To Teaching, Admonishing One Another

By David Bragg Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”     LuLu Lotus has a gift, of sorts. She gained “fame” by being included in Guinness World Records for whistling. Her whistling is nothing like the Andy Griffith theme. Lulu is known for her ability to whistle at a high pitch through her nose. This was a gift she discovered at a young age and was often employed, inappropriately, in school. By her own admission she has said. "I couldn’t resist the temptation to play pranks on teachers and classmates at school” (www.guinnessworldrecords.com).     While LuLu used her “gift” to annoy and antagonize, God wants us to use the gift of His word to teach and admonish. Colossians 3:16 speaks of the power of singing God’s truth. But its implications reach far beyond. Our singing springs from allowing the word of Christ to richly dwell in us. Then we will share it with those around us. Teaching. Admonishing. We will use our great spiritual gift to build up and share it with those around us. We will also be strengthened by others who have the word of Christ richly dwelling in them. God’s wisdom is harmonious.

- David Bragg is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/

Singing Is God’s Idea

By Joe Chesser       I love to worship in song. I always have. My mother instilled this in me at an early age. We of course sang during our worship at church assemblies. But there were many other times when we sang “church” songs together at family gatherings, or with friends, or at area-wide singings, or at Bible camps and VBS. I was privileged to sing with Christian choirs in high school and college, and on several other occasions. Sometimes my wife and I would just open up a song book and sing together. I just love to sing. Singing moves my heart closer to God.     However, not everyone was raised to love singing like I was. Not everyone enjoys singing like I do. And that’s ok. But what’s not ok is to have a negative attitude about singing. Why? Because singing is God’s idea.     In seems that in lots of churches singing is becoming an afterthought, even a drudgery. It seems that some are only doing it because that’s what they’ve always done or because it is an “item of worship.”  It seems that many song leaders just select their songs without much forethought or planning, and that church leaders and church members fail to attach much importance or value to singing. This may be an exaggeration, but my point is to encourage us all to refocus our attention on the fact that singing is God’s idea. And because it is His idea, perhaps we need to reevaluate why He wants us to sing, and even more so, why He wants me to sing.     Singing is not just for those who can sing well. It is awesome and inspiring when singing is beautiful, and we should work at singing the best we can. But a beautiful sound is not the main point. According to Colossians 3.16 the reason for singing is for teaching and admonishing one another with the word of Christ that dwells richly in our hearts. Certainly we can teach and admonish each other without music. That what preachers and teachers and parents do. But it’s God’s idea to also do it with singing. God knows music has a way of moving and influencing us in ways that nothing else can. Different kinds of songs (psalms, hymns, spiritual songs) teach and admonish us in different ways than merely speaking the words can do. When music is combined with spiritual lyrics, we can be affected deeply as we make melody in our hearts (Ephesians 5.19). PLUS, we can impact others, and that is one thing God wants us to do in worship, according to the above Scriptures.     So, let’s be encouraged to give God our best in worship by singing to each other as we allow our own hearts to make melody to God. Let’s be encouraged to pay more attention to the lyrics of the songs so we can all be moved closer to God.

- Joe Chesser preaches for the Fruitland Church of Christ, Fruitland, MO.  He may be contacted at joeandareva@yahoo.comg

Teaching and Admonishing

By Adam Faughn

    Have you considered the importance of our singing in worship? I would suppose that, for many people, singing is their "favorite" part of the service because music has a way of touching our minds and hearts that very few other things can.

    That said, we do not sing just because it "feels good" to us, or simply because we enjoy it. Our enjoyment (or lack thereof) is never to be the determining factor in whether or not we engage in an avenue of worship. Scripture alone is to be our guide, and the New Testament, in multiple places, makes it clear that we are to sing as we worship the Lord (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; cf. Hebrews 13:15).

