Declaration. Address.
Richland Hills got voted off the island. Too bad about that both/and philosophy there, Rick. Apparently it’s either/or.
In fairness, note at the bottom of the article that no claim is made that the list in the directory is God’s list of faithful churches. However, it’s outrageous to think of including a list of Churches of Christ without Richland Hills. They still think they’re part of our tribe! They didn’t leave. They just decided to have some a cappella music and some instrumental. The whole autonomous congregation thing, you know.
This would come as a shock to the early leaders of the American Restoration Movement for whom unity was based on a common confession of Christ.
Last night at Highland I heard Doug Foster talk about 1809 (the year of Thomas Campbell’s famous “Declaration and Address”), 1909 (right after a formal split in the movement), and unity plans for 2009.
I look forward to participating in the Great Communion. on October 4.
Here’s a picture from the Great Communion day of 1909:
Mike,
Thanks for posting this. I’m beginning as the Senior Minister at Redwood Church – one of the 20 churches that didn’t survive the tribal council. And just think, my Sunday School teachers taught me as a child that the Churches of Christ was not a denomination. Go figure!
Such a crying, senseless shame, but God is blessing Richland Hills in wonderful ways, & that congregation seeks HIS will in everything they do. It’s all that matters.
I don’t see why the Richland Hills 9:00am Service shouldn’t make the list. I mean, the 9:00am service is surely going to heaven. It’s the other two services that are going to hell.
To be fair, the directory states that it is a listing of a cappella churches. To include churches that are not a cappella would be less than truthful.
Let’s not make this out to be something it’s not!
Much ado about nothing.
Even trying to maintain some sort of nominal affiliation with the Churches of Christ is a fool’s errand, not because CoCs are yucky and foolish, but simply because denominational affiliations are nothing to get worked up over. The only relevant question, really, is this one: is Jesus the one Lord of those who comprise this community?
qb
I guess I disagree in one sense.
Yes, it’s not really a big deal to not make THE LIST.
But there’s another sense in which is sort of is a big deal. My guess is that it’s a big deal to those who didn’t leave but are being excluded. Little lists like that tend to mark lines in people’s minds.
And yes, Tim, it does say that it’s a list of a cappella churches. Fair enough. But let’s admit it: most people read it as a list of Churches of Christ. Those directories have for a long time noted ways in which churches are unique. It would not have been difficult to put an asterisk with the note that these churches are not entirely a cappella.
It’s easy to overestimate the importance of something like this.
But it’s also easy to be historically blind and underestimate the importance.
Mike – Yes, yes, and yes! I’m an elder at a church of Christ that has been voted off the island, Bible Camp, and anything else associated with our sister churches in our area. This practice of “un-invitation” as I call it, is deplorable. Our adding of an instrumental service did not come from wanting to be different or hip. It came out of God’s Spirit working to combine our body with a local conservative Christian Church.
It was always are intention to “stay on the island.” We’ve been part of churches of Christ in Central Florida for over a half century. Yet, despite the fact we assured the Bible Camp we were a part of for 25 years that we would abide as we always had, to be acapella in our worship at Camp, the Board voted to vote us “off the island.” Only one church came to our defense but it was to no avail.
How much more powerful in my opinion, would our witness to the world be if we could accept brothers who practice immersion for the forgiveness of sins, who practice partaking of the Lord’s Supper, and believe and try to practice the Biblical practice of being autonomous whether they worship acapella or with the instrumental or in our case, both.
Despite the fact that we’ve been voted off our particular island we hold fast to our name, “The Central Church of Christ.” We accept our acapella only brothers and look forward to worshipping together in Heaven. May God’s Spirit move us to perhaps make that happen here on Earth, a little sooner.
Sorry about the length of my comment.
O.K., maybe I’m not so sorry about the length of my first comment but I have to add this:
Lest I sound like a “bitter” guy let me say this, God has blessed our church and opened doors that we didn’t even realize existed as a result of our “being left off the list.” What we discovered was the obvious which is, the “list” is so much larger than we sometimes realize.
It seems that we can have Calvinist churches of Christ, Armenian churches of Christ, participatory and non-participatory, one-cup and multi-cup, located preacher and non-located preacher, cell-based and not, we can tolerate many viewpoints of the working of the Holy Spirit,have different views on women in ministry, Sunday school and non-class, but if you bring in instruments you are not a church of Christ.
Please.
You know, Mike, I agree that it’s regrettable that RHCC isn’t included in the list. I suspect that they knew they would ruffle feathers, and they accomplished that end.
