Most Christians would agree that some songs don’t belong in gathered worship. The harder question is the one that actually divides us: where do we draw the line? On what basis do we draw that line? For some, if a song is labeled “Christian,” it’s automatically fair game on Sunday. Others would expand the standard to include “non-Christian” songs with Christian themes. (I still remember seeing a church sing “You Raise Me Up,” by Josh Groban, and being quite shocked). For others, only a narrowly defined style or sound is acceptable. So how do we evaluate worship music wisely, without drifting into anything-goes pragmatism on one side or some sort of legalism on the other? Are there any passages that talk about this issue directly? This is the first question to ask when working through any issue. Regarding this issue, Colossians 3:16 is very appropriate (cf. Eph 5:19). Let the…