The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
August 29, 2004
In
This Issue:
Thinking
about Applauding in Worship
by
Steve Klein
My
Advantage
by
Kent Heaton
Thinking About Applauding in Worship
Sometimes practices are adopted into worship services from popular culture apparently without much thought. Clapping after songs or sermons is a current example. This trend has caught on in many denominations and even in some churches of Christ. Perhaps those who have begun clapping in worship are simply trying to find a way to express their joy and approval, just as they would at a play, a political rally or a concert. However, I cannot believe that members of churches who applaud during worship have really stopped to THINK about whether or not the practice is pleasing to the God who is supposedly being worshipped. Here are three simple points that deserve some study and thought.
(1) Clapping is not authorized in the New Testament anymore than is instrumental music. Clapping was encouraged in the Old Testament. The Psalmist exhorts, "Oh clap your hands all you peoples. Shout to God with the voice of triumph" (Psalm 47:1). Clapping would have been an appropriate way to praise God for those living under the Old Testament, just as playing instrumental music would have been (Psalm 150:3-4). Neither practice is approved or encouraged in the New Testament. How can anyone living under the New Testament desire to go back to the Old Law to establish a mode of worship (cf. Galatians 5:4)? Applause in today's worship assembly is an inappropriate way to praise God on exactly the same grounds that instrumental music is. You cannot approve of one and condemn the other if you wish to be consistent.
(2) Clapping in the Old Testament was done to praise God, not a "performer." Notice that the clapping and shouting commended in Psalm 47:1 was directed "to God." Even a person of the world who is not concerned much with spiritual things, but who is concerned with what is appropriate and mannerly, can see that applauding "performers" in worship is simply out of place. A recent book entitled, Miss Manners Rescues Civilization, by Judith Martin, "consists mostly of letters from her 'Gentle Readers,' and her responses, interspersed with essays." In one section, a reader writes to ask about applause in church, as when a choir or solo is applauded. Swift and firm is Miss Manners response: She says, "Hard as it may be to imagine, musicians in church are supposed to play or sing for the glory of God, not for the pleasure of the congregation... No applause... Not even for small children, who particularly need to have the purpose of their performance explained to them." While Miss Manners obviously does not know what the New Testament authorizes regarding the music to be used in worshipping God today, even she can see that it is out of place to applaud human beings in a worship which is supposed to be "for the glory of God."
(3) We are not to seek glory from men. Jesus taught that when we pray, fast or perform charitable deeds "to have glory from men" we "have no reward from our Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 6:1-6, 16). Would Jesus forbid us from praying and fasting to be rewarded by men and then commend us for receiving applause for preaching or singing? THINK!
by Steve Klein
A story is told of a little girl named Sarah, who was born with a muscle missing in her foot and she had to wear a brace all the time. She came home one beautiful spring day to tell her daddy she had competed in "field day" - that's where they have lots of races and other competitive events. Because of her leg support, her daddy thought of a number of ways to encourage Sarah to keep from this getting little Sarah down. Before he could get a word out, she said, "Daddy, I won two of the races!" He couldn't believe it! He thought she must have been given a head start or some kind of physical advantage. But again, before he could say anything, she declared, "Daddy, I didn't get a head start ... My advantage was I had to try harder!"
For many of us, it is easy to let difficulties in our lives keep us from striving very hard for our goals. Our world is molded upon the premise that everything must be gained with ease and comfort. If things do not go according to our plans and the way we thought things should be, we give up and complain. The pursuit of happiness is to be gained with little cost and much less effort. Many fail to achieve anything in life because with each challenge presented before them, they try to find another way to go. Many times people give up on life because of difficulties that come upon them and they are consumed by their grief.
The attitude of Sarah is the kind of attitude expressed by God's people in overcoming whatever comes upon them. She recognized her inabilities and knew in order to compete for the prize, she would have to try harder than the others. They could offer her an easy way to win by putting her ahead of the race and giving her a greater advantage than the others. She believed that even in her condition she would try harder than ever before. It was not that she was guaranteed to win but her heart told her to try hard.
The life of Joseph in the book Genesis is a story of a young man who had everything to live for in life until one day his life became a brutal existence of slavery. From that terrible beginning, Joseph never bemoaned his station but he tried even harder to serve God. For his diligence and faith in God, he was rewarded with God's protection and blessings.
Job did not understand what happened to him in the calamity of his life. Through it all he rang forth to message of victory in believing that God had not deserted him. The book of Job is not about suffering but about faith and victory in the face of terrible odds. Job had to try harder than ever before - and he was rewarded.
Paul shares from his own life the plea he made with God to deliver him from a thorn as a messenger of Satan to buffet him. He pleads with the Lord three times to have it taken away and the Lord said, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. "(2 Corinthians 12:9) Paul expressed his faith in the Lord when he said, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Paul was running the race with an affliction and while he pleads with the Lord to have it removed, he accepted the knowledge that it would not be taken away and he just tried harder. This helps us understand even more what Paul felt when he wrote, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7) He ran with an affliction of flesh and spirit and he just ran harder - that was his advantage.
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5: 1-4)
By Kent Heaton