| What Others Are
Doing and Saying
The Modesto Bee, The (CA)
May 26, 2005
SOUL MUSIC
STUDENTS UNDERTAKE TASK OF LISTENING EXCLUSIVELY TO CHRISTIAN MUSIC
FOR 30 DAYS
Author: HARMONY WHEELER, TEENS IN THE NEWSROOM
Edition: ALL
Section: BUZZZ
Page: E1
Article Text:
Thirty freshmen at Big Valley Christian High School went on a
diet last month.
This diet, however, did not involve losing weight, working out
or giving up favorite foods.
Instead, the Christian Music Diet required participants to give
up secular music and listen to only Christian music for 30 days.
For some, that was even harder than giving up McDonald's and Cold
Stone Creamery.
"Doing this Christian Music Diet was not easy," said 14-year-old
Nicole Chacon, "but I got through it with the help of God. I prayed
to Him when I was struggling. After all, the point of this diet
is to become closer to God.
"Now," she said, "I have good days when I used to have bad days.
Listening to Christian music is always very uplifting, compared
to secular music, which is often depressing."
Nicole said the diet helped her become closer to God.
"Whenever I was struggling, I knew I could look to him, and I did,"
she said. "To this day, even after the diet, I look to God for comfort,
strength and guidance."
The diet was created by Al Menconi Ministries, an evangelical,
nondenominational ministry whose goal is to educate and equip Christian
parents, leaders and students to communicate biblical values in
the home and church.
"I originally started encouraging my students to take a 'diet'
in 1972," Menconi said in an interview by e-mail. "It has been refined
over the years and is constantly changing. In fact, we made major
changes to it last year and now call it The FullTilt Challenge,
or Living FullTilt."
Like the Christian Music Diet, the FullTilt Challenge requires
participants to listen to only Christian music for 30 days. However,
it also involves eliminating all forms of entertainment that go
against biblical values.
Like losing weight, Menconi says on his Web site, you cannot accomplish
something by giving up only small, select areas and, after a quick
diet, going back to old habits; you have to change completely.
Ed Limon, a Bible teacher at Big Valley, adopted the diet about
four years ago as an extra-credit opportunity for students.
Now, freshman Bible teachers Steven Neff and Ryan Poling have continued
this challenge, while Limon has taken on the expanded version of
the diet, FullTilt, and used it to challenge the juniors and seniors.
Involving more than just students, the diet required family participation.
Parents had to sign an agreement saying they would not listen to
secular music around their kids.
The teachers who assigned the challenge did it along with the students,
as well.
"I would never ask anyone to do something I would not be willing
to do myself," he said. "This is a biblical concept set forth by
Jesus himself, as well as his disciples and the apostle Paul."
Neff, who teaches computers as well as Bible, would not allow the
use of iPods or other MP3 and CD players during free time while
the diet was going on.
Secular music plays a large role in teens' lives, so giving it
up can be quite a challenge.
"It is very difficult to shut out secular music," said Meaghan
Kingsley-Teem, 16. "It is everywhere: in stores, at school, even
at church!"
Meaghan said curiosity motivated her to try the diet.
"I just wanted to see how much my music really affects me," she
added. "I usually listen to music that fits my mood, whatever I
feel like, but the Christian Music Diet is a way to take your mind
off of this world and focus it on God. Through the diet, I have
grown closer to my Lord and experienced joy that does not depend
on circumstances."
Even though she sees the Christian Music Diet's effect as positive,
Meaghan said she doesn't plan to continue avoiding secular music.
"I do not think I will follow this diet stringently," she said,
"but I will definitely change my music selection to a mostly Christian
makeup."
Neff said he wishes more students had accepted the challenge. Out
of about 65 freshmen, only 30 did.
Dan Grigg, 16, said, "I was raised on the music I listen to, mainly
rock, and I am not willing to give it up. I like it. I am not going
to give it up just like that."
Besides, he added, "It takes a while for me to find out the other
types of music I like."
Joe Colley, 14, also passed on the challenge.
"I did not want to do the Christian Music Diet because I did not
need the extra credit and I enjoy the music I listen to," he said.
"What I listen to depends on who I am around. I like all kinds of
music and can listen to anything that people put in. My family listens
to secular and Christian music, but we listen to a lot of radio."
He also said it would have been difficult to maintain the diet
at home.
"I am not willing to make my family conform to something they are
not willing to do," he said. "I am not going to torture myself by
switching my music and giving it up for 30 days for some music I
listen to only once in a while."
Robert Lasiler, 15, said he listens to a lot of industrial, punk,
techno, grunge and metal music; anything, he said, that has meaning
in its words.
"Music does not change a person," he said, "and not listening to
music won't change a person, either. The music you like does not
describe what kind of person you are. If I listen to lyrics that
say, 'God is dead,' it won't change my faith. I am not changed by
others' opinions."
Neff said he has heard many Christians say that they aren't affected
by listening to secular music.
"My question to them is this: If these things do not have an effect
on your life, then why is it so hard to give them up for a measly
30 days and find out for sure? Especially when we, as Christians,
believe that Jesus gave up his throne in heaven for a time to suffer
humility and an unspeakable death on the cross for us?"
Britteny Vargas, 15, said that since she tried the Christian Music
Diet, "in my everyday life, I feel calmer and ready to face my trials.
I might try the diet again in the future. It was a difficult challenge,
but it helped me a lot. It has given me a more well-rounded feeling
for music. I can understand more of what I hear now. It has made
me conscious of what I listen to."
Britteny said she enjoys Christian music much more since she tried
the Christian Music Diet.
"Sometimes I like to vent through music. With nonsecular music,
it seems like you can't do this, but you really can," she said.
"When you have a bad day, you want to get all of your anger out.
Listening to hard-core stuff, just loud and crazy music or music
in general, seems to get rid of the hurt. Music, both secular and
Christian, can give you the feeling that someone else has been through
your hurts, too."
Britteny said she likes hard rock by Green Day, Muse and Three
Days Grace. But similar sounds can be found with Christian bands
like Switchfoot, Hawkinson, Kutless, 12 Stones and Relient K.
"Sometimes, secular music may seem better, but Christian music
can sound just as good."
Neff said he has seen changes in the students who tried the Christian
Music Diet. "They are more open to seeking godly music," he said,
"They are no longer afraid of being looked on as different because
of the music they listen to, because they have discovered there
is good Christian music in almost any genre they could imagine.
My prayer is that they will take this newfound knowledge and apply
it to other things in their lives, such as the television and movies
they choose."
The theme verse of the diet is Colossians 2:8, which says, "Don't
let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their
wrong and shallow answers built on men's thoughts and ideas instead
of on what Christ has said."
Nicole Chacon could identify with that verse after trying the Christian
Music Diet.
"I would encourage people to just try this diet," she continued,
"It really does help not only your personal relationship with Christ,
but your daily life, too. I do not think I will continue to listen
to Christian music 24/7, but I will listen to it more often."
Harmony Wheeler is a junior at Big Valley Christian High School
and is a member of The Bee's Teens in the Newsroom journalism program.
Caption: (HARMONY WHEELER)
Meaghan Kingsley-Teem accepted her school's challenge to listen
to only Christian music for a month.
Copyright 2005 The Modesto Bee
Record Number: MOD_182B1C45
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