THE CHURCH SANG

Singing is a big part of the worship of any church of Christ. The early church sang. I believe there are at least nine different scriptures in the New Testament that refer to singing by the early disciples. Historians are agreed that when the church began (Acts 2) and for many years thereafter that the worship of the church had vocal music (acappella) and by this I mean no musical instruments.

BAPTIST PREACHER

John Price, a Baptist preacher, has written an excellent book that discusses the music issue from the first century through 2005. This book is entitled, Old Light on New Worship. It can be purchased at the Landmark Book Store in Jonesboro, Arkansas. A few weeks ago Arvil Hill called and said, “I borrowed Bill Cropper’s book and read it and it is the best thing I have read on the subject of music and I want to get my own copy.” I have talked with John Price by phone and I learned that he has led the church where he preaches in giving up instruments of music in worship.

1500 AD ON

Price shows in his book that many of the churches that were begun from about 1500 AD on were slow in accepting instruments in their worship, but by 1900 AD nearly all of the Protestant-Reformation churches had brought instruments of music into their worship as some termed it “to aid in helping the singing.” Some men and women in Protestant churches believed that the Reformation churches were not following the New Testament order of things and about 1800 they began what has been called the Restoration Movement and then about 1850 someone introduced the instrument in the worship of the “Restoration Church” and this led to the “beginning” of the Christian Church. This was about 1900.

A FEW

In recent years a few churches of Christ have begun to use instruments of music in worship but it seems as a whole the majority of churches of Christ are pleased to follow the example of the early church as recorded in the New Testament and therefore they are continuing to worship with vocal music only. Think about this. Jesus promised the apostles that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 14:26; John 16:13) and I believe He did. The Bible (New Testament) is the record of that all truth; therefore all necessary truth for worship is revealed in the New Testament and it declares they were a singing people. Let us follow the example of the early disciples.

READ THIS

In the monthly paper (2008), The Search, from Edmond, OK, after giving some interesting information about the John Price book then the following is stated.
* The Southern Baptist Church’s leadership has urged all of its congregations to wean themselves away from instruments at their Sunday evening services.
* The June 5, 2008 issue of the US News and World Report devotes a page to the phenomenon on college campuses of acappella music, which has become a huge hit. There are now more than 1,200 acappella groups on campuses nationwide.

SING

“I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” Come every Sunday and let’s sing, pray and preach. Come with a Bible in your hand and a big smile on your face and a spring in your step. Greet one another. Shake hands and be friendly. I’ll look for you in your place.

-Pat Casey