Instrumental Music: The Worship Wars

By Jeremy D. Joy

The denominations are involved in a battle over traditional versus contemporary music in worship resulting in a chasm that is widening all the time. The issue for the denominations is not substance because instrumental music is unquestioningly accepted by most denominations; instead the issue is style. Some contemporary worship resembles a rock concert with lights, loud music, and even a mosh pit. Some denominations have sought to resolve the issue by offering a traditional service for older parishioners as well as a contemporary service for younger members and new prospects. The denominations that are changing with the times are increasing in numbers whereas the ones that are resistant to change are becoming a thing of the past.

“Churches of Christ” are not immune from the same controversy. Historically, churches in the tradition of the Stone-Campbell movement have opposed instrumental music in the worship of the church, but some “churches of Christ” today are on the cutting of edge of music in worship. I recently read about a “church” in Texas that has a contemporary service on Saturday that would rival the worship of the mega-church movement that began in the 1990’s including the observance of the Lord’s Supper. As a result, some have proclaimed the emergence of a “church of Christ” denomination and it would be hard to argue that one does not exist now. The simple worship of the New Testament church has become as rare among people who call themselves Christians as a traditional worship service in mainstream denominationalism.

The real issue is not simply the instrument of choice such as an organ versus an electric guitar. The underlying assumption is that instrumental music is scriptural. We would not expect the denominations to be concerned about scriptural authority, but that “churches of Christ” would speed past the organ from congregational singing to the use of Christian rock bands in the worship of the church speaks volumes about how some view scriptural authority. It has become nothing more than a mere afterthought and the result is another denomination, not a church belonging to Christ.

The New Testament church used congregational singing without the accompaniment of instruments in its worship (Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16). To be like the New Testament church, we must respect scriptural authority, but if we choose to be like the denominations in our worship, we should quit pretending to be something we are not and call ourselves what we really are—one of the denominations. There are fads and fashions in religion like there are in clothing styles, but we must continue to study and apply the word of God if we want to be true followers of Jesus.

Back