sacred (adj.) — devoted or dedicated to a deity or to some religious purpose; consecrated

profane (adj.) — not devoted to holy or religious purposes; unconsecrated; secular

Johnny Cash once said there are three types of songs, three genres: murder, love and God. He released a three-CD set illustrating the idea — Murder, Love, God — soon followed by a fourth disc, Life. Cash decided early in his career to sing all types of music, from the religious to the non-religious, even the profane, e.g. “Delia’s Gone.” He was unabashed in his faith, and accessible to all types of people.

My first compositions were religious. I wrote “I Will Celebrate the Lord” in 2006 in Jamaica, and have written more than a dozen Christian songs since. I’ve also begun to compose non-religious material, inspirational and sentimental songs, like “Highways Heading Home,” about getting lost along the way or “I Need You,” a love song. So I’ve developed to set lists, one religious, one non-religious.

As a Christian performer, I find myself in a unique place. Some venues request only secular music, others religious. I play both. This is not comprise, it is simply an acknowledgement of sensibilities. In the end, the message will be heard, the message of life, hope, love. That’s what I write about, and that’s what I sing about. I hope you enjoy the show.

Note: By “profane,” I do not mean vulgar or obscene, simply non-religious. I do not use profanity in my songs.

© 2009, Mark Adams. All rights reserved.