Phil Keaggy (b. 1951) is considered one of the foremost contemporary Christian guitarists/songwriters.
After playing in several rock bands in his teen years, in 1968 he joined John Sferra to form a rock group called the Glass Harp. Bass player Dan Pecchio joined them about a year later, and they produced their first album in the fall of 1970. Earlier that same year Keaggy made a commitment to Christ in an Assemblies of God church, following the death of his mother in an automobile accident. Like most CCM musicians, Keaggy does not describe his salvation in clear biblical terms in his interviews or at his web site. In 1972, he left Glass Harp due to philosophical differences to do solo work and to
begin playing in Christian circles. During the last half of the 1970s he worked with Buck Herring and the 2nd Chapter of Acts, one of the pioneers of Christian rock.
Later he formed the Phil Keaggy Band.
Though the Catholic-raised Keaggy made a commitment to Christ in an Assemblies of God church in 1970, he has not rejected Roman Catholicism and he is extremely ecumenical. Keaggy joined Catholic John Michael Talbot on his album Cave of the Heart. Note the following statement from a 1995 interview:
“… the Gospel is preached in many Catholic churches, and the truth is known there. … Over the years, I’ve been a part of many nondenominational churches and denominational churches, but I have even a higher regard and respect for my Catholic upbringing, because I believe it planted the seeds of faith in me. And I read books that give me a greater understanding of the Catholic faith today. I’m not a practicing Catholic, but I believe that I’m a true believer who responds to the truth that is there. Because it’s ancient tradition; it goes way back. I think Martin Luther had some great ideas, and showed us that we’re saved by grace through faith, but he was a Catholic when he posted all that up! … I have great fellowship with my Catholic brethren today. I have some dear friends across the country that I’ve made.
That’s a whole other subject; but I think when the Lord looks at his Bride, he doesn’t see the walls that we use to divide ourselves from each other. He sees one body, and that body is comprised of his children, those who he bought and paid for with his blood … I love the liturgy; I think liturgy with the Spirit is one of the most powerful ways of communicating the life of God to us” (Phil Keaggy, cited by Tom Loredo, “Phil Keaggy in His Own Words,” Way Back Home, December 1995).
It is true that Catholicism can plant general seeds of faith in God which can sometimes be watered by the gospel,
but to imply that Catholic churches preach the gospel is a serious error. While it is true that Martin Luther was a Catholic when he first made his protest against Rome, he did not learn salvation by grace alone from Roman Catholicism. He learned it from the Bible IN SPITE OF Rome, and Rome quickly condemned him and tried to kill him. Rome’s Council of Trent, which was responding to Luther, boldly cursed anyone who says that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone by the blood of Christ alone without works or sacraments, and Trent has never been rescinded. Any Catholic church which preaches the true gospel that salvation has nothing whatsoever to do with works or sacraments (and I don’t know of any) is preaching contrary to what Roman Catholicism teaches in its official documents. The Catholic Church plainly states that salvation is by grace PLUS works and sacraments.
Not only does the Catholic Church deny the gospel of the grace of Christ by its formal declarations, but in many other ways, as well. The all-sufficiency of Christ’s once-for-all atonement is denied by the Catholic mass, which alleges to be a continual re-offering of Christ’s sacrifice;
by the Catholic priesthood, which alleges to stand between the believer and Christ; by the Catholic sainthood, which alleges to mediate between men and God.
Keaggy says he loves the Catholic liturgy, but it is contrary to the Bible. There is no mass in the Bible. There is no special priesthood in the New Testament church.
There are no sacraments in the New Testament Scriptures.
Sacraments are supposed to be channels of grace, but the ordinances of true New Testament churches (believer’s
baptism and the Lord’s Supper) are not channels of grace but are symbols and simple reminders only.
Keaggy discounts the importance of sound doctrine when he says that God does not see differences between churches and denominations. The Lord Jesus Christ warned that there would be many false teachers who would lead many astray (Mat. 7:15). He warned that as His return draws nearer, false teachers would increase (Mat. 24:11,24). The Lord’s apostles likewise warned of a great apostasy or turning away from the true New Testament faith, of the rise of many false teachers, of the creation of false churches (e.g., 1 Timothy 4; 2 Timothy 3-4; 2 Peter 2; 1 John 2,4; Jude; Revelation 17). If God sees all denominations as a part of His one body, where are the false teachers? Where are the false churches?
Where is the spirit of antichrist?
The following is from another interview:
“I’m just pro-Jesus. I’ll go into any church where His name is honored. I don’t know where it will take me. I just know that Christians need to love each other” (Phil Keaggy, cited by Dave Ubanski, “Fret Not,” CCM Magazine, Nov. 1998, p. 36).
This sounds good to many, but Keaggy ignores the Bible’s warning that there are false christs (2 Cor. 11:3-4).
The “Jesus” honored by many churches is an unscriptural Jesus, and the Bible warns that God’s people are not to fellowship with these (2 John 10-11). Christian love is important, but the Bible says that true love is obeying God’s commandments (1 John 5:3).
