How Do Adventists Make Movie and Music Choices?

We have entertainment at our fingertips. With just a tap on our smartphones, we can access all the latest movies, music, YouTube videos, and more.

So what criteria does a Seventh-day Adventist use in choosing what to consume?

We believe the Bible gives us guidelines for every area of life. Rather than serving as a book of step-by-step instructions we could follow without much thought, its purpose is much higher and deeper than that. It provides principles to help us determine what is safe and good for followers of Jesus Christ and what is not. We then apply these principles to music, movies, books, activities…anything we’d spend our time on for the purpose of fun, entertainment, and enjoyment.

So let’s answer some common questions about how to apply biblical principles to entertainment options:

• Can music be “good” or “bad”?
• What about movies?
• What does the Bible say about entertainment?
• What does entertainment look like for a follower of Jesus?

We’ll start by talking about music choices since it’s a common topic not only within Seventh-day Adventism but within many Christian communities.

Can music be “good” or “bad”?

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Let’s first remember that music, in and of itself, is simply an arrangement of tones and rhythm. It is not inherently “good” or “bad.” But because it involves so much of the brain and our senses, it can be used to express and bring about certain feelings, ideas, realizations, or motivations—which is why it’s so often used in praise and worship.

Music is mentioned, used, and upheld all throughout the Bible. It was a frequent method for followers of God to express joy, triumph, gratitude, and worship (1 Chronicles 13:8 is one of numerous examples). And God was often credited as the ultimate inspiration for this music, like how Psalm 118:14 says, “The Lord is my strength and my song” (CSB).

There are even descriptions of what music will be like in heaven (Job 38:7; Revelation 5:9; 15:2-3).

Here are a few of the many occurrences of song and musical praise in the Bible:

• The Israelites sang praises to God after they crossed the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1-21).
• The temple had an organized group of musicians whose job was to praise God by playing instruments and singing (1 Chronicles 15:16-29).
• David played the harp to comfort King Saul’s troubled mind (1 Samuel 16:23).
• David composed many songs, which were later used for worship in the temple. Today, those songs fill one of the longest books in the Bible—Psalms.
• Paul and Silas sang to God while in prison (Acts 16:25).

And Paul encouraged us to use music:

“Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19, NKJV).¹

But many have wondered, What about secular songs—those that don’t directly worship God?

They have their place, and we shouldn’t label them as “bad” (or not important or not meaningful) just because they aren’t overtly religious.

Notice what the Seventh-day Adventist philosophy of music says about secular music:

“‘Secular music’ is music composed for settings other than the worship service or private devotion. It speaks to the common issues of life and basic human emotions. It comes out of our very being, expressing the human spirit’s reaction to life, love, and the world in which the Lord has placed us. It can be morally uplifting or degrading. Although it does not directly praise and adore God, nevertheless it could have a legitimate place in the life of the Christian.”

For example, we wouldn’t think twice about singing “Happy Birthday” or listening to instrumental music by Bach.

At the same time, not everything labeled as “Christian music” directly honors God.

So how can we decide what music we should listen to?

Since music’s effects occur within the listener, we all have to consider how different types of music affect us. As we’ll explore in a moment, the Bible provides us with a framework for determining what makes something good, helpful, and uplifting.

In addition to the type of music or how it sounds, we need to consider its purpose, such as whether it’s intended for worship, relaxation, or exercise, etc.

What about movies? Can they be “good” or “bad”?

Movies are motion picture stories. So, like music, they do not have a motive at the definition level. But just as stories vary by author, storyteller, intent, word choice, etc., movies can bring about a whole spectrum of responses from our brains. And anything with that kind of influence deserves caution and careful consideration.

It only makes sense, then, for Christians to apply biblical principles to movie selections as well.

We don’t have to tell you that an abundance of secular movies glamorize violence, gratuitous sex, pride, greed, vengeance, and other inappropriate or destructive things. They can also paint an unrealistic picture of life that detracts from the meaningful life God wants for us.

So with each movie we think about watching, letting our kids watch, or promoting to our friends, it’s best to pray about it first.

But let’s also remember that movies can be used for very good purposes.