Nevertheless, I have a hard time getting over what the purpose of your entry is. It occurs to me that every so often something happens in Churches of Christ that is big enough & controversial enough that you chime in — could be a blog going private, or someone not welcome to speak at Harding, or whatever. And when this happens here, it almost always sounds condescending. Like, “Those poor, unfortunate, ignorant conservative souls.” Not only that, but it carries a whiny tone. I sense that I could read those entries & hear people across the blogosphere sighing, “Ehhhhh…”
I don’t think I’m the only one who has the same reflections whenever one of these posts happens here.
I understand that your blog is probably the loudest & casts the longest shadow in the COC blogsophere. And if you sense it’s an important enough issue, then use what you’ve got baby.
I just think that there’s gotta be a better way than figuratively pointing a finger, furrowing a brow, and shaking our collective heads at “the barbarians.” It’s elitist. And it’s plaintive in the annoying sense.
Rather than others attacking me, I’d be interested in dialoguing about a possible better way.
I’d suggest that might begin with a little more volume about the positive elements about Churches of Christ.
non-instrumental churches are in very good company. Instruments were not generally used for several centuries and then they were not accepted by most churches.
Mike,
My home church has recently decided to add an instrumental service. What you say is true, many would feel wrongly excluded from such a list. I’m not one of them. My home congregation IS part of the Body of Christ, and Christ IS their Head. No list required.
Please keep doing what you do, exactly the way you do it!
It’s for reasons like this that I’m glad my church (Farmer’s Branch) doesn’t make the list. I am thankful for my heritage, but I no longer consider myself to be a member of the C of C…and apparently the C of C no longer sees me as a member, either. At least it’s mutual.
Seems like being non-denominational doesn’t hold much water in view of these thoughts. Usually to understand the heartbeat of our tribe, I do observe the college towns. If I get the chance to sit in their pews for a while and study, it all becomes clear. Christ didn’t go along with what the so called very faithful proclaimed for a Jew. I do not feel He was a bad example. It is all about relationships.
I agree with what Hub wrote, that we can feel fine voting off instrumental churches but those others within our fellowship with ‘officially’ non-mainstream positions as well as others who are just cranky and divisive are still OK because they didn’t do the Unforgivable. Strikes me as really inconsistent.
Why not just put a little guitar out by the names of those who have done the deed? For those who use these books in travelling as they visit with ‘sound’ churches, now they’ll have another ‘branch’ of the church to avoid, along with the B, NI, or OCa groups, and I’m sure it will make everybody involved feel sound to not partake of such ‘unrighteousness’.
Funny thing is, there are some ‘instrumental’ churches that made it in…I know that Quail Springs in Oklahoma City has some services now, and hasn’t First Colony in Sugarland, TX gone to this (or at least has seriously thought about it)?
Looks like Rochester Church of Christ and Christ Church Macomb (our satellite church) dodged a bullet (read: sarcasm). We’ve had a Sunday morning instrumental service for several months. We are still left on the island (though I doubt we get immunity).
The denomiational police can’t hunt everybody down.
Thanks for writing about this Mike. I’ve always appreciated your willingness to talk about tough issues (war, politics, church polity) in a fair and honest manner. Many of us young preachers owe you a great deal for that.
Peace.
JG
I think what Richland Hills did, by adding music and keeping the name, is force us to deal with our identity. What makes us a “Church o Christ?” Surely, it’s about more than music. I think Campbell, Stone and others would certianly argue that our identity runs much deeper than this one issue, but our actions keep saying that it doesn’t. Through continued exclusion we tell the world that our fellowship’s main concern is a cappella worship.
The hew and cry about this just seems to smack of a particularly ironic and chuckleworthy form of neosectarianism.
qb was about to add “and probably harmless” to the list of adjectives. But when the whole denomination is known (to the extent we are known at all) for majoring in minors, this kind of hubbub doesn’t do much to dispel the image. Getting worked up about it is like claiming a third cousin as a dependent on one’s tax return…funny and regrettable at the same time.
Amusedly,
qb
I’m curious why no one is complaining about all of the “churches of Christ” that NEVER made the list because they are affiliated with the Christian Churches.
If this directory is a listing of all the faithful, well then yes, this is troubling. If it’s a listing of a cappella churches of Christ, well, why would you want to be listed as something you’re not?
I love the Chronicle, but I’m afraid they’ve poured gasoline on a spark with this non-issue.
