In the February issue of the Christian Chronicle there are some articles and book reviews that will disturb your heart as you read them. This is not anything new for the habitual reader of this publication. Presently, I want to make some comments and observations concerning three of the articles.
The first one is regarding the congregations among us that are now using instrumental music in some of their periods of worship that will now be listed in the 2012 edition of the “Churches of Christ in the United States” which is published by the 21st Century in Nashville. Now, I could write much as to why they should not be listed but I am going to approach this subject in a positive manner. You will observe in the directory there are congregations that believe it is wrong to support orphan homes, to have individual Bible classes and to have women teaching children in those classes, along with some other designations that are listed: however, this will be the first time that congregations using the instrument will be listed. This is not all bad. Look at this way, we are taught in Romans 16:17: “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them” (NKJV). The King James Version says to “mark them which cause divisions and offenses”.
So, if the congregations that are using the instruments in some of their worship assemblies are listed as such, members who are traveling can have that information and do as Paul wrote and that is to “mark(“note”) them” and “avoid them.” How many times brethren while traveling have walked into a building that had a sign out front that read “Church of Christ” to find out they were in the ‘wrong pew’ and then to leave that assembly in search of another congregation. Several years ago I attended the Wednesday night Bible study period of a congregation in the state of Virginia and when I walked in I
immediately saw a piano up front in the auditorium. When some of the members learned that I was a gospel preacher, they quickly said they would not use the instrument during the assembly. In fact they gave me the opportunity to discuss with them as to why we should not use instrumental music in our worship assemblies. They were very kind to permit me to do so. One sister in Christ related how that she and her husband attended the Sunday morning worship of a congregation in another state and were completely surprised when a lady got up to lead the congregation in singing. You just never know nowadays what you might discover what some of our brethren are practicing and teaching in the various assemblies.
We all know that there are some disagreements among brethren regarding the understanding of various passages of scripture that are not necessarily divisive; however, when it comes to the public worship assembly when unscriptural practices and teachings are evident, such affects the entire body of believers in that particular congregation. The use of the instrument in the worship assemblies was one of the main reasons the body of Christ divided over one hundred years ago and is doing the same today. When a preacher teaches from the pulpit that the church is just one “tribe” among many; that baptism is not necessarily essential; that the Lord’s Supper can be partaken of on any day of the week; that our sisters can lead the congregation in singing; that we can use denominational preachers in our assemblies and to advocate that we should fellowship denominational churches, then you know we have some very serious problems that are fragmenting the church of our Lord. Though it might be a very large volume, a directory of the “Churches of Christ” listing all such liberal views that are separating brethren might be helpful to members who are traveling where they are not acquainted with the congregations in various sections of our country.
We who are older in age remember the time when we did not encounter the problems we presently face in the church of Jesus Christ. Though the order might have been different regarding the avenues of worship on the first day of the week, there was always congregational singing (without the addition of a musical instrument), the partaking of the Lord’s Supper, prayers, preaching and the giving of our monetary gifts to God. Traditions may come and go but scriptural worship and sound preaching are required by God (John 4:24; 2 Timothy 4:1-4).
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