Acapella Worship

How was your weekend? Mine was awesome! Here's some highlights:

On Friday night, our church softball team won 32-4. That makes two games (2 wins, 0 losses) with a combined score of 47-8. I'm having a blast being a part of an exceptionally talented team!

On Saturday, Trae and I picked up Brenda Gallardo and then met up with Jamie Perry and Mark Carrasco for a journey to Bakersfield and the Deaf Workshop hosted by the Highland Church of Christ. It was a wonderful and spiritually enriching time. Jose Abenchuchan, who is Deaf and leads the Deaf Ministry at the San Jose Church of Christ in Jacksonville, Florida was the speaker and his presentations were outstanding.

From there, Trae and I journeyed east to the Lake Isabella area where I taught on Sunday at the Mountain Mesa Church of Christ. Our hosts were Terry and Wendy Mullens and their children, Tyler and Heather. They treated us like royalty and we now feel especially blessed to personally know about 70 people with whom we will spend eternity!

Incidentally, the Lake Isabella area is absolutely gorgeous (as shown in the picture). The magnificent blue lake nestled into the mountains is proof-positive of the majesty of God's creative hand!

On our journey back to Fresno Sunday night, I received a voice mail on my phone from Jamie relaying to me that Judy Eberwein's friend, Lulu -- who lives in the Los Angeles area -- was baptized on Sunday at the conclusion of the Deaf Workshop. My family has fallen in love with Judy -- she has been a wonderful teacher in helping us learn ASL. Now, Judy has been used by God to share her faith with one of her dearest friends who is now her sister.

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For all you Woodward Park'ers, I know you were blessed to hear from John Smith yesterday. In light of his presentations -- especially the central thesis of his argument for acapella worship -- I want to share with you some of my own thoughts from a blog last year:

One of the distinctives of our heritage in the churches of Christ has historically been our commitment to acapella (Latin for “in the style of the chapel/church”) singing in the worship assembly. But why has acapella singing been a hallmark of our heritage?

It is important to remember that as descendants of the Restoration Movement, our aim has always been to restore faith and practice as described in the New Testament. When one studies the worship assemblies of the New Testament, no where is instrumental music mentioned as a feature of worship.

“But Jim, what about David? Didn’t he play his harp in praise to the Lord? And what about temple worship in the Old Testament? Doesn’t the Old Testament speak of instruments within temple worship? And what about the end of time? Doesn’t Scripture say the very second coming of Jesus will be signaled by the blowing of a trumpet? And aren’t the praises of God in heaven going to be accompanied by instruments?”

Those questions form the basis to many of the objections I have heard voiced to me personally regarding our historical position of singing without instruments. But my response to those questions is this: our aim in the churches of Christ, as descendants of a Restoration Heritage, isn’t to restore the worship of David, the temple or even to seek to duplicate the worship of heaven. Our aim is to restore the faith and practice of the first churches as revealed in Scripture. And the revelation of Scripture is that the first churches used their voice alone in praise and worship to God.

In Ephesians 5, Paul describes a clear evidence of a Spirit-filled Christian when he says they “speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5.18-20). Elsewhere, Paul told the Colossian church that the proof of the indwelling Word of Christ in a believer’s life is seen in a commitment to “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and…sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3.16).

Ironically, some of our Restoration leaders had a hang-up over the validity of even vocal singing to God. Men like Thomas Campbell interpreted the Scriptural injunction to “make music in your heart” and “sing…with gratitude in your hearts” as a prohibition against vocal singing since the over-arching emphasis in the language of Scripture was upon the heart, not the mouth or voice. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a person advance the argument against acapella singing on the basis some of our Restoration leaders did, but that argument was a very real discussion in the early days of the churches of Christ in North America.

Practically speaking, the voice is the only instrument God had a direct hand in creating. And theologically, historically and practically, I am supportive of our historical/biblical position in the churches of Christ to worship God corporately with acapella singing.

Reminiscing

Okay, I've finally figured out a downside to living in Fresno. It's taken a full eight-and-a-half months to find one, but deep down inside of my reminiscent heart, there is an ache.

For seven years, I was privileged to live within a comfortable twenty minute drive of the Howard Mountain Hunting Lease. With the first hint of spring weather, I would roll out of bed before dawn as often as I could just to hear one, two, three, sometimes as many as twelve adult tom gobblers greet the dawn. Couple the beauty of a Ouachita mountain sunrise with the unmistakable gobble of an adult turkey gobbler and for me...well, life just doesn't get much better!

Last week, I had a need to call my dad. Slipping back into the role of days gone by, my dad, upon hearing my voice on the other end, instinctively asked, "How many did you hear?" That's the way we started every phone conversation for the better part of the four weeks leading up the start of spring gobbler season every year.

According to the California Department of Fish and Game, wild turkeys do not exist within Fresno County. Aarrgghh!

Thankfully, Erick Boggs has come to the rescue with a supposed tried-and-true hunting spot in El Dorado County. Hopefully, we can get up there next weekend as spring gobbler season opens on March 25th in California.

Till then, I find myself reminiscing back to a spring morning in 2005...

This morning I awoke at 4:45 A.M. It wasn't insomnia. It wasn't the cry of a teething one-year old daughter. It was intentional -- my alarm clock awoke me.