I always appreciate it when Mike brings things like this up. It helps me keep up with what’s going on. Sometimes the comments can get a little bit silly, but I don’t feel like that’s Mike’s fault.
As to this particular post:
I would have preferred they’d left those churches on the list, however, I wonder how many people still actually use that book? When our family is looking for a church to attend, I go straight to the internet or a phone book. Do any of you use the book “Churches of Christ in the United States”? I’m really curious.
Mike forgive me but I think you got the show wrong. Richland Hills got off the Island all right but they were not voted off they simply are no longer “Lost”
I find it ironic that many of the same people (at least in my experience) who have such strong feelings about who’s included and who’s not included among christians when it comes to salvation (intruments, women, communion, immersion), are usually the same people who have such stong right wing leanings when it comes to politics; praising the likes of the Palins, Bushes, Hannities, and Limbaughs as standing for good…but in the end still thinking they’re going to be in Hell because their church doesn’t say cofc on the building. I’ve never really heard anyone else point this out.
reJoyce is right. Who uses it? I remember hearing about the guy breeding miniature horses, and he had perfected his selection technique. They kept getting smaller and smaller, until they finally just disappeared and he went out of business.
I didn’t even know there was such a directory, so no, we don’t use it.
Philip ,
Amen ! There is so much good to write about concerning the church of Christ and what local churches have done to teach, reach and love people for centuries. Think of the evangelism , the many works of compassion , etc all done to the glory of God. Thank God for the church of Christ !
What is really sad is this. Christ has His Bride. God knows His People. Just because you sit in a pew at an a capella church, or an instrumental church, or a CoC church or a Baptist church won’t mean squat in the end. In the end, one who is truly a Child of God will be apart of that Church which was written in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slaughtered, before all creation.
What is sad is that instrumental types proclaim such advanced theology and that they are doing such good things to attract this new wave of the selfish class of postmoderns – yet what… maybe half of you are actually following Christ? Maybe? And you a cappella types proclaim such advanced theology – yet what… maybe half of you are actually following Christ? Maybe?
Here is an experiment – this Sunday look all around you in your church – all those pretty done up faces of women – all those well-dressed men – all those happy children bouncing up and down and imagine the entire building being consumed by the fire of judgment.
How many of you, regardless of a cappella or instruments, even tremble at the thought of Jesus looking at you on that day and screaming “Away from me! you worker of lawlessness, I never knew you!”
How many of you tremble at this? You all type on these message boards like you have it all figured out – so assured in your salvation; yet how many of you live in sin without repentance? How many of you pray all day long? How many of you read the Word every day of your life? How many of you rejoice in the Name and give thanks in all circumstances? How many of you actually believe in Jesus – and don’t just call out His Name as a right of passage? How many of you actually count others as greater than yourself? Sadly – in reading this post and the comments that follow – few, if any.
Pathetic. This entire discussion and topic is pathetic. You liberals are pathetic. You conservatives are pathetic. Get right with God and get ready for His arrival – lest you are given many blows for not being ready.
Or, keep talking about politics – or who is on a list – or how Hannity is dumb – or how Obama is evil – and in the end be tossed away with the chaff. (I am guilty of these things recently on this blog, even while in a joking manner, but even with that I am done with it!)
Christianity is dead in America; and the majority of it that is functioning is filled with worldly-focused wimps.
One last thought – it amazes me that so many people who are in the Churches of Christ, make fun of the Churches of Christ or lash out against it. You people are sadistic.
Be ready. Oh to escape the flames that are due to each one of us!
Remember, God owes you nothing. All we deserve for our rebellion is eternal death. We owe God everything. Oh His patience with such a perverse people! Blink now, you’re life may be gone – oh but we’re still talking about this list and how stupid CoCs are becoming and how other congregations are so much better.
Shall we ask for just a drop of water to cool our tongues?
We will, the “Churches of Christ in the United States” examine every member who may be suspected of having departed from the “Confession of Faith,” and suspend every such suspected heretic immediately, in order that the oppressed may go free, and taste the sweets of
Gospel liberty.
Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery, edited for 2009.
O, that we all would be excluded from such a publication that has become a stench in God’s nostrils. Please, kick me out to.
I agree with Mike that if these directories can place identifying marks to distinguish congregations that are non-institutional, mutual edificaiton, premillenial, etc… then why not make a distinguishing mark for those congregations that also allow instrumental worship.
Personally, it baffles me as to how a capella worship continues to be that issue that defines who we are and this is what I see the directory doing – distinguishing churches that are a capella. I am not opposed to a capella worship nor am I trying to champion the inclusion of instruments in ever Church of Christ…but is a capella worship such a big deal in scripture that it becomes one of those distingishing marks that define the borders of fellowship?
