HOW COMPATIBLE IS GOSPEL MUSIC WITH SECULAR MUSIC?

STORY BY; JOYCELINE NATALLY CUDJOE

 As we all know, Gospel music is a music genre used to express Christian’s teaching and preaching of the word of God through songs to redeem lost souls to God through Jesus Christ.

However, it is quite disheartening how contemporary Gospel music in Ghana is taking a different twist and thus diverting many people’s attention from the doctrines and teachings of God as Gospel music in Ghana is only seen as a source of entertainment and a platform for people who know how to sing to showcase their talents. That should not be the case.

A critical looks at the Ghana Music Awards {G.M.A}, which combines   all music genres including hip life, hip pop, afro pop, high life, dance hall, reggae and even gospel in performing on the same stage which to some extent is unjustifiable.

As Roland. E. Parker said “when praises go up blessings come down”. In our Christian society, it is believed that Gospel songs serve as an inspiration, motivation, and a means through which God does his miracles by pouring his blessings on his people and detached hearts and souls.

But the big question is “will God pour down his blessings when a crowd after being sensitized to God by gospel artistes at the same time is eroded by the secular world’s artistes with their Azoto songs? Moreover gospel music is intended to preach the doctrines of God; therefore, by blending the two how can we differentiate between the good and the bad.

Hence, some gospel musicians who are fortunately enough to get nominated to the Ghana Music Awards (G.M.A) use that opportunity to entice the crowd by introducing scenes of Azonto which some gospel artistes would term as “christozonto or gospel azonto” on the other hand some Christians would describe it as ungodly.

Mahalia Jackson stretched that “when you sing gospel, you have a feeling there is a cure for what is wrong”. In this instance gospel musicians must keep asking themselves whether their songs had provided a cure for what is wrong and also made a good impart in the lives of the people not only entertaining people with their songs but claiming lives for the Creator.

After Mary Mary featured Ne-yo on her 5tth studio release “God in Me” this song followed several criticisms, which some commented that the two artistes are blurring the lines between the gospel and secular worlds and also dividing the church.

Not long ago some gospel musicians in our nation released an album featuring some of the secular world’s artistes. I’ve been trying to find a reason for such an act, but could it be that they want to seek the world’s recognition or to meet the secular market with their fancy beats and with such secular artistes, knowing that they have great funs in the secular market or to receive the best collaboration of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (V-G.M.A) or the above three.

A friend of mine would say, as a gospel artist you need to stand out not blend in…..Either you are on Team Christ or not, as the bible would term such act as a lukewarm person.

Gospel musicians are being compelled harshly in so many ways; being combined with secular artistes while performing on the same stage with the motive of entertaining, not providing inspiration and motivation for the Christians and lost souls, this has derailed gospel musicians from making Gospel Music more effective in the lives of individuals.

With this, I entreat the organizers of Ghana Music Awards (G.M.A) to show the clear gap between gospel music and secular music.

Joyceline Natally Cudjoe