Life coach and youth counsellor, Elder Amos Kevin-Annan says, it takes more than getting lyrics from the bible for a song to qualify as gospel.

The tendency to accept a song as gospel merely because of some Biblical attribution is wrong, he told a gathering of young people at the Abeka District of the Church of Pentecost Sunday.

The youth counsellor explained, the gospel is about the birth, substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of his imminent return.

The categorisation of songs under the genre gospel must have any of these facets of the Christian faith, he said.

He urged Christian youths not to fall for secular artistes who throw in a song about God hoping for Christian acceptance and patronage.

He did not give examples of so-called gospel songs but said the criteria would render many songs promoted in the media by secular artistes and some 'gospel' musicians unworthy of the title gospel.

Elder Amos Kevin-Annan also expressed worry at the rate at which younger Christians follow the works of secular artistes.

The counsellor questioned why in one breath, Christians considered secular songs inappropriate in church yet were okay to play it in their cars, parties and weddings.

He said the Christian faith cannot accommodate a love for songs from artistes like Shatta Wale and songs from a gospel artiste like Joe Mettle.

Observing that musicians dictate acceptable and unacceptable behaviours, he said a gospel song like Ancient Words can suddenly make a listener feel close to God.

But a song from any popular secular artiste can suddenly create an atmosphere conducive to sin, he contrasted.

This, he said, confirms what great philosophers have said about the power of music. Elder Kevin-Annan quoted Bothius, a 6th-century philosopher who said "music is a part of us and it either enables or degrades our behavior".

He said most of the works branded creative arts, is nothing but the art of debasing women and moral values.

Amos Kevin-Annan said some lyrics opening encourage rape, sexual exploitation, open sin, free sex and debauchery which are condemned behaviours according to the Bible.

He urged young people to pay attention to the lyrics and judge for themselves whether they are fit for Christian consummation.