A Visitor's Guide to Acapella Music in the churches of Christ

or,

It's a church of Christ Thing...You Wouldn't Understand


We had rushed out the door five minutes later than the dad at out house thought we should have. I was putting the finishing touches on my mascara as we listened to Neil Sperry's Garden Show on KRLD, while hauling it down Central Expressway. Your basic Sunday morning routine.

I had agreed to put up a bulletin board at our church, and realized that the pictures I needed were in my picture file across the street from our church building. Since we were five minutes early (!) I had plenty of time to run across the street to the Christian church where I taught preschool and get what I needed. My 14 year old son Matt offered to go with me.

I rushed through their foyer to my classroom, got my stuff and came back to find Matt drifting into the sanctuary. The music minister was playing a song on his guitar for their communion meditation. I tapped Matt on the shoulder and signaled for him to come with me.

"Oh, Mom, did you hear that song Bruce was playing? That was so awesome! Our music is really boring sometimes." I agreed that the music was beautiful. Then he hit me with THE question. "Now, how come we don't have guitars and stuff at our church?" All of the sudden I was back in the 8th grade at a little church of Christ in Texas, asking the very same question.

Before I could respond, he added, "Why don't we just go to that church? There's nothing wrong with it, is there?" Oh, great. The OTHER question.

"No, there's nothing wrong with that church. They believe that Jesus is the son of God and worship Him as their savior just as we do. And we absolutely could walk across the street and join in their worship celebration if we wanted to. But we would be leaving the Easons, the Brumleys, the Herrings, the Englishes...people that we love like family. The people at Central Christian church would be the first ones to tell you that their congregation isn't perfect." Suddenly, I became profoundly profound. "Besides, every church has something weird about it. At least I know what the church of Christ weird stuff is. If we went to a different kind of church, I'd have to learn all new weird stuff, and I'm nearly forty, you know."

He rolled his eyes and managed to smile as I said, "I can tell you what I was told when I asked the very same questions. And you'll probably have the same reactions that I did. But, please, don't ever stop asking why we do or don't do something. I hope someday when you and Scott are elders that Christians will have a better understanding of the difference between traditions and matters of salvation."

If you're timing this conversation, then you realize that we're both late for Bible class. "We'll talk later," I said as I hurried him through the door.

Before you read any farther, I want you to know that I love our tradition of acapella music. I have been singing in Christian choruses for more than 20 years. Ken Young and Keith Lancaster are two of my heroes. What I DON'T love is our tradition of making people feel guilty about praising the Lord any other way. I wrote this in 1994 for my sons, and I suppose for myself, to put into words the feelings I had been having for years. I hope it makes you laugh, but most of all I hope it makes you think.

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It has come to my attention that there may be some confusion among visitors (and some members) of the churches of Christ, regarding our official policy of acapella music. Perhaps this interview will enlighten you.

Seeker: "Is it true that you don't believe in instrumental music?"

Saint: "We believe that instrumental exists, but that it does not belong in the worship assembly."

Seeker: "But isn't your voice an instrument?"

Saint: "Yes, but it isn't a man-made instrument."

Seeker: "Didn't David the psalmist praise God with his harp?"

Saint: "That is correct. However, as far as we know only angels praised God with instruments in the New Testament. And I think it's pretty obvious where playing a harp led to with that David & Bathsheba incident."

Seeker: "Aren't pitch pipes and microphones considered instruments?"

Saint: "Don't get cute."

Seeker: "What about instrumental music at weddings and funerals?"

Saint: "If God is not being worshipped at those occasions, then it is acceptable to have accompaniment as long as the event is not being held in a building that says 'church of Christ' on the sign."

Seeker: "Huh?"

Saint: "It's really very simple. Absolutely no pianos, keyboards, guitars, drums, or trumpets are allowed in the auditorium. However, you are allowed to make your voice sound like any of these instruments with an approved sound system. In some congregations, it is permissible to tape the music on someone else's property, and then bring it into our building, as long as it is not..."

Seeker: "...in the auditorium."

Saint: "Before you start to think that we are a little hung on this issue, you will be relieved to know that in some of our more progressive fellowships, it is legal to play taped instrumental music as background noise for a slide show IN THE AUDITORIUM, as long as it occurs before the opening prayer or after the closing prayer."

Seeker: "Exactly where do you get your biblical authority for this tradition?"

Saint: "If Noah had used Ponderosa pine instead of gopher wood to build the ark, do you think God would have been pleased?"

Seeker: "I, uh, guess not."

Saint: "Well, that settles it."

Seeker: "Do you have a piano at home?"

Saint: "I took lessons for 10 years."

Seeker: "And have you ever played church hymns on the piano?"

Saint: "I know every Stamps Baxter song by heart."

Seeker: "Aren't you worshipping God in your living room?"

Saint: "Oh, on the contrary. I have trained myself very carefully to perform those songs without thinking about the words."

Seeker: "So does your church have a choir?"

Saint: "Well, we don't exactly use the 'c' word. Makes people think of robes and performances. Church is certainly no place to be entertained. 'Praise Team' is a less threatening term."

Seeker: "What about Christian radio stations?"

Saint: "Those are the only stations my kids are allowed to listen to."

Seeker: "Let me get this straight. You listed to contemporary Christian music on the radio and you sing hymns with instruments in your home."

Saint: "Right."

Seeker: "And you can sometimes use taped music of instrumental music for weddings and funerals, as long as you're not worshipping and not in a church of Christ building."

Saint: "That's right."

Seeker: And you think people who do use instruments are..."

Saint: "A preacher once told me, 'If part of the snake is bad, then all of the snake is bad'."

Seeker: "So, people who are feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, ministering to broken families all in the name of Jesus..."

Saint: "I know, it's a shame, isn't it. All that effort here on earth and it isn't going to count because they just didn't get it right."

Seeker: "But don't you think God is more concerned about out hearts than He is with our methods? Didn't He accept the Passover celebration of King Josiah even though it wasn't followed to the letter, because their desire was to honor Him?"

Saint: "Well now, if you're going to reach back into the Old Testament and pull verses out of context, then I think you're missing the point."



author's note: Does anybody else think we're missing the point?