    To what end, though? Are we just to sing in order to fulfill that command, or is there something more? While the Bible gives multiple reasons we are to sing, let us take a moment to briefly examine two that are found in one passage. In Colossians 3:16, Paul, by inspiration, wrote,

 

 Let the word of Christ dwell in you

 richly, teaching and admonishing one

 another in all wisdom, singing psalms

 and hymns and spiritual songs, with

 thankfulness in your hearts to God.

 

    While there are myriad lessons to be found in that singular verse, just take note of the phrase "teaching and admonishing" and consider how they relate to our singing.

 

Teaching

    We learn so much from singing! If you do not believe me, the next time I ask in a sermon for you to turn to Galatians or Philemon, how many people are "humming" the books of the New Testament in their minds? (The preacher may even be doing that sometimes!) Even more elementary, we learn our ABCs and other basic foundational principles through singing. In Pew Packers, we are planning on learning some Bible facts very soon that come through song.

    As we grow and mature, however, we still teach so much through the lyrics of songs. For example, take the time to read the lyrics to a hymn like "The Church's One Foundation." You could examine each line – individually – of that hymn and develop a Bible lesson from each lyric!

    For some people, they know a Biblical principle better – or with more depth—because of a song that has helped cement that truth in their mind. While we must always be certain that what we are singing is the truth, if it is, then a well-written song can help us put that truth in our minds in a memorable and helpful way.

    But we also teach others, not just ourselves, when we sing. When you are singing a timeless truth from God's Word, you are helping to cement that truth in the mind of a brother or sister in Christ, one who might even be struggling to grasp that truth! So, while you may not preach a 30-minute sermon each week, you are teaching dozens of truths with the lyrics about faith that you sing.

 

Admonishing

    This is an interesting concept because it is an interesting term. It has a somewhat wide range of meaning. The original word comes from two roots that, when you put them together, literally mean "to put to mind." As it was used in the First Century, it basically could be used of building someone up with something or to warn someone of something.

    So, we sometimes sing to build up or to encourage. So many of our songs do just that through lyrics that cause us to be more joyful and peaceful due to our faith in God. How many of us have been lifted up from grief or even just gotten a little "spring in our step" simply by the words of a great hymn sung by faithful children of God? I know I have many times, and I have no doubt you likely have, as well.

    Did you notice, though, that the word "admonish" can also mean "to warn?" There are some songs that warn us of not following the ways of God and of the punishment to come if we fail to repent. "There's a sad day coming" begins a verse that clearly is meant to warn. While it may be somewhat more rare that we sing lyrics like that, we need to heed those warnings when they are sung because it is clearly a Biblical concept. Look carefully at the lyrics of many of our "invitation songs," and you will see warnings from time-to-time.

    Tied to that, however, we also need to remember that "I" am included in that "one another," so I should be encouraging and encouraged, and I should be admonishing and admonished! Singing, as it pertains to a congregation, is a two-way street, and we should be grateful to have the opportunity to be doing both the teaching and the learning when we sing.

    So, with every lyric we sing, examine to make sure it is the truth. If it is, fulfill your duty in full faith by teaching and admonishing and be thankful that the Lord has given you this duty and this tremendous privilege.

    And now, let us sing...

- Adam Faughn preaches for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org Visit the Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith.

Singing Is Worship

By Rob Albright

    If we go to the Bible for our authority in matters of religion, we become a distinctive group of believers. Many in the religious world simply do things because others are doing it or because it “feels good.” For some people, it does not matter if God authorized it or not, they will always do what they want to do, instead of doing what God says to do.
    Jesus taught that it is hypocritical to honor Him with our lips yet continue to do things that are opposed to His teachings. It also makes our worship empty (Mark 7:6-9).
    In the matter of music in our worship assemblies God has authorized one kind of music. It’s vocal (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Singing is a specific kind of music and when God specifies vocal music that eliminates the other kind of music, which is instrumental. The words sung both edify each other and praise God. Singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs can do both (edify one another and praise God), but an organ, guitar and drums cannot teach and admonish or praise God.
    Why would we want to do that which God has not authorized? Why disrupt unity by doing something that is opposite what God has authorized?
    Let’s continue to be a people who respect God’s way for worship and not be swayed by the traditions of men.

