"It hurts. You get angry. You get mad. You even feel disrespected because you don't understand how people can be that *dumb* or unintentional in the name of Christ. That's how you know it's where you're supposed to serve."

This was a Facebook message I received from a friend of mine in ministry after one of my rants. I was fresh off a tantrum over an article condemning Mali Music for signing with Akon's label. It misquoted something that he said regarding gospel music and while I can respect a difference of opinion (sometimes), I by no means can tolerate bad journalism. My friend understands all too well the frustration I feel when it comes to how some members of the church treat Christians who have been called to the mainstream. She is right. I get mad. I will admit that I sometimes get cussin' mad; slammin' doors, temperature rising, on the verge of tears but too angry to cry, mad. Because to me it's a no brainer. It's an open and shut case. However I need to accept that not everyone will agree, be angry yet sin not (Ephesians 4:26).

If you are a Christian artist in mainstream music (or a "Hilltopper" as I call them) I don't doubt that you too have gotten angry, hurt and even cussin' mad. You feel this deeper than I do. Because when someone is telling you that you are outside of God's will by being outside of the church walls when it comes to your art, for the most part they are spewing damnation on what you know to be your calling. For a lot of people their calling and who they are are one and the same and thus they take this offense very personally. I want us to peel that offense off. You have to. You won't survive within the church if you don't.  I can already hear some of you now though...

"Oh I'm not a part of 'the church'. I am a Christ follower/Red letter Christian/Follower of the Way, etc..."

The purpose of this ministry is not to foster an us vs. them mentality when it comes to those in the church with an opposing view on Christians in mainstream. You may not like some members of your family (the church), but the fact is you are a part of it. In regards to your relatives, you can't say "the aunt that sends me money every year on my birthday is family but the uncle that gets drunk and belligerent at every funeral repass is not." You can't claim to be a Christ follower,ask him to break your heart for the things that break his, yet hate His bride. At the end of the day, we are all that bride. So how do we get along?

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”15But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. - 1 Peter 3:8-17 NIV

One thing I am looking forward to is the "You Can't Sing Secular Music Because..." series. It is my hope to help you respond in a the way that the aforementioned scripture encourages. To "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." I am going to gather the most asked questions and comments that Hilltoppers receive about what they do and provide biblically based, practical answers. I tried to respond in this manner to the aforementioned article. In my most dignified way, I let them have it. I didn't get personal. I didn't call anyone an idiot. I gave a stern answer. Jesus gave stern answers that sometimes even seemed a little smart alecky because he knew what was in man's heart. While we can often detect someone's intentions, we don't know their heart. We never know how a well informed, biblically based answer can change their thinking. I know this first hand because I used to be one of those people who gave Christians in mainstream or anyone who didn't say Jesus in each and every song a very hard time. It was over a series of conversations I had with people who gave me stern answers with gentleness and respect, that my paradigm was shifted in such a way that I now have a heart for something that I was once vehemently against. You never know how close someone is to change so be careful. Giving someone who questions your calling being in the will of God a bad reaction may result in them feeling that you have proven them right.

If all were perfect, what should we have to suffer from others for God's sake? But God has so ordained that we may learn to bear one another's burdens for there is no man without fault... hence we must support one another, console one another, mutually help counsel, and advise, for the measure of every man's virtue is best revealed in time's of adversity- adversity that does not weaken a man but rather shows what he is- Excerpt from Imitation of Christ by Thomas A'Kempis