In the span of 5 pages, a recent work written by a formerly musically conservative Christian leader,1 at least 15 unedifying words or phrases are used to speak negatively (either directly or by way of implication) about the arguments used by believers who are musically conservative to support their music positions:
| Word or Phrase | Page |
| “Ascetic approach” | 126 |
| “Ludicrous” | 126 |
| “Borderline racist“ | 126 |
| “Comically pseudoscientific” | 126 |
| “Alarmingly elitist” | 126 |
| “Twisted the Bible” | 128 |
| “Slanderous” | 129 |
| “Applied . . . arbitrarily” | 129 |
| “Shockingly poor exegesis” | 130 |
| “Absolute abandonment of the text” | 130 |
| “Radically depart from the text” | 130 |
| “The turn away from Scripture”2 | 130 |
| “Torturing historical narratives” | 130 |
| “Contradicted the Bible” | 130 |
| “Allegorized history” | 130 |
This abundant use of unedifying words or phrases does not meet the following standard that the Scripture sets forth for proper speech and ministry to those that one believes are seriously in error concerning an important aspect of the Christian life.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Conclusion
Had this writer (and those who assisted him in producing the book) exercised the necessary care to not give offense through the abundant use of unedifying rhetoric, he would not have added fuel to the fire of the sharp disagreements that have often characterized discussions about worship music.3 Sadly, this work has only made it more difficult for believers to achieve the unity that the writer abundantly says that he desires.
- The Scandal of Schism: A Journey from Sinful Division to Biblical Fidelity by Chris Anderson ↩︎
- Chris does mitigate this assessment somewhat by saying, “In many cases, I suspect that the turn away from Scripture is unintentional.” ↩︎
- See my post Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM for more information about what Scripture teaches that pertains to numerous issues concerning acceptable music for corporate worship. ↩︎
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