One of my favorite Christian metal artists back in the day was a guy who loved to feature guitar soloists from a number of LA bands on his albums. One one particular track on his second disc, he had no less than eight different guitarists featured playing screaming hair metal band guitar solos. As a fan of the music, I went to look up some of the bands represented on that particular track - and was shocked to discover not one of them was from a Christian band!
I later learned there was an interesting motive to this inclusive maneuver by the artist: it gave him a chance to share his faith with guys who were not believers. Including these great players on his Christian album gave him a chance to expose them to the gospel. In several cases he was able to lead fellow metal heads to the Lord, and it all started because he allowed them in the studio.
A few years later I was running a youth drama team at my church. As the group grew in popularity with the students who attended our youth events, some non-believers became interested in joining. As a young pup in college running a ministry who didn't know any better, I let them in. I'n happy to say it didn't take long for the gospel to reach these young kids and transform them into believers.
Despite this, I had to defend the policy of allowing non-believers in the group every summer to our youth pastor. It wasn't hard to sway him, considering every year I could give him a longer list of names of kids who had accepted Christ after joining the group.
Non-believers were held to the same standards as the church members and believers in the group. Everyone signed a code of conduct that they had to follow, and non believers were not allowed to do any kind of prayer or altar counseling. None of the kids ever balked at this. Most were grateful for the opportunity to perform. In fact the one time we kicked kids out of the group for conduct, the kids in question were (sadly enough) long time church members.
To this day, I don't limit productions, on stage or on film, to believers. Doing so, especially with film, limits your talent pool. It also closes the door to personal connections that can lead to evangelism. Anyone who steps onto one of my sets is someone God has led my way. I pray for them, and I hope to see many of them have their hearts and minds (some very hardened) changed by the Lord.
I understand there are circumstances and places where this wouldn't be ideal, and I don't look down on anyone who would choose to do other wise. But it's worth consideration, is it not?
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