Mainstay is a rising Christian band located here in Minneapolis and opened for Third Day Friday night on a second stage at the Higher Ground Music Festival in Winstead, MN. I like their style and was encouraged to hear a clear gospel message at their show.
Mainstay recently recorded a song with Jeremy Camp and begins touring with him soon.
Being on a secondary stage and dimly lit, their show was a bit difficult to shoot. I did get a few acceptable snaps.
[More pics here]
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Photos (c) 2007 Tony S. Reinke
Tony Reinke 
It is interesting, although I understand man is more concerned with the outside appearance of things, from what I understand of scripture, if the inside is in the Truth, the Way and the Life, than the outside will show itself in a “verb” way. Meaning that the fruits will show and all fruits are verbs(actions) not what you look like or wear(nouns). But it sure is peculiar how these men in this band look on the outside. Who do they dress for? It is also peculiar that they appear just as any other band that plays in this time(worldly). Is it helpful to dress as such? Or could it be a competition to get the worldly kids to like a Christian band ? Again, who is the dress for? the hair? I am asking these questions in search for what is truthful, not that I condemn, but that I ask is it not in our word and deed to know what we do things for? Is there humble way to dress? Are we are to cloth ourselves with righteousness or self-righteousness? Are these men asking these questions to themselves and if not why? Again, I ask in search of what God would answer, I am not condemning, and please forgive me if I seem as such. Looking at ourselves through the eyes of Scripture(The Word) and not through our own eyes or others.
Thanks for the comment, Graham! I agree that there are a number of so-called Christ-ian bands that are worldly, made obvious when they play an entire concert without mention of Christ (as the band before Mainstay). I think what distinguishes the Christian from the world is the Cross. And I think it’s here that our discernment about contemporary Christian bands should be. If a band boasts in the Cross of Christ (thankfully that includes this one) they will be ‘foolish’ to the world no matter their hair style or clothing choice. This is the place of distinction: What do they do with the Cross? If this or other bands stop talking about the Cross (the Gospel) then of course their hair and clothes make them just like any other non-Christian and worldly band. Worldly compromise will always be detected in a compromised Cross. But when the Cross is boasted in, no hip fashion or styled hair will surmount the ‘foolishness’ the world will see in them and their message (1 Cor. 1:18-2:16). This is an excellent question, Graham and one I have struggled with much. Blessings! Tony
I don’t mean to intrude or to break open a large discussion, but I was just kind of troubled by Spurgeon’s statement about a band being “worldly” simply on the evidence that they did not explicitly mention Christ in their set. This seems to be a rather sweeping remark and is a little overboard in my opinion. Is it necessary for a Christian band to present the gospel everytime they play to be considered a Christian band? I suppose a case can be made from either perspective. However, I do feel like calling a band (made up of individual beleivers who have publicly professed their faith in Christ) “worldy” based on the fact that they didn’t present the Gospel at a Christian music festival unfounded.
Perhaps I am mistaken here, cameo. But I base these comments upon an assumption that each band has prominent messages they communicate to their audiences. Over the course of a concert it’s pretty easy to determine what these messages are and whether it’s the Cross or not. Lyrics and what the band talks about on stage, are both very revealing because music is a means of communication. T
i appreciate your thoughts. obviously a band communicates something to their audience whether they like it or not. some bands try to run from this but it is inevitable. perhaps what i’m getting at is that Christian bands are made up of individual Christians all at different points in their relationship with Christ and all with different struggles, fears, etc. i personally struggle with evangelism and have actually struggled with it particularly in the area of my songwriting. i guess my point is that rather than just labeling other brothers and sisters in Christ as worldly, we should get to the heart of the matter and realize that perhaps they need to have the Gospel preached to them. perhaps one of the biggest struggles of the members of the band is how to share their faith. maybe they need our prayers or some help in clarifying their message.
as far as the necessity of the centrality of the Cross, unfortunately, it is something that most Christians outside of Reformed circles never hear. i grew up in an evangelical, non-reformed pastor’s home and struggled with my faith all the way into college where i finally found the answers to all of life’s questions in the cross of Christ. the bottom line is that i never heard about it. sure i knew that i was saved because of Jesus dying on the cross, but i never heard about why Jesus died, who Jesus died for, what Jesus’ death has done, how the Cross could change my life… blogs like TSS are incredibly helpful because they continually point to Cross-centered resources, but I would ask for patience with those Christians who have not come to the realization of the necessity of the centrality of the cross. we can pray for them, instruct them, encourage them, etc. but we should not dismiss them as worldly because they have not come to understand how pervasive and life changing the Cross truly is. i hope i have not come off sounding harsh or as putting the members of the band down. my desire was not to do either of these things…
Thanks for the comment cameo. This is what I love about blogging. It bring together people from different perspectives to talk about an issue such as this. In this series of questions a wide perspective is represented. This is great. Thank you! …
I would say that communicating a message is central to music. I don’t think the lyrics of any band are secondary. Each band does communicate a message.
