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If you grew up in church like I did, you know that one of the most taboo things you can do in Christian culture is listen to “secular music” or be a secular entertainer. But is that really how God feels about secular arts and entertainment or is it just church tradition?

As a lifelong lover of music, entertainment and culture who is also a lover of Jesus, I know what it’s like to wrestle with this topic. Let me share some thoughts on entertainment from my journey and from Scripture around these questions: is it sinful, is it edifying, is it God-glorifying.

1) Is it sinful?

The Bible doesn’t teach that secular entertainment is inherently sinful. It could potentially be used in sinful ways just like anything else, but it is not sinful in itself. You won’t find a direct command in Scripture prohibiting Christians from consuming or creating secular entertainment, and we don’t have the authority to create sins and commands where God has not.

When it comes to entertainment, it’s more a matter of personal conviction than an issue of biblical command. God has left His people room to have varying standards on this subject.

We’re called to follow what God is asking of us personally in this area and respect the convictions He’s given to other believers, even if they’re different from our own.  (See Romans 14 // 1 Corinthians 8 // 1 Corinthian 10)

With music in particular, we see in the Bible that God has given it for the purpose of worshipping Him and encouraging others in faith (Ephesians 5:19 // Colossians 3:16), but nowhere does the Bible say that God created music to be used for those purposes only. The same truth applies to other arts.

So, contrary to what you may have been told, music or entertainment that is not created for the express purpose of worship, evangelism, or church ministry is not “the devil’s music” or “worldly entertainment.” You won’t find that conclusion or that phrasing anywhere in Scripture.

And no, you are not sinning if you like or listen to secular music. You are not sinning if you are a Christian who creates or performs secular art.

By the same token, you’re not more holy or spiritually mature than another believer because you don’t listen to secular music or watch movies, or whatever the case may be.  None of us is in a better place spiritually than someone else because we don’t do something God never said it was wrong to do in the first place. 😉

What about consuming content that may portray sin or include ideas that don’t agree with God’s Word? 

Let me submit this for your consideration: The portrayal of sin/brokenness in entertainment is not necessarily the promotion of sin/brokenness in entertainment. Portraying the reality of human experience–both good and bad–for the sake of storytelling is part of making art that connects with people.

God didn’t even exclude the broken, dark and sinful aspects of the world or of people’s testimonies from the Bible. Even though He doesn’t endorse everything that people did and He’s not happy about the broken experiences we have in life, He left those stories there right alongside the stories of righteousness and redemption.

It’s all part of the complete, honest story of life in this world and of our need for Him to work in each of our lives.

My friend Keni Kirkwood tweeted something about the content of a musical and it inspired a helpful thought in me. Before you throw a piece of content away, so to speak, ask yourself this question: Is it genuinely promoting sin or darkness, or is it simply truthful? There’s a difference.

I don’t see a reason to shun content that’s truthful, even if it may have a few “edgy” elements to it. (Here’s a quick practical note on how I personally discern entertainment as a Christian.)

“Come From Away” album content info:
Cursing: minor. Some Strong words, not in every song.
Drinking: yes. In distress, and celebrating in a bar.
Couples: clean. A couple vague references, that’s it.

It’s about real life. That can be gritty and heavy. It’s truthful, not edgy.

— Keni Kirkwood (@K_M_writes) September 11, 2020

2) Is it edifying?

Is secular music/entertainment capable of building us up in any way?

We have to remember that God is the ultimate Creator. And just as 1 Timothy 4:4-5 says, everything God created is good and He created those things to be received with thanks and enjoyed by people, including arts and entertainment.

God is capable of expressing His truth, beauty and goodness through all kinds of people and outlets, not just Christian ones. So, yes secular entertainment can be–and often is–edifying! Maybe it’s not spiritually edifying, necessarily, but it can definitely be enriching to our lives.

It’s enriching when entertainment helps foster fun and recreation in our lives. Let’s not forget that fun and recreation, within the boundaries of Scripture, are pleasing to God. It’s enriching when stories that portray human experience are well crafted and performed, and when both the beauty and the brokenness of those stories resonates with us.

I can’t list for you the amount of times God has used lyrics in mainstream songs to encourage me, challenge me, and help me process emotions. Or, the times God has illustrated an aspect of His character or given me compassion for a people group through characters and storylines in shows I watch. Surely when that happens it’s an edifying thing.

Some people say that God speaking to us through secular entertainment is a “lower level” means of Him speaking to us. Sometimes they say that the only reason He spoke to us that way was because we were too immature or too hard-hearted to hear it from His Word or from His voice personally. I disagree because I don’t see support for that belief in Scripture.

The apostle Paul used the words of a secular poet as a springboard into sharing the Gospel in Acts 17:22-31. Who are we to say that God can’t use secular art and entertainment to illustrate truths of His Word to us?

3) Is it God-glorifying?

I find it interesting that Christians question whether God can be glorified through secular entertainment, but we don’t apply that logic to any other craft or profession.

Do we tell Christian teachers that because they aren’t using their teaching gifts in church ministry that their careers are not glorifying to God?  Do we benefit from the services and skills of only Christian mechanics and Christian doctors?

If Christians can give witness to Christ and conduct their careers in a way that honors Him in every other secular field, why would art and entertainment be any different? If Christians can receive good from people who are not followers of Jesus but contribute some meaningful craft or service to our lives, why would art and entertainment be any different?

The Bible teaches that God can, and should, be honored and represented in all aspects of life, not just the church and ministry related things we do. (Colossians 3:17 // 1 Corinthians 10:31)

God is glorified when people use the gifts He’s given them for personal enjoyment, for His praise and for the good of others. (Romans 12:6-8 // 1 Peter 4:10-11) God is glorified through creativity and excellence.

When I witness performing artists, authors, filmmakers, technical and visual artists tell a story in a way that is beautiful, compelling (and fun, even!), my heart is drawn to awe of God. Awe at His goodness to give human beings talents that can be stewarded to create something that didn’t exist before and that benefits and resonates with people. And in those moments God is glorified.

*Resource: Check out Steve Turner’s book, Imagine: A Vision For Christians In The Arts. He has great thoughts on Christians as consumers and creators of art that I believe every Christian needs to read.

*Bonus Content: How I Discern Secular Entertainment as a Christian

Let’s Talk: Have you wrestled with the question of Christians engaging in mainstream entertainment too? What has your journey been? What have you learned?  Discuss this post in the comments below.

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