It's spring in Arkansas and for me, the advent of spring means turkey hunting! It's only 11 days till the opening of spring gobbler season (4 days until the special youth hunt for children ages 15 and under). I have committed to taking one of the young guys in our youth group this coming Saturday morning. Last year, his big brother and I had great success (we harvested an 18lbs. two-year old gobbler by 6:30 A.M.). This year, it is little brother's turn.

For the men on my dad's side of the family, spring turkey hunting is a passion. It started with my grandfather, was passed down to my father and now to me. And I love it! It isn't simply the challenge of outwitting those wary tom turkeys, but the spiritual opportunity provided from time spent in God's wonderful creation that so invigorates me.

This morning, from an elevated vantage point, I witnessed the handiwork of God. The morning dew formed a light ground fog. The birds awoke (especially five tom turkeys that sounded off). The sun crept over the eastern edge of the Ouachita Mountains.

The magnificence of the sunrise this morning provided more empirical, undeniable evidence of the omnipotence of God! I witnessed with my own eyes the majesty spoken of in Psalm 113.3: "From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised."

My time in nature each spring provides a unique sanctuary. A time for prayer, reflection and praise. God's creative genius, on display this morning, made for a special opportunity to worship Him.

When was the last time you enjoyed a beautiful sunrise and seized the opportunity to worship? It might cost you a few hours of sleep, but the benefits far outweigh the cost
(originally posted on March 29, 2005).

Instrumental Music

There are a couple of interesting polls at the Christian Chronicle website in the aftermath of the publicity Richland Hills Church of Christ in Forth Worth has received with their decision to add a Saturday evening instrumental assembly. You can see the poll results here and here.

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In light of the on-going discussion regarding worship and the use of instruments, I want to revisit some ideas I shared in a blog on May 2nd of last year:

One of the distinctives of our heritage in the Churches of Christ has historically been our commitment to acapella (Latin for “in the style of the chapel/church”) singing in the worship assembly. But why has acapella singing been a hallmark of our heritage?

It is important to remember that as descendants of the Restoration Movement, our aim has always been to restore faith and practice as described in the New Testament. When one studies the worship assemblies of the New Testament, no where is instrumental music mentioned as a feature of worship.

“But Jim, what about David? Didn’t he play his harp in praise to the Lord? And what about temple worship in the Old Testament? Doesn’t the Old Testament speak of instruments within temple worship? And what about the end of time? Doesn’t Scripture say the very second coming of Jesus will be signaled by the blowing of a trumpet? And aren’t the praises of God in heaven going to be accompanied by instruments?”

Those questions form the basis to many of the objections I have heard voiced to me personally regarding our historical position of singing without instruments. But my response to those questions is this: our aim in the Churches of Christ, as descendants of a Restoration Heritage, isn’t to restore the worship of David, the temple or even to seek to duplicate the worship of heaven. Our aim is to restore the faith and practice of the first churches as revealed in Scripture. And the revelation of Scripture is that the first churches used their voice alone in praise and worship to God.

In Ephesians 5, Paul describes clear evidence of a Spirit-filled Christian when he says they “speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5.18-20). Elsewhere, Paul told the Colossian church that the proof of the indwelling Word of Christ in a believer’s life is seen in a commitment to “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and…sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3.16).

Ironically, some of our Restoration leaders had a hang-up over the validity of even vocal singing to God. Men like Thomas Campbell interpreted the Scriptural injunction to “make music in your heart” and “sing…with gratitude in your hearts” as a prohibition against vocal singing since the over-arching emphasis in the language of Scripture was upon the heart, not the mouth or voice. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a person advance the argument against acapella singing on the basis some of our Restoration leaders did, but that argument was a very real discussion in the early days of the Churches of Christ in North America.

Practically speaking, the voice is the only instrument God had a direct hand in creating. And theologically, historically and practically, I am supportive of our historical position in the Churches of Christ to worship God corporately with acapella singing.

Having said that, my caution would be for us to avoid an attitude of spiritual superiority or smugness toward those who see the philosophical question of the silence of Scripture regarding instruments in the New Testament as permissive. I once had a very well respected professor/teacher in our heritage say to me, “Jim, I am convinced if Paul were to visit any of our churches today and found an instrument, he wouldn’t have as much trouble with the instrument -- given his Jewish background and thinking and his familiarity with temple worship -- but he would have major misgivings with the way we participate in the Lord’s Supper.” When it comes to restoring the “ancient order of things” we still have some room for improvement.

I would also add that at the end of the day, God is God and I am not! And as such, God is free to judge according to his own dictates and choices. I cannot legislate to God what God can and cannot do; how God can and cannot judge the apex of his creation -- mankind and mankind’s attempt to bless God in worship. I do know this, God will judge me according to the very standard with which I judge others (see James 4.11-12). And in this life, if I am forced to choose justice or mercy, I will always seek to err on the side of mercy for the sake of the day when I myself stand before the Righteous Judge.

Do we teach the rule of Scripture of do we teach the possible exception? As it relates to baptism, if God chooses in his sovereignty to make exceptions, I'll praise him for his grace. But that is God's call, not mine. In the mean time, as it relates to teaching baptism for the forgiveness of sin and acapella singing as the form of worship, I am committed to teaching the rule of Scripture, not the possible exception.