I’m actually gonna a respond to this over at my blog in my reflection on today’s GOCN. I really think the begs to the quesiton of idenity and where we draw indentity.

Two quick responses though: One, no, I don’t think we a can stand outside of history when doing reflection — we are our stories. Two, yea I’d heard the Amy Grant and Belmont story before. I think they would be an interesting historical and cultural study. Here’s another interesting tid-bit…when was Chris Smith, who is now the preaching minister at Harpeth Hills in Nashville, was student body at president at Lipscomb in the early 80’s, he had pass on bring Amy Grant to campus for entertainment, but could bring a secular band (if I remember right).

Thanks for the dialogue.

Interesting that they didn’t have intent to go one way or another with their music…. good to know. I still though, want to know how this has effected their fellowship with other churches - either churches of Christ or maybe the Independent Christian Churches… did your friends have any interest in getting on and joining the conversation?

Travis:

No problem about the long comment…. I just have a hard time replying to everything wheen they are long, whether I agree or disagree… interesting story about Amy Grant, though. I had heard that she was a member of the church, but didn’t know anything more than that.

As far as the mission of the church, I personally feel that whether or not we use a capella music or not should not interfear with the mission of the church at all… I, like you Travis, love a capella music, and think that we should affirm it. While I don’t think it necessarily wrong to use instruments to worship the Lord, I think that we most likely got it right in this regard, and that we should stick to being a capella. However, I would not stand in the way of a church using instruments. The Northwest Church of Christ in Seattle is a merged church…it being merged from both an independent Christian Church and an a capella church of Christ. They hold two services so that people can be in their comfort zone, but it has definatly had an impact on what type of a church they are….and, they have the benefit of fellowshipping with both churches of Christ and Independent Christian Churches, from what I have read.

Gabe: As far as your question about the gifted brother with the guitar, I think that answer depends on members of the church, not necessarily because of the tradition. I grew up in both the non-institutional (anti’s) churches of Christ and the mainline congregations… and the biggest problem I saw is when a church would divide and break up because of something that was a non-essential….while I understand that many people who aren’t bothered by some things think that those things should be implemented and that those that feel otherwise are either foolish or need more convincing, I think it is we that need to be catious and keep from offending our wearker brothers conscience. That, I think is an unacceptable risk….

-Clarke

Gabe, your practical question reminds me of an actual event that happened in one of our churches in the 70s. Don Finto told me this story about the, then, Belmont Ave. Church of Christ in Nashville, TN. On one Sunday, a young girl asked the elders of the church if she could share a song she wrote with the church. They were open to women singing in the church, so they obliged. What they didn’t realize was that this young girl would perform her song using her guitar, which was the first time a guitar had ever been used in their worship. Needless to say, this girl’s song (her name was Amy Grant, by the way) stirred things up in the church, but it was one of the first moves that led that church in a direction far from Churches of Christ. Today, the Belmont Church has no affiliation whatsoever with Churches of Christ (other than they have many members who came from Churches of Christ and their old building still has “Church of Christ” etched into the granite). They are a powerful, Charismatic church in downtown Nashville that has done much for Christian music and for the poor of Nashville. I don’t know the point of my story, but there you go.

In other news, I like the suggestion that mission and missiology might supercede tradition and historical theology, but I need to live with it for a while. My first inclination, though, is to say that the mission of the church should be birthed from her history and theology. History and theology should drive mission. Yes, I believe there are times when the Church must rethink their mission, and even go against their tradition. For instance, I am in favor of doing this when it comes to the role of women in the church. And, I realize that such a practice (having women in prominent leadership roles in the church) would distance one’s congregation from many churches. But even so, when our traditions are rethought, I think it must be done by a reexamination of our history and theology, not by simply superceded them as if they don’t matter (which I don’t think you, Gabe, the history-boy, would be in favor of). Our impetus for any changes in the church should not simply be current fads or preferences, but a discernment of the will of the Holy Spirit, whom I believe works through the local church but also through Holy Scripture and Church History and Theology. I realize that is a loaded sentence, but I don’t feel like unpacking it right now.

Let me continue my ramblings. I like acapella music, believe it is a part of our tradition that should be affirmed, and yet I would not die for such a tradition. If need be, I’d probably go along with using instrumental music if that was the worship style birthed from the community, as you describe. But if my congregation chose to do that, I would still want to make sure that we were identified within Churches of Christ. Many church plants often do innovative things within their fellowships that would greatly benefit the larger fellowship of Churches of Christ. But when the choose to unidentify themselves with our fellowship (and I’m not saying this is what Chris and Heidi and GVR are doing), they isolate themselves from having a big impact on our churches. Even though I like acapella music, I also think it would do Churches of Christ good if we had a couple fully instrumental churches as well. Maybe I am duplicitous, I don’t know.

As for the “post-denominational” theory, I’ve heard a lot about it, but I really don’t by it. Maybe I do not understand what you and others mean by “post-denominational”.
I guess I need more proof. I have yet to really see any denominations failing. They are everywhere and many are growing. Many, like me, who have grown up in a “non-denominational church” (if that is possible), long for more denominational structure. Here’s my assessment of our current cultural situation. I think we are in a time of trans-denominationalism. Our denominations are still present and in tact, but many are loosing their strict loyalty to one particular group. For instance, I love Churches of Christ, believe there is much in our tradition that is good and pure, but there is much I believe I need to learn from the Episcopalians, the Orthodox, the Catholics, the Methodists, and even, *gasp* the Baptists. I will remain a member of Churches of Christ, but I am willing to learn from other traditions and maybe even incorporate some of their practices into my own life.

With that said, I realize that there are some who want nothing to do with denominations. But I don’t think that number is big enough to declare we are in an age of post-denominationalism or to even predict the future demise of denominations. I think the shape of denominations will change, and are changing, but they are here to stay (at least until long after we die). But, what is a historian-in-training doing speculating about the future.