OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

Here is a rare statement for a Church of Christ bulletin: “We want to have more of an emphasis on the musical gifts that the Lord has placed within our body (both instrumental and vocal). If you play any type of instrument or sing and would like to participate in this ministry, please see Stan or Ken.” That comes from the Arcadia Church of Christ, Arcadia, Ca., which now uses an instrument (guitar) for its congregational singing. It is the only church I know of that explicitly remains a Church of Christ and uses an instrument. Two others, Belmont in Nashville and Quail Valley in Houston also use an instrument, but while they were once clearly Churches of Christ they might not make that profession now not on their signboards at least! This is an interesting development among us. Will we be so sectarian as to say a church cannot truly be a Church of Christ and have an instrument? I had rather say something like it cannot be a true church if it is not Spirit-filled, or if it does not manifest the abiding fruit of faith, hope and charity —or if it is not truly catholic! But must it be acappella?

Word from Miami, Florida indicates that the Churches of Christ in that changing city, which is now 50% Hispanic, are in trouble. The old Central Church of Christ, longtime one of our leading churches, has a “For Sale” sign in the yard and the congregation is apparently disbanding. The churches once had an extensive Christian school operation, but most or all of this is now in the hands of others. The explanation given to me is that our sectarian, exclusivistic attitude could not survive in such a changing environment.

We all know of “old faithful,” the Sixth and Izzard Church of Christ in Little Rock. Not to be outdone by others, its elders are also now being sued. A deacon, who has been a member of the church for 45 years, is asking the court to order the elders to disclose the church’s business affairs, but he is asking for no money and there is no implication of wrongdoing. He just wants to know what is going on. He asks for an audit and an account of a recent elder election. The elders who function as a “board of directors” contend that they are under no obligation to provide the congregation with such information, which involves not only church donations but parking lot rentals, income from a day school, and interest on savings account. Such authoritarian rule of a handful of men in a sizeable congregation, which is supposed to be a democratic and free society, is going to be the undoing of many Churches of Christ if drastic changes are not made in our “elderships.” Can you imagine true “shepherds of the flock” behaving in such a way that a longtime member, who has given of his income for 45 years, has to go to court to find out what is going on in his own church?