ACAPPELA

Saturday, April 12, 2008

The music you are listening to, unless you changed the order, is Amazing Grace by a choral group from the Edmond Church of Christ. You may or may not have noticed that this group is singing without musical instruments. I grew up with this kind of vocal music. I loved it then and I still do today. I left the Church of Christ denomination (my friends in the Churches of Christ will not agree with the designation denomination) and went to the independent Christian Church. For the last nineteen years I have been worshipping with the use of instruments. I would never do this if I thought it was sinful. I do not, and this is one of my main arguments with the Churches of Christ.

If I had remained with them I would never, ever have brought in instruments. The thing I could not tolerate was our teaching that everybody that used instruments in worship was sinning and would be lost. I know all of the arguments in favor of this position and have preached them. I will not give you these arguments here mainly because they are not valid and they also are just silly.

Do I think the Churches of Christ should start singing with instruments? Absolutely not! But I strongly believe they should stop condemning those who do. Sing on my dear brothers and sisters, sing on! Please do! I love the music you make from your heart. I always have and always will.

Of all the renditions of Amazing Grace I could have selected—I chose this one. I am moved every time I listen to it. It helps me draw closer to God!