of our personal ministry.

This book's target audiences are proponents of the CCM culture. I found the first half quite verbose and lengthy in getting to the heart of the matter. Though sometimes saying a lot to convey a little the book is well versed and presents many opinions by today's artists. A notable illustration is found in chapter 14 with the parable of a Christian coffeehouse that compromises the intent of their ministry by using cheap coffee beans. I find the title of the book to be debatable as it relates to the entire industry although it does ask pertinent questions that would behoove anyone considering involvement in CCM to ask.

Charlie has written probably one of the most thoughtful treatise on the CCM monster. I have my own issues with this industry and dare I say, Peacock addresses 90% of them. He also does it in a fashion that is fair and careful. He clearly wants to see the artists thrive and looks at the chasm that has grown between the church and the artist. Leaving many artists to forage on their own without support from fellow Christians, or to water down their art into a palatable cheerleading craft. Ministry, art, stardom are all topics Charlie approaches with great care and concern. If some are offended by Charlie's approach, it is through not fault of his, and they are likely people who find fault everywhere but with themselves. This is an excellent book for anyone curious about Christian music, both where it's been and where it's can go.

What makes music "Christian"? The lyrics? The instrumentation? The attitude? The motivation? How should Christians think about music? Is the genre known as Contemporary Christian Music everything it should or could be? What is our stewardship obligation before God as we handle that aspect of his creation known as music?

If questions like these concern you, you must read this badly needed book, by a man who knows these issues from the inside out. I don't think there is anything else vaguely like it. May it begin a dialogue that honors God and changes the way Christians think about and produce music.

I'll agree with other reviewers on some of the criticisms of the book in that it doesn't necessarily read very well. Peacock does take a long time on expository setting up his main point of how the CCM industry's worldview may be misguided when it's probably not needed. The audience for this book presumably is already Christian, whether they be record company label heads and workers, musicians, or just dedicated listeners of gospel music. If you're involved with the music, you probably know the history.

I also felt that perhaps too much attempt was made to "blame" CCM's often utilitarian [i.e. music strictly as salvation tool] emphasis on John Wimber and his followers (Please note: I am not personally a member of the Vineyard..nor would I even consider myself charismatic. I just felt that he was singled out as being the cause of CCM theology being more oriented to the experiential rather than the theological...i.e. how do I FEEL about God as opposed to what do I learn about God from His WORD)

That being said, Peacock rightly points out that if CCM truly does intend to reach the lost, it's not doing a good job of spending promotional money and aiming marketing at putting its artists in places where they're more likely to find the unconverted (i.e. trying to get them into bars, coffeehouses, mainstream music fests, etc etc etc) He also suggested (I believe correctly) that the industry's focus on appealing to what it perceives as the desires of the already converted in terms of lyrical expression, direct testimony and salvation appeals at live appearances, and artists parroting the "approved" answers in interviews tend to stifle the musicians' proper role as artists and limit the reach they can have within the greater culture at large.

While I'm not sure whether Peacock has the answers to really getting the message out to those who need to hear most and of restoring the Church to its place of preeminence in the arts, it appears he's at least asking the correct questions and that's a good start.

While this book is primarily aimed at people involved in Christian music (including the listeners), Peacock's insight into having a "kingdom perspective" on life is a refreshing one that all Christians should consider. A very thorough book. Let's hope this isn't the last time Peacock commits his ideas to print.

This is not as much about CCM as I anticipated, however it is dead-on with where the body of Christ is moving. The "kingdom life" principle is expounded upon with the backdrop of CCM's history and shortcomings. As others have suggested, the CCM discussion could have been summarized in a few pages, but the overall point of the book is to express that our lives are a kingdom expression in Christ, not an example of the rules that some feel is the crux of Christianity.

With adequate scripture reference and real world examples, Charlie shows the counterintuitive reality that mature believers will recognize as the kingdom of God. A must-read for any Christian.

This is a fine book, well thought out and balanced by a humble heart not a judgemental one. That is not to say however that the reader will not be deeply challenged about possible long held views. Keep an open mind and relate all that is said to the arts in general and you'll find this an important read.

This book is tremendously awesome. That's too bad that some people have gotten confused with what Peacock was trying to say. The book is wonderful in declaring we should be living our lives with a Kingdom Perspective. The Kingdom Perspective is one of the most useful connotations I have discovered in my recent Christian walk. This book shows how important God's word and truth are. They are what we should base our decisions on.

This book is for more than just musicians. It's for music fans and Christians in general. It will challenge your world view and the beliefs you hold so dear in order to give you a greater, deeper understanding of God and his desires for your life as a believer. Every chapter is full of challenging ideas and insight. Every chapter will point you to the Bible. Every chapter will give you a greater perspective of the way God views the world.