Will your path you are planning today prepare you to move to something beyond radio, move to something the replaces CCM programming in the future? Some of us who used to live, eat and sleep radio can tell you that it is possible a time can come in your life when you say: What was I thinking!
Are you contemplating a life of working in the church world, in the ministry? Or do you see yourself sitting at a desk in some corporation some day making sure that the public has a choice of the best widgets mankind can manufacture when they walk into a big-box store looking for widgets?
Thinking of the future is very good advice. Who would have thought in the late 80's and early 90's that CCM radio would essentially die off in favor of praise and worship? I've talked with more than one poster on this and other boards that believes praise and worship music IS CCM. Not their fault, they are woefully ignorant of the golden era of early CCM when creativity prevailed. Those few of us who resisted the praise and worship movement were bullied right out of radio. Young people, it would seem, are not valued by the church and especially not by radio owners, because their music is lively and doesn't fit into that box where they have sequestered God. If its not praise and worship or southern gospel or hymns or preaching - it must be evil. Jeff Godwin and his av1611.org folks have shown us the "truth" from their perspective - whew - we don't have to deal with kids any more. Problem solved. Or not - if you are a young person.
My point is that if you try to make waves in the CCM world, to make a difference for Christ, to reach young people - you are going to face attacks from the enemy. They will be vicious and brutal - attacking your personal integrity and walk. If you aren't absolutely sure you are where Christ would have you, or you don't have a thick enough skin to withstand the attacks of the enemy - some of which will come from seeming pious individuals, I'd find another ministry. I can honestly say - some of the worst treatment I have received at the hands of other human beings have been from people in the church opposed to using Christian rock - and REAL CCM - to reach young people.
As to what CCM will be in the future, I can tell you the internet and streaming has broken the stranglehold of people opposed to CCM. The music is there, it has always been there, thanks to the internet it can be heard, and once people hear life changing Christian music in their preferred style, they will never go back to the sterilized praise and worship. So in 30 years, all the self-righteous pharisees who succeeded in suppressing music they didn't like will be dead, and replaced with younger people who are now discovering Christian rock and true CCM for the first time. From that point of view, the future is very bright for CCM, and someone like you getting in on the ground floor of the opportunity could probably make an excellent career. I think CCM is where secular rock was about 50 or 60 years ago. Not mainstreamed yet. What is needed is a Christian version of Dick Clark to make it less threatening to parents and church leadership, while at the same time embracing the genre and promoting the best within it. I hope maybe that is your calling!
