I picked up a couple of books this week while up at the ACU Lectures and one of those addresses the acappella/instrumental music issue for Church of Christ people. "The Other Side of the Keyboard" (ISBN 0-89900-918-2, copyright 2005 College Press Pub.) is a brief, balanced, and personal book by Milton Jones. Jones tells why he has changed his view from being one who was opposed to instrumental worship music to being one who supports it's use (but doesn't judge those who use or don't use instruments).
Jones' six chapter book (only 61 pages long) explains his thinking by telling his own story and offers an overview of the traditional C of C position(s) and then his more enlightened view. The six chapters deal with 1) Jones' own experience 2) Methods of "Interpretation" 3) What the Bible says on the issue 4) How church history bears on this issue 5) "Entertainment" (what it is and whether that's bad) 6) The "Division" over this issue and how we might reunite. I found this short book to reaffirm most of the positions I've come to believe on this issue. While Jones now advocates the use of instrumental music in worship, he still maintains that those who don't use instruments should be respected for their view and that we all should be able to practice unity, if not in our actual assemblies then at least in working together in other ways. Jones' own church, the Northwest Church of Christ in Seattle, recently merged with the Shoreline Christian Church. They now have a combined leadership and ministries, yet offer two worship services representing their acappella and instrumental heritages.
I'd be happy to share this book with any of you nearby that might like to read it (it'll probably take you only about an hour or so to read).
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I had fun Friday afternoon doing an arrangement of "We Want to See Jesus Lifted High". It's a pretty pumped up worship song that's been out for quite awhile, but I didn't seem to have an acappella arrangement of it anywhere.
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3 comments:
I would love to borrow that book!
Last night was a fun time. I definitley would never have watched the Olympic ceremony on my own. It was pretty bad but it was made funny watching it with friends!
Yeah,
Jerome Williams and Free Indeed did that song too. I like it!
Dan,
If I wanted to use your arrangement of "Ancient Words," how would I go about getting permission?
Thanks,
Mark. (maphill is my gmail name for email).
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