- Rob Albright serves as one of the ministers at the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.nwchurchofchrist.com/

Do We Mean What We Sing

By Joe Slater

       My friend and brother, Tom Barton, made a shocking statement a few years ago at the Old Paths Men’s Retreat. “More lies are told while singing than at any other time!” I wish he had been wrong, but if you think about it, you see he was right on target.
       Tom was talking, of course, about Christians, not folks in the world. While worldlings may lie routinely about anything and everything, Christians at least try to be honest. But what about our singing? Do we mean what we sing?
       Brother Barton’s assigned topic was “We’ll Work ‘Til Jesus Comes.” Will we? Really? Some of us can’t drag ourselves to the assembly on anything like a regular basis; and Biblically, that’s not even work! What are the odds that we’re doing anything that could be styled even remotely as “work”?
       But that’s just one of many songs I ask whether we take seriously.  “If Jesus Goes With Me, I’ll Go Anywhere!” (As long as it’s within a few miles of all the rest of my family; and as long as it’s a place I like; and as long as . . .” [you get the picture]).
       “Lead me to some soul today!” But I don’t know my Bible well enough to teach that soul the gospel, so maybe that’s not such a good idea.
       “Make me a servant, Lord; make me like You!” But wait! People weren’t always kind to You; sometimes You suffered greatly while serving. Maybe I don’t want to be exactly like You!
       “All to Jesus I surrender!” Well, I surrender a little bit, anyway. I’m not an extremist, you know!
       If you don’t mean it, don’t sing it.

- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Church of Christ in Justin, TX. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com

What Is A Cappella Music?

By Wayne Jackson
     One of our readers recently wrote asking that we explain what is meant when it is stated that churches of Christ use only a cappella music. This is an excellent question and we are happy to respond.
     The phrase a cappella derives from a Latin expression which, by way of Italian, means “in the style of the church,” or “as is done in the church.” It reflects the historical reality that instrumental music in Christian worship was not practiced in the Christian movement for many centuries, and that the rather late introduction of it constitutes an innovation void of New Testament authority.
     Professor Everett Ferguson, one of the premier historians of church history alive today, has noted that the non-use of the instrument in worship was the “majority tradition of Christian history” until “comparatively recent times” (83).
     Between 1708-22, Joseph Bingham, an Anglican cleric, produced his magnificent ten volume work titled, The Antiquities of the Christian Church, a prodigious effort that required 20 years in composition. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church depicts this work as that which “has not been superseded” (Cross, 173). Regarding the use of instrumental music in church worship, the celebrated English scholar wrote:

Music in churches is as ancient as the apostles, but instrumental music not so: for it is now generally agreed by learned men, that the use of organs came into the church since the time of Thomas Aquinas, anno 1250. For he in his Sums has these words, “Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may not seem to judaize” (I.315).

He then catalogs considerable testimony from ancient writers of the post-apostolic age to sustain the point.
     There is scarcely any controversy regarding this historical matter. In their massive, twelve-volume Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (1876), John McClintock and James Strong (denominational scholars) noted:

The Greeks as well as the Jews were wont to use instruments as accompaniments in their sacred songs. The converts to Christianity accordingly must have been familiar with this mode of singing; yet it is generally believed that the primitive Christians failed to adopt the use of instrumental music in their religious worship.