-Rex
Hope,
You make an interesting observation: Why do “conservative” stances tend to cluster together? As well as “liberal” stances?
The linguistic George Lakoff has an interesting take on this. I don’t buy it completely, but his argument is that behind the conservative and liberal worldviews is a view of family. Conservatives have stricter more authoritarian model of family while liberals have a more nurturing view of family. All this affects, and Freudian psychologists might agree, how the “Father” (God or Nation) is perceived, as well as the role of the “Mother” in mitigating aspects of paternal influence.
This idea does seem to explain some (but not all) of the issues involved. If the Father is modeled as strict and authoritarian (and the Mother is marginalized), then the job of “children” (church member or citizen) is to “toe the line,” as it were. Obedience and rule-following is the key virtue. This is the conservative worldview.
By contrast, in the liberal worldview the Mother is more present and the children have more a say in rule-development. The issue is less about rules than about providing an emotionally supportive climate. Empathy and emotional connection is valued over obedience. Rules are de-emphasized.
If you think all this through, it explains a lot of the criticism each group throws at the other. Conservatives over-emphasize obedience and discipline over compassion. Liberals are too permissive and enable.
Richard,
Well put. Thanks for addressing my observation. That actually makes a lot of sense.
PC III, sure wouldn’t want to “attack” you…….but your whole comment (rant) was the best example of irony I have seen in a long time…..in the annoying sense.
Richard– that made me raff out roud.
Rex,
Have you actually made the jump to the link or just read the post and the comments? The article addresses whether insturmental churches should be included in the directory as a subset similar to one-cup and non-institutional churches.
Furthermore, the publishers of the book state that the directory is by no means a statement of authorized fellowship. I believe we have to take them at their word unless one actually has evidence of a different purpose.
Does that mean that there are not people who will use the directory, and the instrumental issue, as a test of fellowhsip. Probably not. However, most of the people (yes, this is a generalization) who would do had probably already “disfellowshipped” the instrumental churches in their mind and did not need the directory to do so.
I think there might be a bit of an overreaction by those who have direct experience with churches that refuse to fellowship one another and keep lists of authorized churches. If that is your experience, you might be inclined to view the directory as such a list, but as I’ve already stated, the publishers state that is not the purpose and I believe we owe it to them in Christian love to accept their words at face value and not try to attribute some more nefarious purpose to the directory.
Is this really that big of a deal…who actually sits down and keeps up with these directories… PCIII I may be one of the few but I think your comments were dead on.
My difficulty with this list and the decision by whoever decides is why this one issue?
I recently preached on our use of A Capella music and made the claim that we don’t want to only be known as the ‘churches who don’t use instruments’ but it is clear that many have decided that’s what we want to be known for. We have got to somehow get back to being free independant churches who are mostly known by having an outrageous love for Jesus and their fellow man. Forget trying to make lists and who’s who and just follow the call of Him
They already differentiate a dozen different distinctions among CofC’s. In my opinion some of the churches they do recognize are far more out of line with some of what is taught there than a church that has an instrument. So make it a list of CofC’s, add a code, and let’s not continue to be characterized by the same spirit of divisiveness that is causing our numbers to dwindle.
About the notation for instrumental Churches of Christ: since “NI” means “non-institutional,” then “I” would appear to say “institutional.”
I like David’s idea. A guitar symbol. I’m guessing a Fender Strat would be too edgy?
Brian,
Yes I read the Christian Chronicle artile link and understand their reasons for making the decision they did. I disagree with their decision and question why they made such a decision. Given the history of the CoC to exclude those who differ with the unwritten credo, their decision to exclude only those among us who use instruments comes accross as very suspicious and inconsistent. It elevates a capella worship as a boundry line even though it is never a boundry line in scripture. Then again, there are some who have a habbit of making boundary lines where scripture does not.
Grace and peace,
Rex
It all depends upon who publishes the book – who’s in and who’s out – you see.
Brings to mind Rick Atchley and his parable of the chairs. Who would be in and who would be out if the book were published by folks at opposite ends of the row of chairs?
My guess is that, in eternity, 21st Century Christian will not be publishing the Lamb’s Book of Life.
None of us will.
Of course, Mike, reading this blog over the years, one might come away with the belief that the only churches of Christ on the island WERE Richland Hills and Highland.
