© 2007 The Flaming Torch, All rights reserved.
I recently read an article by an Independent Baptist, indicating that some things were "negotiable" to the Christian and the local church. It always frightens me, just a bit, when I hear words like "negotiable" being used to further a "change" into something more contemporaneous or up-to-date within the Christian sphere of ministry and activity.
I guess I'm old enough to be "old-fashioned," and I suppose that I am forward enough to let you know that the ways of the former days are not so bad. There are some "old paths" and "old foundations" that still look pretty solid and inviting to many of us.
THE OLD SOUNDS
In our church, we have a man in charge of our music program who is just plain, "old fashioned" in his music. I say, "amen." Never . . . never . . . do we hear the contemporary sounds, and we don't even need drums on the platform, or tapes with the "Carpenter sound" in the sound booth.
Folks come to Anchor with full assurance that the music and its style of presentation is going to be "old fashioned," rather than "smooth" and frothy. It is something that we cannot "negotiate" if we are going to accomplish the ambience or a spiritual worship hour. We still believe worship is the key, and not entertainment in our services.
Funny thing about that music position: It lets our parents know that their youth are not going to be coming home from one of our activities, "grooving-out," or whatever kids call it in this day. We don't even use clapping while we sing, and there is no swaying of the musicians or singers. We know we are "old-fashioned." We like it!
When missionaries come by and ask me if they can use tapes for their singing, the answer is an unqualified, "NO." It does tell me, however, from whence the missionary is coming.
Now, all of us do not agree on the standards that the Anchor Baptist Church has set on music and performance, and some would say that it is "negotiable." But not around here! We are going to hold the line, and I know you want to know why. Thank you for asking.
Mrs. Corkish and I met as teenagers, performing in dance bands, and other forms of secular music. When we were both saved, we found that our kind of music (of the early `50s) was not suitable for the churches we attended. We found that even our music had to be converted so that it would be appropriate for the house of the Lord.
We had to work at it so that it did not sound like "the world." The rhythm had to leave "the world," and some of our chord progressions and kinds of chords were going to have to be left behind. A discordant harmony was not acceptable in the churches in those days.
Well, things were "negotiable" through the years among Christians, and the music we once knew would find its way into the local churches because they were becoming more like the world, and some would say that the music sound was "negotiable."
Today, some churches are way out beyond what we use to play in the secular world, and the church sound has moved so far to the left that the world's sound of the fifties was mild in comparison to some of the music in today's churches.
I think it is a "landmark" that has been moved to the left, and our churches have been made to drink into the secularism of worldly music. "Legalistic" or not, that is my view on music.
David W. Cloud summarizes the situation very well in his article, "Digging in the Walls."
"One of the myths of our time is the idea that music is neutral. This is a key argument of those who defend blending Christian words with worldly styles of music, such as rock or jazz. The truth is that music is not neutral. Musical rhythms are a form of communication just as real and powerful as words. Music speaks. Music paints a picture. Music creates the mood for the words. Spiritual words require spiritual music. Fleshly music will produce fleshly results."
WHERE IS THE "APPEARANCE OF EVIL?" Well, it is rapidly appearing in the local fundamental Baptist churches across America. It is going down in the name of "negotiation." If a thing, according to the opinion of the advocates of "negotiation," is not spelled out in the bible, it is "negotiable." Some things that come to my mind are:
1. Shorts on the pianist. 2. Tank tops on the choir. 3. Hip-boots on the pastor. 4. Tights on the usher. 5. Strobe lights on the pulpit. 6. Sequins on the male quartet. 7. Clapping after the musical (now I've gone to meddling). 8. New designations to replace the word "church". 9. New terms for laymen, like "lay-pastors". 10. new term for "the blood," like, "death". 11...and any other thing you might want to alter.
Well, Anchor Baptist Church (TORCH EDITOR: And the Clairemont Bible Baptist Church) is going to stay by the "old stuff". We are going to have the Old Prayer meeting, rather than "cell groups." We are going by the name "Baptist" rather than "Fellowship." We like the term "church" rather than "Rock."
It gives us a comfortable feeling to know that on Wednesday night, the "old timers" (and the "new") know what to expect out of our church. Everyone from far and near will know that when it comes to Sunday and Wednesday, we are going to have the old-fashioned Sunday School Hour, and the old-fashioned Wednesday night prayer meeting, and the old-fashioned Sunday night service; with old-fashioned preaching from the old-fashioned (KJV) book, on the old-fashioned blood. They will know the choir will be singing the old-fashioned hymns by Fanny Crosby, and others, who lived godly lives and had godly motives in the production of great spiritual music. (NOTE: The TORCH EDITOR and the Pastor of the CLAIREMONT BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH can say AMEN to all the above.)
If you feel like you need the certainty of where we are going to be next month in your worship experience, you might want to try an old-fashioned church that is going to make every effort of having an appearance of godliness, holiness, separation, continuity, and warmth of the good old days when solid churches were everywhere, and terms and practices were not able to undermine the foundations of convictions and confidences of the saints.
Pastor, if you are tempted to follow the terminology and methodology of the charismatics, neo- evangelicals, and success-oriented churches (chapels, fellowships, or whatever), take a second look, and go back to the moors that gave security and satisfaction in a godly atmosphere with the godly appearance. The godly people will love you for it.
God bless you. You are welcome.
- THE LIFELINE
TORCH EDITOR: Once you start to lower your standards they will continue to go down. I know first hand of a church where the pastor did not allow the clapping after the music, etc. He also did not want canned music. He had a falling out with the music director about it and the music director left. Later, they made up and reached a compromise. The music director came back and was allowed to use some canned music. The pastor later left. A new pastor was called. A strong preacher and a soul winning preacher. However, I am sorry to say when you now attend that church some of the taped music is so loud you cannot even hear the words. They are using canned music from those who don't even know the Bible plan of salvation (charismatics) when they have several ladies who can play both instruments. And of course they clap after the special numbers. They have also "progressed" to where they have added clapping after each person is baptized. As far as I am concerned it kills the spiritual atmosphere of the entire service. Should another pastor come along they will go even further down the road of worldly compromise.
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© 2007 The Flaming Torch, All rights reserved.
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