Case in point: Adventists have used quality productions to share the truths of the Bible in recent years.

The feature film Tell the World depicts the early history of the Adventist Church and the hope of Jesus’ Second Coming. This film was the prequel to The Hopeful, which was released on April 17, 2024.

(Find out more about The Hopeful movie)

Adventist ministries, such as Hope Channel, Amazing Facts, Voice of Prophecy, and the Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN), have studios that broadcast quality Christian programming around the world. Cosmic Conflict, produced by Amazing Facts, has helped thousands understand the war between good and evil, Jesus Christ and Satan.

Even non-religious films like documentaries can be used for educational purposes.

Movies certainly have their place, so there’s no reason to write off this entire medium of communication just because of the negative aspects of the film industry. And as we mentioned earlier, simply labeling a movie as “Christian” doesn’t guarantee that it aligns with the Bible’s guidelines.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 calls followers of God to “test all things; hold fast what is good” (NKJV).

We can use biblical principles to test both music and movies.

What does the Bible say about choosing what we watch and listen to?

The Bible doesn’t specify what we should and shouldn’t watch (of course, movies didn’t even exist back then). But it does give us principles that can help us evaluate music and movies. These principles—found both in the Old Testament and New Testament—are:

• Glorifying God
• Guarding our hearts
• Focusing on things that are noble and uplift the truth
• Avoiding unbeneficial or degrading content
• Not putting ourselves in temptation’s way

You may see Adventist church members making different decisions when it comes to entertainment. Even church leaders won’t always agree with one another since the application of principles is often subjective.

So, in the end, it’s not our job to assess other people’s choices of entertainment or enrichment. We must recognize our responsibility to apply and demonstrate biblical principles as the Holy Spirit guides us.

With that in mind, let’s go over the principles involved in making good decisions.

Glorifying God

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In everything we do, let’s consider how we are representing Jesus and those who follow Him (1 Corinthians 10:31). Though not every activity or piece of content will directly praise God, it can still glorify Him through what it promotes and encourages.

When deciding what we will do, watch, or listen to, we can ask ourselves, “Can this glorify God and everything He’s all about? How could it affect my relationship with Him?”

Guarding our hearts

In the Bible, the “heart” refers to the core of who we are, including our thoughts, affections, and the deepest parts of our identities.² What we let into our hearts will take priority in our lives (Matthew 6:21).

And that’s why we have to guard our hearts so carefully (Proverbs 4:23). It can be all too easy to let the whims of the world cause us to drift from what’s most important in life.

Guarding the heart means guarding the pathways to the heart—the senses. We have to watch what we allow in through these avenues—sight, hearing, touch, etc.—because of the impact they can have on us.

The things we see, hear, and listen to shape the very deepest part of who we are—our characters. Are they shaping us to become more like Christ or less like Him?

Focusing on things that are noble and uplift truth

Philippians 4:8 invites us to think about things that uplift truth and are honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, morally excellent, and praiseworthy. If we want to spend time on things that don’t match these ideals, let’s honestly ask ourselves, why do we want to engage in them?

Does this mean we should never watch anything that contains violence, war scenes, or the realities of life? It’ll depend on the individual.

We should note that even the Bible contains stories of war, violence, and murder. The Bible contains sad, tragic stories of humans doing awful things. But it teaches us how awful, pointless, and sad sin is.

The key is that none of these behaviors are uplifted. They’re used as examples to guide us in the right direction. Thus, when we choose content, we must evaluate how negative behaviors are framed—are they glorified or discouraged?

Avoiding unbeneficial or degrading content

In Psalm 101:3, David said, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes” (NKJV). The Hebrew word for wicked means “worthless” or “unprofitable.” The principle here is avoiding things that won’t benefit us physically, mentally, or spiritually.

A certain movie could be harmless in that it doesn’t contain inappropriate behavior or violence. But it may still be purposeless, lacking depth and beneficial meaning for our lives and our relationship with God.

Just because something is permissible for us to do doesn’t mean it’s always the best option (1 Corinthians 10:23). So we want to ask ourselves, “Why am I interested in this? What am I hoping to get out of it?”

