Frustrations of a Ministry Student pt. 1

Why is it that people get all upset in the Church of Christ about whether instrumental music is wrong or right while there are people all around us dying spiritually and physically while we sit around and do nothing about it? It extremely frustrates me that people can't get past petty issues and get to the doing of the word of God instead of debating about it.

You might ask what has prompted this post. Well Richland Hills Church of Christ (the largest and most influential Church of Christ) is now adding an instrumental service on Saturday night and it is causing great division and animosity towards that church and to anyone who disagrees with people who don't want instruments incorporated into worship. I for one think that Richland has prayerfully decided and studied this subject and have decided that it is a great opportunity for outreach and ministry.

Mike Cope (a prominent minister in the COfC) recently posted about this issue. And within a matter of a day there were 124 comments on his post. More than the previous post on what if Texas were a town and the dire poverty situation that Texas is in (8 comments).

This is deeply troubling to me. People are more concerned with the debate over instrumental music than that people are living in poverty, sickness and without Christ. This is a MAJOR problem.

If we are to truly be the hands and feet of Christ I don't think we should be debating over whether to use a piano or to use a praise team. These things are irrelevant to a world in need of Christ. People need to hear the good news, but instead people are hearing us bicker and fight with one another. I'm sure God is just beaming every time we win arguments with each other over issues.

People it's time to get over ourselves and our traditions and our preferences and start living out the Gospel message. Let's start living like Christ, and spread his message instead of spreading a message of division, hate and issues.