These scholars further noted that: “The general introduction of instrumental music can certainly not be assigned to a date earlier than the 5th and 6th centuries [A.D.]” (VI.759). They also observed that the early reformers, e.g., Martin Luther, and also Calvin and Knox (Presbyterians), protested against the use of instruments. The same could be said of Clarke (Methodist) and Spurgeon (Baptist). The men were the leaders of their respective movements.
    In my library I have a volume titled Instrumental Music in Public Worship. It was written by John L. Girardeau, a professor at Columbia Theological Seminary (a Presbyterian institution). The book was published first in 1888. This little volume of 208 pages was delivered initially as a series of lectures that had been requested by some of the seminary students.
    A dear lady who heard one of Girardeau’s lectures offered to have them published at her expense so that the evidence might stand as a “testimony to the truth.”
    Girardeau argued : “A divine warrant is necessary for every element of doctrine, government and worship in the church; that is, whatsoever in these spheres is not commanded in the Scriptures, either expressly or by good and necessary consequence from their statements is forbidden” (9; emp. original).
     The professor contended that the evidence shows that instrumental music was not commonly used in churches “until the thirteenth century” (156).
     In 1965 James W. McKinnon prepared a dissertation at Columbia University on “The Church Fathers and Musical Instruments.” In this exhaustive document, McKinnon contended that “early Christian music was vocal” and there was a "patristic [the “church fathers”] polemic against instruments" (1-2; quoted in Bales, 351-352).
     The truth is there is no authority in the New Testament for the use of instrumental music in Christian worship — neither command, precedent, nor necessary implication. This is so elementary that it is like rehearsing one’s ABCs all over again.
     In view of this it is both shocking and disheartening that so many who profess an allegiance to Jesus Christ, and his New Testament revelation, have incorporated the use of mechanical instruments into their worship. As Christ once said of his contemporaries: These people honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men (Matthew 15:8-9).
- Wayne Jackson; via the Nile Street Notes, the weekly bulletin of the Anna Church of Christ in Anna, IL; R. W. McAlister preaches for the congregation and may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.annachurchofchrist.com/

Praise God with the Heart, or Man-made, Mechanical Instruments?

By Tim Childs
    A mechanical instrument is an inanimate object. Since it is non-living, it is therefore unable to comprehend any messages from its maker. It does not entertain any rational thoughts to communicate to its maker. A mechanical instrument never expresses appreciation to its maker for making it in the first place, or to its owner for taking good care of it. It has no spirit with which to convey gratitude for its owner cleaning it, or protecting it from bad weather, or from abuse by a pet or small child.
    The members of our body are to be used faithfully as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13). While God wonderfully created man [not only physically, but also spiritually (in his own image)], including his heart and his lips whereby he may praise God, every mechanical instrument is inferior simply from the standpoint it is man made. God is able to use the instruments he has made and sanctified for his service, i.e. our hearts and tongues (our composite being). "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name" (Hebrews 13:15).
    In worship man communicates messages from his spirit to God who is the infinite Spirit. These messages must convey our deep humility and submission to his Divine authority. God is God. I am not God. God is not a man, and so his thoughts and ways transcend our own. God has communicated through command and approved example what he expects of his people who follow Christ. Christians are not at liberty to tinker and play with what he has called for. With respect to music, according to Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, the only instrument to be employed in Christian worship is a grateful heart in tune and in step with him.
    In the exclusive employment of vocal music, we are in the blessed company of Jesus who sang with his disciples, the Apostles who sang with the first Christians, and the church (being guided by the Holy Spirit/given all things pertaining to life and godliness) that Jesus established throughout the Roman empire.
    One might listen to an organ, or a full orchestra play all day and he would never hear the first intelligible thought. He would never learn anything about God, Jesus, his Son, the Holy Spirit, the church, or about faithful Christian living and service. One would never be edified in the biblical sense, nor encouraged to patient steadfastness in the Lord. He would never be reminded of the home for which we long and how beautiful heaven must be. Therefore, we will be content to “sing with the spirit,” and “the understanding also” (1 Corinthians 14:15).

- Tim Childs preaches for the Hillcrest church of Christ in Baldwyn, MS.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.thelordsway.com/hillcrestms