Carman - A Little Bit More Conviction Lyrics + Chords
Lyrics
Well, I saw me a Christian man with a cigarette in his hand,
He was smoking in front of children, acting bad,
He didn't care how it appeared,
He didn't show no godly fear,
His witness could have been more than it had.
Well, I saw two brothers go to a sexy movie show,
Laughing as they passed with their friends,
"Entertainment" - I don't care,
Saints don't belong in there,
I'm sick and tired,
Somehow it's got to end.
I'm telling you something's wrong when the holiness don't belong in living day to day 'cause it ain't "fun",
I wanna see me a godly man who's not a afraid to stand for what looks right,
I wanna see me some...
A little bit more conviction.
Two sisters scantly dressed, leaving nothing left to guess,
They go to a dancing club and drink some beer,
While the parents watch TV the kids play in the streets,
What happened to the bible and some prayer?
I'm telling you something's wrong when holiness don't belong in living day to day 'cause it ain't "fun",
I wanna see me a godly man who's not a afraid to stand for what looks right,
I wanna see me some...
A little bit more conviction.
Little bit more...
Conviction,
Conviction,
A little bit more conviction,
We need conviction,
A little bit more conviction,
A little bit more conviction.
A little bit more.
I'm telling you something's wrong when holiness don't belong in living day to day 'cause it ain't "fun",
I've got to see me a godly man who's not a afraid to stand for what looks right,
I wanna see me some...
A little bit more conviction,
Little bit more...
Little bit more conviction,
Little bit more conviction,
Little bit more conviction,
(fade)
Video
A Little Bit More Conviction
Meaning & Inspiration
Carman’s powerful anthem, "A Little Bit More Conviction," burst onto the scene with its release on May 5, 1987, as a key track from his impactful album, *The Champion*. This song quickly became a rallying cry, confronting what Carman perceived as a growing spiritual apathy and compromise within the Christian community. Instead of a gentle nudge, it served as a direct and urgent challenge, aiming to awaken believers to a deeper commitment to their faith and a more consistent expression of holiness in their daily lives.
The song’s core narrative unfolds through a series of vivid, almost uncomfortable, vignettes that paint a picture of compromised faith. Carman recounts seeing "a Christian man with a cigarette in his hand, smoking in front of children, acting bad," lamenting that "his witness could have been more than it had." He then describes "two brothers go to a sexy movie show, laughing as they passed with their friends," dismissing any excuse of "entertainment" by declaring, "Saints don't belong in there." The critique extends to "two sisters scantly dressed, leaving nothing left to guess," who "go to a dancing club and drink some beer," while simultaneously, "the parents watch TV the kids play in the streets." In each scenario, Carman highlights a disconnect: the outward profession of faith is not aligning with the inward transformation and subsequent lifestyle that Scripture calls for. His frustration is palpable, articulated in the recurring declaration, "I'm sick and tired, somehow it's got to end."
At its heart, "A Little Bit More Conviction" is a passionate plea for spiritual integrity. Carman is not merely asking for better behavior; he's calling for an internal fortitude, a firm belief that manifests as unwavering resolve in the face of temptation and worldly pressures. The "conviction" he champions is the inner knowing and resolute commitment to biblical truth that shapes every decision and action. When he observes a Christian man smoking in front of children, the concern isn't just about the act itself, but the public witness and the potential stumble it causes, echoing passages like 1 Corinthians 8:9, which warns, "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak." Similarly, the "sexy movie show" scenario directly challenges believers to guard their minds and eyes, aligning with Philippians 4:8 to fix thoughts on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable." The scantly dressed sisters and their activities contradict the call for modesty found in 1 Timothy 2:9-10, and the unsupervised children underscore the biblical mandate for parents to diligently raise their children in faith, as Proverbs 22:6 instructs, "Train up a child in the way he should go."
The recurring lament, "I'm telling you something's wrong when holiness don't belong in living day to day 'cause it ain't 'fun'," is perhaps the most piercing line in the song. It unmasks the insidious trap of prioritizing fleeting worldly enjoyment over the enduring call to holiness. Carman yearns for a "godly man who's not afraid to stand for what looks right," directly confronting the fear of being perceived as "unfun" or "different." This echoes Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:13-16, where believers are called to be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world," shining brightly through good deeds, not blending in with the surrounding darkness. The song challenges the notion that faith is a private affair or merely a Sunday activity; instead, it stresses that true conviction demands a holistic walk of sanctification, a continuous process of being set apart for God's purposes, as admonished in 1 Peter 1:15-16, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"
The song’s repeating cry for "a little bit more conviction" builds in intensity, transitioning from observation to an urgent, collective plea. It’s a call not just for individual introspection but for a resurgence of spiritual backbone within the broader body of Christ. Carman understands that a compromised church cannot effectively impact a compromised world. The lack of conviction he describes mirrors the lukewarmness warned against in Revelation 3:16, where Jesus says, "So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." The song serves as a spiritual alarm clock, reminding believers that walking in genuine faith demands courage, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to live out biblical principles in every facet of life. It’s an invitation to count the cost, embrace radical discipleship, and truly shine as lights in a darkening world, just as Philippians 2:14-16 encourages us to "shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life." "A Little Bit More Conviction" ultimately leaves a profound impression, challenging all who hear it to examine their own walk, align their actions with their beliefs, and cultivate a conviction that is both deep-rooted and outwardly evident.