The Christian Chronicle newspaper devoted its cover story this month (October 2003) to a discussion of the implementation of instrumental music in the worship of several large churches. Commenting on these events, brother Mac Lynn, who writes extensively on statistical trends among churches of Christ, said, “Many churches are less concerned with historic markers that distinguished churches of Christ...Today, the distinctives are eroding, as the culture impacts the churches. Most of the markers are still in place, but the attitude toward their essentiality has changed.”

When asked why they had turned to instrumental music, the minister of one church said, “Relevance is driving it. Relevance to our community. Reaching out to seekers.” Another preacher said, “The [instrumental] service was added to reach the unchurched.” Of those being attracted by the new musical embellishments, one representative stated, “They were worn out with the same old thing.”

Interesting, isn’t it, that none of these men said they were altering the worship “because God’s word says we should.” They really couldn’t say that, of course, because it wouldn’t be true — and I’m supposing that they probably know that. Instead, they appeal to “reaching out to others,” as though that were the only end that matters.

The apostle Paul, arriving in Athens, found himself surrounded by people who, like many today, were worn out with the same old thing: “all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing” (Acts 17:21). But when we read the sermon Paul preached to these folks, we find him focusing not on their “need for the new,” but on the ancient and eternal God of creation. That God, Paul said, “does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:24-25).

Notice: God is not worshiped with hands. God is praised by “the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (James 13:15). God is worshiped by our “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in [our] heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19), by our “singing with grace in [our] hearts to the Lord,” as in Colossians 3:16. To presume God can be worshiped with our hands when His word teaches otherwise, or to suppose that we can praise Him by means He has neither commanded nor approved, is high presumption indeed.

“But we’re appealing to more people!” comes the cry. Paul had an inspired thought about this, too, in Galatians 1:10: “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” In another instance, the apostle would write, “But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). It is not our charge to bend to the whims of those around us, so they will like us better. Our charge is clear and unequivocal: “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17).

When we are tempted to change the things of God to adapt to the culture of humankind, we should ponder Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” We should not be ashamed to say to our contemporaries as Peter and John said to theirs: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).

Man’s thoughts and opinions constantly change. God and His word never do (James 1:17; Hebrews 13:8; Matthew 24:35; Isaiah 40:8). Whatever others may do, let us and our houses always serve the Lord, and Him only (Joshua 24:15).