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By Eric Gargus Central Baptist Church Oneonta, Alabama [email protected] CPR For The Soul Music rocks the souls of teens today just like it rocked me when I was their age – and probably you too, right?

Music rocks the souls of teens today Kids too need music to feed their just like it rocked me when I was their souls. They need to know that they age – and probably you too, right? I are free to choose from the biggest loved my Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and variety of clean, high quality music Poison cassettes. (Google “cassette” that has ever existed. They need to if you’ve never heard of this primitive understand that what they listen to portable music device played inside affects them and their view of the the predecessor of the modern MP3 world. This is where interlínc so aptly player: the “ghetto blaster.”) I must comes into play. confess, I still enjoy the ‘80’s hair bands, albeit with a much more So, take what’s in your YLO box and mature spiritual filter. All the Christian plug it into your ministry. Pop that songs I knew back in that “Electric Video Loop in and watch the videos. Youth” era (hello Debbie Gibson!) When God stirs your heart with one were numbered and found in a text- of them, use it with your message – book-looking hardback book placed or use the study provided with the in racks on the back of pews. That is, video. Let the music help bring the until a friend introduced me to Petra. Scriptures to light like modern-day Whoa! Petra means “rock”! parables. Open those CD jewel cases, and listen for songs that tug at My life was forever changed. After all, your heart. Then use them for an altar as Larry Norman (and later, Geoff call or time of contemplation during Moore and the Distance) sang, “Why your youth meeting. Put the lyrics should the devil have all the good together with PowerPoint slides, music?” My cassette collection grew transparencies, or handouts for three to include names like Steven Curtis or four songs from the CD’s and have Chapman, 4Him, and of course, more your group sing along with the artists. Petra. The collection morphed into You might be surprised how this CD’s, and even the beginnings of a could really catch on and enhance digital collection. I will always want your meetings. a CD to hold in my hand so I can read the liner notes and check my The youth room walls at my church mullet in the shiny side. (Just kidding are filled with interlínc posters. The about the mullet.) Regardless of its newest Christian music blasts from form, music’s place is cemented into the sound system. And, a group of my being. students who did not sing together a few short years ago now worship I need Christian music to feed my together each week with artists like soul. I need to bang my head to Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, Fee, “The Slam” with tobyMac every once and a plethora of others. (“Jefe, Do and a while so I can feel the kind of you know what a plethora is?”) In a “Alive” Skillet feels. Whether remem- sense, interlínc is like the EMT’s who bering why “I Still Believe” acoustic- come roaring up in their shiny ambu- style with Jeremy Camp, or “Speaking lance with bright red lights, ready to Louder Than Before” with electric provide the music that gives CPR to guitars and a driving drum beat, the soul. Thanks interlínc, because Christian music draws me into the of you “we got portable sounds to presence of God. It gives me fuel for lift us up, portable sounds to take the rigors of everyday life. us higher…”