Just because you haven’t published a formal list, don’t think that you haven’t communicated the same or stronger sentiments as you are trying to attribute to the directory people. For example, what is it that you think you have communicated in the past by bashing Harding? Or by bashing the College church? Or by bashing those amongst us who are more “conservative?”
You have such a gift, Mike. Why do you use it in this way?!
[Sigh]
What way is that Joey? To suggest that acappella music and the spelling on your church door are not salvation issues?
Mike doesn’ bash – he discusses. The bashing comes from those opposing Mike and that which “Brother Smith told me about on Mike’s web site last week”. Just a current version of all the arrow flinging that went on 50 years ago with the various and sundry newsletters.
Pitiful.
Joey -
You’ve been a VERY selective reader of this blog. Nearly everything I’ve written about Harding has been my fond memories — of Neale Pryor, Tom Eddins, Jerry Jones, Cliff Ganus, etc. The fact that I’m not allowed to speak there hasn’t changed my view of the fundamental importance of the school. It has been their decision not to have me back; not my decision to not go. I love the place. But of course there is a lover’s quarrel a few times — e.g., when they invited (and then uninvited Ann Coulter). Are you saying someone shouldn’t be allowed to say something about that? Or that one hates a place for doing so?
I don’t ever remember bashing College Church. When was that? I love that place. Did then; do now. (I’d like to suggestion that you type the words “College Church” [in quotation marks] into the search engine of this blog and see what comes up.)
Thanks all for these comments. Am on the road right now and can’t check often.
I think the issue is why bring up the fact that you have not been invited back in a public setting (which a public blog is). I mean I can understand why you may be frustrated but it is not appropriate to bring it up in a publice setting in my viewpoint.
I hesitate even to submit this, because few things ever get solved in comment sections…but here we go.
As I have followed this blog, I have read comments by those who are upset when this topic gets brought up, and they respond hatefully with harsh words, casting doubt on the motives of those who would believe differently than they do. While I do believe (and I am probably one of the few) that instrumental music actually is an important issue of obedience, I don’t agree with attacks that fall so short of a Christlike spirit. It seems that the response to those comments is to make fun of the conservative opinion. Sort of an “I used to think that way until I became enlightened, and now I will just poke fun at that mindset” approach(I am thinking of the recent list promoting a cappella singing which had an area to sign. People were laughing in this comment section about signing names to that list like Osama Bin Ladin), which doesn’t seem to reflect a Christlike spirit eiter. In the end, no matter if the subject is instrumental music or who Harding is inviting to speak, what usually results is a lengthy back and forth over 100+ posts where no one leaves happy.
I think we need to be careful about calling a book which lists congregations as a “stench in God’s nostrils” or implying that 21st Century is promoting division. I think we all understand that 21st Century is not our authority (neither are Barton W. Stone, Alexander Campbell or any other restoration leader). In my opinion, 21st is becoming caught in the vacuum that has resulted from the polarization we see in the church today. I feel that tension myself. It seems that the answer is Christlike discussion, not insults (which can come from both sides).
I don’t write this to incite any kind of argument, and it is likely that nothing will change. A year from now, this same discussion will probably be taking place. But, perhaps, it can be done with fewer accusations and sarcastic comments and more open discussion. Just my hope.
Maybe it’s just about perspective. I find that most comments on this blog are from conservatives complaining about some kind of reverse pick-your-sin-ism.
So what if the aren’t listed. If you look out in the world, there are some pretty big fish to fry. The power we give to the list amazes me. Eff the list.
Hi Mike. I am not part of the Church of Christ, so I don’t think I can participate in this particular conversation.
I did, however, want to pass along some info about Landon Saunders. I posted this in the comment section of a post you had in July of 2006, but didn’t know if anyone would ever read that far back. Basically, I wanted everyone to know that Landon Saunders has a great new site up at http://www.landonsaunders.org.
There is also a podcast available for free on itunes. Just search “landon saunders” or “heartbeat” in the itunes store search field and it should direct you to the podcast. There are already over 200 audio files available with many more coming periodically.
Hope all are able to enjoy and be encouraged.
Debra, I am a part of the Church of Christ, but think I’ll refrain from this particular conversation as well.
Thanks so much for the link! I love Landon and have a new iPod, so I will definitely download some podcasts.
I fear that we are in a time of reverse legalism. Our wonderful brotherhood seems to be going in so many directions. We are like people lost in a forest without a compass and not sure where to go. My personal opinion is that we must stay saturated with the word of God. Systematic expostion of the word and our obedeince to it will be the way we can stay focused on the will of God.