Let me also say I don’t have a problem with secular bands. I listen to some great music that is non-Christian. Nor do I have a problem with Christians in secular bands. I would assume in some “clean” bands there is a level of Christian influence behind the scenes. I’m thankful for this.
My concern is those bands publicly labeled “Christian.” No matter where the band members are in the faith they are now publicly identified as communicators of Christianity. This is a new ballgame. Whether or not the band wants this — they now are now models of Christianity and speakers of its message.
Now, I certainly agree there should be patience as Christian musicians mature in the faith. And likewise, there should be patience on the part of the musicians to allow their content to develop before they seek public notice. Especially with the high expectations Scripture holds for those who speak the message of Christianity to the world.
For some reason in popular “Christian” music, discernment seems to be ‘off limits.’ And I’m not sure why or how this has come to be but it sounds like the product of religious relativism not Scripture.
So my question for you cameo: What distinguishes a Christian band from a non-Christian band?
Again, thanks for the discussion! Tony
hmmm…what distinguishes a “Christian” band from a “non-Christian” band. this is a tough question. maybe even an impossible question to answer. obviously there can be no objective example of a Christian band so it is hard to define. perhaps i will answer your question with a scenario…
i have spent much time writing songs for/to/about my wife. i have written quite a few in last 7 years since we first met. perhaps in some of those songs there is a direct reference to God, but usually the songs are focused on the relationship that i have with my wife and the joy that we experience in being together. i am a person who struggles daily to live a cross-centered life. though i often fail, the gospel is my focus, goal, and motivation. however, when i write or sing a song to my wife, it may be hard for someone to find the message of the gospel explicitly stated. so based upon the fact that i don’t explicitly state the gospel in these songs, or at the time that i play these songs to my wife, should my music be categorized as Christian? non-Christian? i don’t know if the songs can be shoved into either of those categories. i don’t believe that this is an issue of relativity, but i don’t think that it can be cut in stone either. art is such a strange beast. the Scriptures themselves seem to allow room for narratives and poetry that don’t specifically address the issue of the Gospel (ex. Esther, Song of Songs), but of course, when we read them as part of the whole canon (i.e. biblical theology)we see that they are filled with redemptive themes and they point to Christ and the cross in a very real way. taking these writings on their own, one would not come to this conclusion, but in context they become incredible testimonies of the grace of God in the lives of His people. i do not mean to compare apples with oranges, as the Scriptures are on a completely different level from the art that Christians produce today…
so, i hope i did not dismiss your question, i just think that we have to ask broader questions. the points that you have made are very helpful and it is true that Christian musicians should be thinking about these things before they sign a record contract or step onto a stage in fron of thousands of impressionable teenagers. however, i don’t think we can simply put one band in the Christian band category because they mention Christ, and exclude another band because there songs are addressing other issues of the Christian life. Test case: Philips, Craig, and Dean are considered a Christian band, their lyrics are full of references to God and even the cross, however, all three members deny the existence of the Trinity. Christian or non-Christian band? an indie band full of Christians sings poetic songs about life as a Christian, even describing a relationship with Christ through metaphors, but does not explicitly state the Gospel message from the stage at each concert; Christian or non-Christian?
seeing that i have not come up with a good definition of what makes a band Christian or non-Christian, i would love to hear from others what they think can help us in discerning the music that we listen to and support.
Thank you cameo for these thoughts. I came across this article today along the same lines. My thinking has been challenged by this conversation. Tony
Dear T.S.S. (Tony Spurgeon Superblogger):
That Forbes link you gave doesn’t work and I would love to read it.
Hello all!
My name is Justin and I am the singer for the band Mainstay.
I recently found this blog about our show a year and a half ago. I remember that show we played opening up for Third Day in Minnesota, and I just wanted to say that it’s cool that it sparked this debate. A lot of good thoughts and questions here…
I am EXTREMELY concerned with the questions the first blogger asked. I AM concerned with being grounded in Christ primarily and letting the rest of my life flow out of that. I do not do that perfectly AT ALL.
I (like most people) dress in a manner that suits my tastes. I do not feel it is extravagant, innapropriate, nor expensive. I find my righteousness in Christ and yet, I strive to live a humble LIFE that glorifies Him. This is seen through the way I strive to consistently treat people with the love of Jesus regardless of people’s status or station. If I were spending exorbitant amounts of money on clothing or hair (the way some Christian people do) then I would have a problem with my actions. That is to say, I don’t believe that there is a “humble” way to dress. Other than donning a monk’s habit, we ALL dress in some way, shape, or form that signifies our tastes. NOW – when someone has a $3,000 outfit on, it’s safe to say that THAT is worldly. Agreed. Not ok. Benny Hinn owning a 3 million dollar home in Malibu? Not ok. Wearing an great looking Italian suit that costs $3,000 dollars? Not ok. Purchasing a home in the suburbs that is over-the-top extravagant, simply because other clean, good, white Christians around you do it? NOT ok.
