The book The Song Of The Lord describes itself as "a practical guide to prophetic singing." Its writer TAMARA WINSLOW was interviewed at length by Mike Rimmer.

Tammy continues her appraisal, "I don't know many of the artists, I've talked to a few but the greatest concern is that there should be an emphasis on the heart attitude and the relationship with Christ. Is it biblical and is it in accordance with the pattern God has ordained? And if we look at these things we have to ask ourselves have we been captured by Babylon? If we have then it's time to come out and I think for many Christians not only do they have to come out of Babylon but Babylon has to come out of them."

It is true that the continued secular ownership of many Christian record companies has been cause for concern. It is easy for artists to be sucked into marketing strategies and the selling of units as a bottom line rather than ministry unto God. Originally, Christian record labels were established to support the ministry of the Gospel but looking at the current scene questions need to be asked as to whether for too many, music ministry has been replaced by music career.

That said, there are a lot of well meaning artists in CCM who are in the thick of things, working hard. There are also a number of spiritual casualties. "People get caught up in the glamour of doing the music and the opportunity of being in front of a crowd and performing. When we talk about God's song that's not the emphasis. The emphasis is supposed to be the dedication unto him. There are many times I'd rather not do any singing at all because I don't want to be attached to that genre. Many people are innocently taken in. Babylon seduced the people very innocently, it just allowed them to go ahead and live the way they wanted but eventually it took away everything that belonged to them and they didn't know it until 70 years later."

Tamara is convinced that in order for the clear voice of God to be heard, there has to be a change in Christian music. "I honestly believe in the next few years we're going to see a movement begin. We're going to see some very well known CCM artists coming out of what we know as the Christian music scene and starting something entirely fresh because I've seen there's a real frustration and a selling out of our hearts to appease the world instead of doing something that's really unto the Lord."

My time with Tammy is almost at an end but she is warming to her subject and continues, "The Scriptures talk about how God is going to bring a remnant out of that Babylonian mindset. I look for almost a revolt to occur. In fact, we've been starting to see some of that where Christians who are really fed up with marketing something just to make money will gather together and begin to pray together and begin to network with one another and also desire to put out something that has an excellent sound without a compromise on the heart attitude. I am looking for a revolution to start. It's coming gradually. Then I look for God to start raising up what is called prophetic psalmists that are going to start emerging and training people because at this time there is such little understanding about the grace and the ability that's needed to move into these aspects. God's song is supposed to open up the door for his glory but we haven't seen the glory cloud very often."

Contemporary Christian music has made such leaps in quality in recent years but like Tammy I long for the music that I love to have a strong spiritual quality which cuts to the core of my life and touches me freshly with a word from God. In worship I long for the death of the MOR praise muzak that plagues the marketplace and for the revival of music that builds a platform for that cloud of glory to descend. My belief is that the ministry of Tamara Winslow is a vital building block in the new thing God desires to do in Christian music.

Mike Rimmer lives in newly wedded bliss with the wonderful Pippa and together they dabble in various media activities.