Our staff is reading Deep & Wide, the amazing book by Andy Stanley. I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE! It is an important read for anyone who cares about the future of the church.
It's hard to choose quotes from this book because I soon realized I was underlining about 90% of everything in it. But, today, this part stuck out to me.
I grew up around people who believed the church was for saved people who ACTED like saved people. I'm all too familiar with that church brand. The catch was that they were the ones who decided what act like a saved person meant. They got to determine which sins saved people could commit and which ones were evidence of being UNsaved. Oddly enough, the lists changed every few years. Worse, the lists never coincided with any of the sin lists in the New Testament. ..... SO, those who were actually "tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt fightings and fears within, without" didn't feel free to talk about their fightings and fears in those churches. Instead, they covered everything up. Which, of course, made everything worse. Covering up may keep the person in the good graces of the church, but it only fuels the power of whatever sin one is covering up. Churches designed for SAVED people are full of hypocrites.You pretty much have to be a hypocrite to aprticipate. Transparency and honesty are dangerous in a church created for church people. Consequently, the casualty in a church for church people is grace. It's hard to extend grace to people who don't seem to need it. And it's hard to admit you need it when you aren't sure you'll receive it.
Go to Amazon and order this book! Do it!!
2 comments:
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN WORSHIP?
Do the Scriptures authorize the use of "instrumental music" in worship? The short answer is, YES!
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (NASB)
PSALMS DEFINITION: Primarily denoted a striking or twitching with the fingers (on musical strings), then, a sacred song, sung to musical accompaniment, a psalm. (Work of reference: Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)
HYMN DEFINITION: A song to harp, a pulling or twanging with fingers. A sacred song or hymn. (Work of reference: Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary)
There is the argument that psalms found in the Old Testament are different than the psalms in the New Testament. The meaning of the word psalm did not change when the New Covenant came into force. The Day of Pentecost did not mark the change of the meaning of the word psalm. There is not one verse of Scripture that indicates the definition of psalm has been changed or altered. There is no dictionary Greek or English that I know of that has changed the definition of psalm.
The Book of Psalms defines the meaning of a psalm.
Psalm 81:2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. (KJB --Cambridge Ed)
A psalm was sung with musical instruments.
Psalm 81:2 Raise a song, strike the timbrel, The sweet sounding lyre with the harp. (NASB --1995)
A psalm was sung with musical instruments.
Psalm 81.2 Bring a psalm, and strike a tambourine. Play lyres and harps with their pleasant music.(GOD'S WORD Translation ---1995)
A psalm was sung with musical instruments.
Psalm 81:2 Take a psalm, and bring here the tambourine, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. (American King James Version)
A psalm was sung with musical instruments.
Psalm 81:2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. (ESV--2001)
A psalm was sung with musical instruments.
Psalm 81:2 Take up the psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with psaltery. (English Revised Version)
Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. (NKJV)
The word psalm means the same in the New Testament as it does in the Old Testament. God did not changed the meaning of psalm and men have no authority to do so.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN WORSHIP? YES
Definitely a great book. You might enjoy these leadership podcasts as well (one of them is Andy's):
http://resourcesforus.wordpress.com/2013/06/26/three-leadership-podcasts-you-should-listen-to/
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