Over the past few weeks, a lot has been said about the direction of Christian music—particularly the divide between traditional Gospel and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). The conversation picked up serious momentum after Norman Gyamfi, co-founder of Maverick City Music, shared some strong opinions on The Isaac Carree Show. His remarks, though rooted in honesty, struck a major chord especially within the Black Gospel community.

As a worship pastor and musician, the question I get asked most often by our highly excited young adult congregation is: “Can Christians listen to secular music?”

They give me this inquisitive look, which tells me that my answer may define their whole viewpoint on this matter. I never answer with a blanket statement. Instead, I prefer to delve deeper into their heart posture.