The Domino Effect

As a matter of experimentation I took all ninety-one dominoes out of the box and lined them up on my wife’s beautiful dinning table. I have seen thousands of dominoes lined up to be knocked down by the proceeding one in order to set a new world’s record but I had never tried this procedure so I was curious to know if I could cause ‘the domino effect’. I soon learned that there is an art to causing the desired results. You have to have the individual domino placed just the right space from the preceding one in order to be successful in achieving ‘the domino effect’. The first time I tried only a few of the ninety-one dominoes fell. I was sorely disappointed. But I did learn some lessons by this experience. The first lesson I learned was that some of the dominoes can fall but not necessarily all of them. But the fact remains that when one domino falls when lined up one after the other some of them will fall over. Second, if the dominoes are lined up perfectly then when the first one is knocked over, all the dominoes will fall. In this sense, the influence of the first domino to fall will eventually affect the ninety-first domino and cause it to fall over.

In the infinite wisdom of God the church of Jesus Christ was organized to be self-governing, that is, to be autonomous. When fully mature the local congregation will have shepherds (I Peter 5:1-4; Acts 14:23; 20:28) and deacons (I Timothy 3:8-13). There will be teachers who will be able to lead the saints in the study of God’s Word (Ephesians 4:11: Acts 13:1). In this simple illustration, several huge tanks containing flammable substance might be arranged near one another. A fire might begin in one tank but that would not necessarily mean that all the tanks would be destroyed. In this sense one congregation might apostatize from the way of the Lord but that would not mean that other congregations would do the same. But that is not to say that the false teaching and practices of one congregation would not adversely affect other congregations of the Lord. An extremely hot fire in one tank containing flammable substance might in fact cause another tank to overheat and be set afire and this might be repeated again and again until all the tanks would be set afire or at least many of them could be destroyed.

In recent years we have witnessed several large congregations begin to use musical instruments in an assembly on a Saturday night and/or on Sunday morning. It seems that some congregations are greatly encouraged by what a digressive church will do in deciding to teach/practice error. The last congregation that we know of which has added the instruments to a worship assembly is the Quail Springs congregation in Edmond, Oklahoma. In fact, Mark Henderson the local preacher said that they had already had a band playing during a Worship Night, usually on Saturday and so the use of their band during their contemporary Sunday morning worship assembly would not be entirely new. Their band contains a drum set, a keyboard and usually two or three guitars. When the Richland Hills Church of Christ decided to add instrumental music as a part of their Saturday afternoon assembly, Rick Atchley, the pulpit minister, stated that he had telephone calls and emails from several individuals and congregations expressing their approval of their decision. I firmly believe that other congregations will take courage to make similar changes because of the influence exerted by the elders of the congregations like Richland Hills and Quail Springs. Prayerfully this will not be the case with the majority of congregations of Christ throughout our nation.

You might wonder how we have come this far that brethren now decide to digress from the pattern of sound doctrine and the purity of acceptable worship to God. There was a time when we all stood together in our understanding and conviction that only vocal music was acceptable in our worship. After all there is no authority for adding instrumental music to our worship assemblies. Listen to the words of Mark Henderson, preacher for the Quail Springs church: “Historically the position was – and there’s different parts of it – but I think the primary piece of it was that there is no New Testament authority for using instruments in worship.” But observe the progression of the attitude of these brethren regarding whether or not to have the instrument in their worship assemblies: “There are two things that we really hope will come from this. One is we want to keep more of our people that were leaving to go to instrumental churches. One of the ways I would describe it is the way we handled it doctrinally. We essentially said you are free to worship with instruments and you are free to worship without them. From just a doctrinal biblical standpoint, we, for a number of years, HAVE TREATED THIS AS A NONISSSUE” (Emphasis, mine, RE). At first brethren counted it a sin to have the instrument in worship. Along the way we preached on this subject less and eventually we began to esteem the use of the instrument as a matter of indifference. A new generation has arisen with the attitude expressed previously, “…You are free to worship with instruments and you are free to worship without them.”

Then there is the desire to keep members from leaving to join churches using the instrument and to entice nonmembers to come with us. Yet, the introduction of the instrument at Quail Springs caused “about 300 people” to leave. The same wedge that finally divided the church over one hundred years ago is the same one that is causing disunity and division in our brotherhood today. Do you reckon that this congregation will add 300 people to their roll by using the instrument?

In the life of the prophet Elijah, there were many confrontations with King Ahab and his wife Jezebel. There was the occasion when Ahab met face to face with Elijah and this is what he said to the prophet of God: “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” Please observe carefully the response that Elijah gave: “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals” (I Kings 18:17, 18). The faithful preachers and teachers who speak out against the use of the instrument in the worship assemblies are not the ‘troublers’ in the church today; rather it is our digressive brethren who are advocating its use and dividing the church that are the real ‘troublers’ in spiritual Israel. My brethren, listen to what God has to say about the subject of unity among His children. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one is Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:20, 21). On the other hand notice His attitude toward those who would rend asunder this “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”: “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him…And one who sows discord among brethren” (Ephesians 4:3; Proverbs 6:16-19).

No congregation is an island. When elders and congregations make decisions to add unauthorized practices to their assemblies you can rest assured that they will exert an adverse influence on other congregations of Jesus Christ. I pray that the ‘domino effect’ will not affect but a few other congregations.

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