Larry Norman is about as wierd as it gets, but he maintained a Christian walk during a tough time in history.

What about Phil Keaggy? He's rated as one of the world's best guitarists. He was playing Christian music in 1969 and maintains a strong witness as a Christian musician even today.

There's Second Chapter of Acts, Resurection Band, Petra, Randy Stonehill, Keith Green, just to name a very few. These were all raw, hard-rocking musicians who not only entertained with their music, but witnessed for Christ and WALKED-THE-WALK!!! They weren't gay or drug dependant (after their conversion to Christianity, of course) or swapping sex partners. They were young people who had had a genuine experience with Christ and were excited to share it through their music.

Your article makes it sound as though early "Christian" musicians were not only wierdos, but though they professed Christ with their music, they continued to live a sinfull life. I don't see a balance, only a smirk of sorts implying that early Christian musicians were just a sham, only into themselves and their beliefs whether they were right or wrong. Give the good guys a chance too!

I think that the distinction here has to be whether or not their music told the truth. There's being a weirdo and then there's being a "false prophet." I think even "secular" musicians (I hate that term) can tell the truth, and Christian musicians can lie. It's less about how you live and more about how honest you are.

In terms of early Christian music, I'm a fan of Daniel Amos, Seventy Sevens (I think they came after DA, but I'm not sure), Larry Norman, Mark Heard...I think it was Heard who wrote "profane saints." At least they are all honest.