Not putting ourselves in temptation’s way

We all face temptations and various struggles. It’s part of life in this sinful world. But the Bible cautions us against putting ourselves in situations where we’ll be tempted to think or act in ways that harm us or our relationship with our loving Creator (Romans 13:11-14).

The above principles apply to movies and music, as well as other methods of entertainment. But since music is so commonly discussed alongside spiritual topics, let’s look at some guidelines specific to music.

Additional music principles

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The Seventh-day Adventist Church outlines nine simple music guidelines. They are based on passages in the Bible and principles of quality music. We’ll summarize them here.

The music should:

1. Glorify God and what He’s all about, regardless of whether it’s classified as sacred or secular
2. Be noble, fulfilling the characteristics of Philippians 4:8
3. Have “quality, balance, appropriateness, and authenticity”
4. Have a positive effect on the mind and the body
5. Have a melody, harmony, and rhythm that reflect God’s orderliness (1 Corinthians 14:40). They should complement, not overpower, each other.
6. Contain quality lyrics that are “creative, rich in content, and of good composition.” They will be encouraging and consistent with the Bible and good morals.
7. Have music and lyrics that match one another in the message they’re conveying
8. Balance “spiritual, intellectual, and emotional elements”
9. Allow for differences in culture

The ultimate purpose of these principles is to help us reflect the character of Jesus.

What does entertainment look like for a follower of Jesus?

Following Jesus means looking to Him for guidance in every aspect of our lives. Our greatest desire becomes following His example in the Bible and representing Him to those around us. And that’s the case when it comes to entertainment. This matter isn’t about a checklist of dos and don’ts, but about what can best foster our relationship with Jesus.

This is a highly personal matter that requires prayerful, honest introspection.

Matthew 6:33 encourages us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (ESV). Only a few verses before, we’re reminded that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21, ESV).

In other words, what we value and spend time on says a lot about our priorities. As Christians, we want to make Jesus our priority. That will shine out in all the decisions we make.

So what kind of example did Jesus set when it comes to entertainment?

Jesus’ example

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Jesus didn’t live to please Himself. While He experienced enjoyment on many occasions during His earthly ministry, His constant focus was not on creating this enjoyment for Himself. His focus was on pouring Himself out for the good of others.

And even though He certainly did experience hardship and sadness because of His sacrificial mission, His life was far from joyless, depressing, or burdensome. He found joy in connecting with His Father and serving others. He engaged in enjoyable activities that allowed Him to bless others and participate in life’s simple pleasures.

Even though Jesus was serious about His mission and carried heavy burdens, that didn’t make Him a killjoy.

Quite the contrary!

People flocked to Jesus. And children loved to be with Him (Matthew 21:15; Mark 10:13-16).

He attended social gatherings and happy events, like a wedding—even performing His first miracle to add to the merriment of the event (John 2:1-11).

Joy is the second in the list of the “fruits of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). And Jesus no doubt exhibited this “fruit.” He also wanted others to experience it.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11, ESV).

The Bible is our guide to godly entertainment choices

God is the creator of all that is good, pure, praiseworthy, uplifting, enriching, and truly enjoyable (Psalm 16:11). The world’s version of joy often comes with strings attached. But God’s joy is profound and liberating, and it can be a part of everything we do (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).

And when it comes to entertainment, art, and expression, He gave us the gift of music to use for His honor. And He also works through movies that uplift noble principles.

Both music and movies can be tools to draw us closer to Jesus and allow us to glorify Him. Or they can draw us away from Him, or even dishonor Him.

But we have to remember that God isn’t about spoiling our fun. (That’s one of the biggest lies of the devil.) Instead, He wants us to live the most meaningful, fulfilling, and joyful lives possible (John 10:10)! Which is why the Word of God gives us principles to guide our entertainment decisions.

The way each person applies these principles may not always look the same. At times, it may even look vastly different. But what matters most is that each individual seeks God’s will through the Bible.

And as we seek God, we can be confident that He will help us make wise choices in this area of our lives.

Check out our Bible studies to help you deepen your relationship with Him and learn His will for your life.

1. See also Colossians 3:16. [↵]
2. Elwell, Walter A., “Heart,” Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 1997. [↵]