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An article in the October 2003, issue of The Christian Chronicle, headlined;
“Instrumental Music: Isolated or Key Trend” reports that five urban churches of
Christ, have added or are adding instrumental music in their worship services
since 2001. Flavil Yeakley says no. “I would think of it as five isolated
tragedies.” He said.
Others point out that it is an indication of a changing attitude toward
hermeneutics (methods of establishing Bible authority). I think this is correct.
We have a generation (or two) of brethren who have not been taught the basics of
how to establish Bible authority. Scripture filled sermons have been traded for
story-telling preaching. Many have been raised on uplifting, “feel-good” sermons
that do nothing to help the edification or Bible knowledge of brethren.
I think this is a repeat of 1859 when Dr. L.L. Pinkerton, who was the
preacher at Midway, KY, introduced the melodeon into the worship services. His
reasoning for doing so was: “The singing was so deplorable that it scared the
rats away.” * That event started a “trend” that resulted in the division that
separated the “Christian Churches” from the churches of Christ, which was
formally recognized in the religious census of 1906. Is History REPEATING
itself? Emphatically yes!! The introduction of instrumental music is just the
“visible” evidence of a wholesale change in the thinking of this generation of
preachers and brethren! The churches that have introduced instruments into the
worship include; Oak Hills, San Antonio, TX, (which has 3,800 members), Amarillo
South, TX, Farmer’s Branch, TX, Southlake Blvd. In the Dallas/Ft. Worth, area,
and Northwest, in Seattle, Washington. We can expect to see more of the same in
the future and weep for the sundering again of the body of Christ! (Larry)
* The Stone-Campbell Movement, page 461, by Leroy Garrett.
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