In an interview with Religious Broadcasting, Keaggy further emphasized his ecumenical philosophy:
“I think also the unity that is so necessary in the body of Christ is important. I admire Charles Colson. He got a lot of flack for writing the book, The Body, and being associated with Catholics. I was raised Catholic and my mother’s influence was powerful in my life. I came to the Lord when she passed away. She sowed the seeds in my life for me to become a believer. There are divisive voices out there. People who thrive on disunity are the ones [to whom] you’ve got to say, ‘I’m not going to contend with this, I’m not going to argue, I’m just going to go about my business’” (“Saran E. Smitha and Christine Pryor, “Integrity Times Two: Michael Card and Phil Keaggy,” Religious Broadcasting, National Religious Broadcasters, July-August 1995).
The Christian life would be much simpler if one could follow Keaggy’s advice and not get involved in contentions about doctrine and Christian living, but faithfulness to the Word of God does not allow it. Keaggy says he is not going to “contend,” but God requires that His people “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). We are to reprove the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Obedience to such commands does not allow me to follow Keaggy’s ecumenical counsel.
Keaggy’s unscriptural ecumenical philosophy and anti-fundamentalist attitude prevails in the world of Contemporary Christian Music.
Keaggy is charismatic and claims to have received the
“baptism of the Spirit” in 1970 at a Kathryn Kuhlman service (Phil Keaggy interview,” Harmony magazine,
1 9 7 6 , h t t p : / / w w w . m u s e w e b . c o m / k e a g g y / harmony76.html). There is every evidence that Kathryn Kuhlman operated in a false deceiving spirit. Keaggy was affiliated with the Pentecostal Love Inn Community in Freeville, New York, from 1974 to 1979.
As with most CCM artists Keaggy builds bridges to the world. He performs an unholy combination of secular rock and Christian rock, and those who listen to his music are drawn toward worldly rock & roll. On his 1993 Crimson and Blue album, for example, he pays “homage to The Beatles” with several of the songs. The Beatles have done more to further the Devil’s program in this generation than any other music group. It is unconscionable for a Christian to pay homage to these wicked people and to their demonically-inspired music, thereby encouraging Christian young people to think that rock & roll is harmless.
Keaggy had a large role in producing the 1998 album Surfonic Water Revival. It is an attempt to Christianize surf-rock music. According to the CCM rockers who designed this album, Heaven might be a “Surfer’s Paradise.” Note the words to the song “Surfer’s Paradise”
from this album. It is written by Terry Scott Taylor and performed by All Star United with Phil Keaggy:
“It’s a dream of mine/ It’s always surfin’ time/ There’s a beach with perfect weather/ And no closing sign/ It’s the place to go/ ‘Cause your tan never fades there/ And the surf’s so fine/ And the junk’s all free at the 7-Eleven/ And if you catch the perfect wave/ It’ll take you to heaven/ So bring your girl and bring your guy/ And make it on down/
To surfer’s Paradise.
Chorus: “Let’s get together, yea/ Let’s get together (at)/
Surfer’s Paradise/ Don’t hesitate, don’t think twice/
Shorts and bikinis will suffice/ You can wear ‘em all day and night/ (At) Surfer’s Paradise.”
This is worldly foolishness. God’s Word forbids half-nakedness. The Lord Jesus Christ warned that sensual lust, which is a big part of the beach scene, is adultery.
When I was saved at age 23 from a hippie lifestyle (I grew up in Florida only a short drive from many beaches), God dealt with me about my old ways. He convicted me that it is wrong to lust after bikini-clad girls. I understood that I had to avoid beaches to avoid temptation. He convicted me about the evils of rock music. I no longer wanted to bum around and hang out and waste my life as I did before I was saved. Why aren’t CCM rockers convicted of these things? Instead of singing about beach parties they should be preaching against them. Surfing itself is not wrong, but the surf scene is intimately connected with the worldly licentiousness which the Bible forbids (1 John 2:15-17).
The same is true for snowboarding. Snowboarding is not wrong, but the snowboard culture is at enmity with God’s laws and must be shunned by those who desire to please a holy Christ. The same is true for skateboarding.
Some of Keaggy’s music is simple folk style on acoustic guitar with a soft rock ballad rhythm, and some of the lyrics to his songs are scriptural. The song
“Disappointment” is an example. Consider the first stanza:
“Disappointment—HIS appointment, change one letter/
Then I see, that the thwarting of my purpose is God’s
better choice for me/ His appointment must be blessing, though it may come in disguise/ For the end from the beginning, open to His wisdom lies/ Disappointment—
HIS appointment, whose?/ The Lord’s who loves me best/ Understands and knows me fully, who my faith and love would test/ For like loving, earthly parent, He rejoices when He knows/ That His child accepts unquestioned all that from His wisdom flows.”
Yet any good in Keaggy’s music is far outweighed by the danger of his ecumenical-charismatic heresies and the bridges that he builds to the world.