Last night the most viewed TV show in America, American Idol, hosted its second annual “Idol Gives Back” in hopes of raising over 100 million dollars for world-wide charities.

The shocker? The show’s grand finale featured the eight remaining Idol contestants singing the Christian praise song, Shout to the Lord. America was shocked. Check out blogs and YouTube, etc., and you’ll see quite the discussion. Much of the discussion relates not simply to Idol highlighting such an overtly Christian song, but to the Idol producers’ decision to change the lyrics from “Our Jesus, Our Savior,” to “Our Shepherd, Our Savior.”

What to Make of This?

On the one hand, searches for Shout to the Lord are up exponentially on the Net. And, from the buzz, most people are finding the version with the original lyrics. On the same hand, clearly the One who is Shepherd and Savior is Jesus. Still on the same hand, the discussion alone is causing enough of a stir that millions are having conversations they otherwise would never engage in.

On the other hand, the song was written about Jesus. If the producers wanted to share a generic song, they could have chosen from any number of “inspirational ballads.” What a blatant watering down and seeking to appeal to the masses.

Still, all hands considered, I’m glad the song was sung. Millions know exactly who was being praised. Millions of others are now hearing about the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the only exalted Savior.

As Idol judge Simon Cowell might say, “Well, other than offending millions of Christians by blotting out the name of Jesus in a song written to worship Jesus, I think . . . (pause for theatrical effect and said with a heavy English accent and a heavy dose of sarcasm) . . . artistically, this was . . . amazing!”