Mike Cope's blog message for May 10, 2006
Inorganic Music
Once again, there were classes at Pepperdine (as there have been at ACU and Tulsa earlier this year) on the need for greater fellowship between Christian Churches and Churches of Christ — again taught by Bob Russell and Rick Atchley. Of course, this is just a beginning. A small beginning. But, it is an important beginning. (At least it’s a beginning in some places. Many of you are in places where you already realize that anyone who is a Christ-follower is WITH you not AGAINST you!)
So here’s my take on instrumental music: God doesn’t much care. Most of the old arguments were lame, built on shoddy hermeneutics.
Nevertheless, those in the a cappella tradition don’t need to be ashamed of it. There is a rich tradition in the church that runs through the centuries of singing without instruments. Even today, when people enter our churches, they are dumbfounded to hear people singing — full voice, four-part harmony.
That doesn’t mean it’s the only way, or that it’s God’s way. Sure, I could be blessed by being in a church with Chris Tomlin leading worship.
But I’m not. I’m in a congregation with a heritage of being a cappella. That doesn’t mark us as being the REAL people of God or as being RIGHT. But it is a rich heritage that can be, if continued in love and humility, a gift to Christian community, reminding us that worship is a place of full participation where we all offer ourselves again to God, seeking to be reshaped by him to live for the sake of the world.
So God bless the drums/guitars/saxophones that are played for the glory of God. And God bless the pitch pipes and the tuning forks that find a pitch so that others can sing without instruments.
Preserving this a cappella heritage isn’t nearly as important to me as it is to others. It’s nothing I’m going to fight a younger generation on. If they decide to set it aside for the sake of the mission, I’ll be with them. (Sad, perhaps, but still with them.)
But in the meantime, I want to participate at the top of my lungs; I want to remind others that such singing is a blessing; and I want to share with others a growing appreciation for the many different looks of the universal church that lives for Christ.
--------
From Paul:
For those who'd like to read the comments posted on Mike Cope's blog (usually the comment section is where the real action takes place) you can go to this link:
Mike Cope's Blog about Music
BTW, I think this is a good piece to wrestle with. Some may feel that our church unity might be tested by this, but we must work hard to listen before we speak, pray before we preach, read deep and wide (especially Scripture), and let God's reign and kingdom mission to the world guide our hearts and conversation with each other. For what it's worth, I believe we can hold diverse views on this subject and still live and work together in unity for the mission of Christ.
posted by Scot @ 10:02 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
What a great message, thanks for posting it Scot.
I will just add my comment here that I did over at Mike's, cut and paste is a fun thing sometime! :-)
-----
I grew up singing to music, so when I came to the churches of Christ, singing without instruments was very hard for me. I simply accepted the rational given for this choice and began to thrive in singing a cappella. I have come to love a cappella singing. I then had to unlearn when I began listening to Christian pop music, that it was okay to listen and sing with instruments!
What a web we weave as we try to logically determine and decipher each step, each choice, each reality of our daily lives. It’s only through a sheer inability to do so, that I faced the reality, that it not about how we do it, what we do, but rather why we do it!
If my children so chose to remain in this heritage and use instruments, I would be sad, but not angry or doubtful of their salvation! My teenager is a wonderful instrument player, what I wouldn’t give to have her be using this gift for the glory of God!
I have never been in a large church, nor seen any praise teams as such. I have heard this “performance” arguement before. I often wonder, how can one say one is “performing”? Can they see their heart? That’s like saying someone who is taking the Lord’s Supper shouldn’t and is just going through the motions. We must be cautious of how we look at others, it effects the way we look at ourselves as well.
I remind myself that Jesus cared more about the heart than anyone else. May the overflow of ours hearts revel Him in all ways to worship and honor Him!
I would gather by your re-posting the message, you either 1) imply your hearty agreement, or 2) are looking to spark a discussion about it, or 3) all of the above.
Personally, I really liked the article and thought it expressed my own take on the subject quite well. Especially considering right now I rather enjoy the "rock band"-esque (at times) service I have been attending.
I went to Mike Cope's blog and read many comments in response to his recent article. I saw one that I thought was really intersting which mentoined something Terry Rush said is one of his lectures at the Tulsa workshp this past year. I was fortunate to be able to go this year, but I didn't get the chance to hear Terry and missed this comment:
While describing those of the Christian Church in hell because they used the instrument, he said the following:
They’re looking up to heaven seeing the Jews who used instruments, seeing the noninstrumentals singing with instruments in heaven (Revelation) and they’re saying “We went to hell because it wasn’t mentioned?!”
Why do you people even spike up a discussion about instrumental music in the church. Church is a spiritual cleasing of your soul each week you attend. Remember it's not about us it's about God. It doesn't matter how Church makes you feel it's going there to bring praise to God. I don't beleive in instruments in the church I think it's wrong. Nothing man made should be in the church during worship. Only the things man made to make the structure should be in the worship. God wants you to cleanse your heart and give him all the praise when you worship. Not a rock concert. Remember it 's not about you it's about him.
In spite of the fact that some consider anything that Mike Cope says as gospel, the hermeneutic used that lands churches of Christ in a capella worship is not shoddy or wrong. Ironically, brother Cope's hermeneutic appears to be emotionally guided, inconsistently applied, and not well informed biblically. He is an excellent speaker, but so is Billy Graham; I take both with a grain of salt, realizing that bones -- sometimes big bones -- have to be spit out.
A capella worship is specifically commanded in the New Testament (Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16). The mention of instruments in Revelation are all in similies and not to be taken literally. Old Testament use of instruments doesn't authorize them in NT worship anymore than animal sacrifice and the priesthood in the OT authorizes them in the NT. This isn't a matter of opinion, taste, or mere tradition; it is a matter of God's command.
Post a Comment
<< Home