WHAT REALLY MATTERS (33 OF 52)
Scripture: Acts 15:1-2, Acts 15:12-21
This content is part of a series.
What Really Matters (33 of 52)
Series: Discipleship Part Two
Christopher B. Harbin
Acts 15:1-2, 12-21
Conflict has been a part of the church forever, just as it has been a part of humanity. From the story of Cain and Abel onward, our histories are more often than not the recounting of human conflict, rather than success. Often as not, our conflict arise from paying too much attention to things that are not quite as important as we want to imagine. The issues we hail as so important mainly serve to mask the underlying issues we don't really want to talk about. It seems too hard for us to focus on what really matters. Do we lack the energy to deal with the real issues, or do we lack the confidence necessary to face them head on?
We get caught up in debates over all sorts of issues that are really secondary to being disciples of Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, the labels have changed, but the same issues have arisen time after time without our grasping that the issues dividing us have not changed overly much. We have had conflicts over music. Some claimed that only music written in 3/4 time signature could be sung, as reflecting the Trinity. Gregorian chants avoided all rhythm as a more spiritual form of music. Some made claims that syncopated music is of the Devil. Others claimed the organ to be the only spiritual instrument. Others claim no instruments should be used in worship. We have had conflicts over tempos, styles, instruments, and rhythms. None of these musical issues were addressed anywhere in the Bible, because they are irrelevant to issues of discipleship and worship. They are not even secondary concerns of any doctrinal importance, yet we have been able to turn them into reasons for church division, themes of sermons, and the rallying cries of culture wars.
While we have often wrapped conflicts over musical preferences in theological language, these conflicts were never about theology. They were about personal comfort, preference, traditio ...
Series: Discipleship Part Two
Christopher B. Harbin
Acts 15:1-2, 12-21
Conflict has been a part of the church forever, just as it has been a part of humanity. From the story of Cain and Abel onward, our histories are more often than not the recounting of human conflict, rather than success. Often as not, our conflict arise from paying too much attention to things that are not quite as important as we want to imagine. The issues we hail as so important mainly serve to mask the underlying issues we don't really want to talk about. It seems too hard for us to focus on what really matters. Do we lack the energy to deal with the real issues, or do we lack the confidence necessary to face them head on?
We get caught up in debates over all sorts of issues that are really secondary to being disciples of Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, the labels have changed, but the same issues have arisen time after time without our grasping that the issues dividing us have not changed overly much. We have had conflicts over music. Some claimed that only music written in 3/4 time signature could be sung, as reflecting the Trinity. Gregorian chants avoided all rhythm as a more spiritual form of music. Some made claims that syncopated music is of the Devil. Others claimed the organ to be the only spiritual instrument. Others claim no instruments should be used in worship. We have had conflicts over tempos, styles, instruments, and rhythms. None of these musical issues were addressed anywhere in the Bible, because they are irrelevant to issues of discipleship and worship. They are not even secondary concerns of any doctrinal importance, yet we have been able to turn them into reasons for church division, themes of sermons, and the rallying cries of culture wars.
While we have often wrapped conflicts over musical preferences in theological language, these conflicts were never about theology. They were about personal comfort, preference, traditio ...
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