If I were a business man trying to close a sale with a potential client, I would not show up in sweatpants and a muscle shirt with my hair unkempt. NO WAY – I would try to look sharp and professional, with a suit, or business casual, trying to look personable but clean. But also, it’s just the way Christian people in the business-world look. They like that look because they feel sharp, but they are not FOCUSED on that and they certainly do not draw attention to it and they do not spend lots of money on it. This is culture interacting with faith. When I take the stage, I want people to focus on our songs, the lyrics, and (ultimately) Christ. I want to feel sharp, but not distracting. Confident in my appearance, but not FOCUSED or DEPENDENT on it. That IS the business we are in as entertainers and musicians. That is part of the currency or our trade – our TRADE – not our MINISTRY. Our ministry is what happens when we talk to kids about Christ for 3 hours after shows and are DEAD tired and haven’t seen our wives in weeks. Our ministry is what happens when we roll into gas stations and treat the clerks like PEOPLE instead of subservient-lackeys. Our ministry is when we spend hours investing in people’s lives at shows by asking them questions and being available to listen and share the gospel. Our ministry is when we write songs that strive to display Christ, and then strive to unpack the gospel message during our shows.
I am not trying to sound defensive…that is certainly not my intent. However, I am trying to draw attention to the fact that bands, like all other entities/businesses that are Christian, have to function within some kind of parameters set by culture. As long as that functioning doesn’t involve arrogance, excessive spending, impure motives, and moral compromise, it seems to me to be ok. In other words, if Christ’s teachings don’t denounce something, and it doesn’t seem to be dishonoring to Him, but rather, it’s just a facet of culture (like eating at Chipotle or vacationing in the Rockies or styling your hair a certain way) then to me, it doesn’t appear to be wrong. And if the word “worldly” means that I have long hair, then I’m utterly confused. I don’t think Jesus’ disciples would cut their hair to avoid being worldly. When a Christ-follower spends $50,000 on a vehicle, or $400,000 on a house or is addicted to pornography or drinks like a sieve or stays locked inside his church and never interfaces with the world – THEN he is being “worldly” – or to put it more precisely, DISOBEDIENT. When a person VALUES the things of the world, then, he is being worldly. I have many other thoughts on this, but I will stop here.
I pray to God that I am never self-righteous. I have no righteousness on my own – “my righteousness is like filthy rags to God.” God forbid that I EVER view myself as such. Rather, I am utterly dependent on Christ for every breath I take, and every ounce of righteousness, HE supplies for me at the cross.
I hope I do not come across as angry or defensive. I am merely contributing to the conversation.
We have two hands in church – in one hand is doctrine, which we hold with a closed fist, because inside it are the precious truths of scripture – the fact that there is ONE God, that He sent His’ Son to die for us, that there is a need for repentance from sin and trust in Christ, etc. etc. etc….
In the other hand is cultural application – which we hold with an open hand. You don’t lose an OUNCE of the doctrine. But you also don’t tell a Zambian brother in Christ to put on a suit so he can look like a “good Christian.” You don’t tell him to quit playing the drums because that’s a heathen instrument. You don’t tell him to start singing Tomlin songs in his church because “that’s what good white folks do.” You ask him to honor CHRIST in all that he does – the application of that lies in his own heart about what is culturally acceptable and what is TRULY worldly and “by testing he discerns what is the will of God” in displaying Christ in his culture.
So…he stops worshipping animistic spirits. He quits lusting after his neighbors wife. He starts to GIVE his money and time away to others in need. He doesn’t buy fancy, expensive things he doesn’t need. He is a Zambian believer, however that looks to him as he strives to honor Christ in ALL that he does.
This is my contribution. God bless EACH of you brothers in Christ. I count you as blessings that there would even be such great, stimulating, Godly, Christ-honoring conversation in this blog. May we continue to truly attempt to follow Jesus down this narrow road that is so difficult to navigate at times. May we continue to see sin in our lives that dishonors Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to eradicate it from our lives that we may know and GAIN Christ and the priceless treasure that is God incarnate. And may we worry more about how we interface with the world around us and sharing the gospel with it than we do about being critical of other believers. May we die on the hill of spreading the gospel rather than on the hill of biblically-academic endeavors and petty grievances over non-essential theological debates. May we care more about the souls going to hell around us than we do about being RIGHT and having all of our theology “right.” May we exalt Jesus in all we do and say, and run to Him as we fail, counting on His’ righteousness to atone for all of our sins.
Justin Anderson – Mainstay
Justin,
I really enjoyed the post…is there anywhere that I can, like, find more on your band doctrine or your vision…I’ve listened to a couple of you songs and looking for godly music, I was wondering if you guys had a page talking more about what you believe and what you are doing…that would be awesome.